Come Rain or Shine UPVC Conservatories Are Sublime!
OK, so you’ve reached the seminal point in your life when the only thing for it, is a conservatory. You’ve lived without a conservatory for long enough, and now it’s time to join the rest of the sun loving, relaxing populous with a “little glass outhouse”.
But before you go jumping the gun and rushing off to your local UPVC conservatory showroom, just hold your horses and have a read of this article.
What do you need to bear in mind when buying a UPVC conservatory for your home?
First things first, it is essential to ensure the plot on which you wish to locate your conservatory is appropriate for the structure. You need to pay close consideration to issues such as the plot size and drainage and whether it will take extensive building work to prepare the plot for UPVC conservatories. After all, as we have all learnt to our detriment, builders do not come cheap (even really bad ones; in fact a cowboy builder can even be more expensive)
Once you have determined your plot is suitable for the building, the next step is to choose your style. There is plenty of choice out there, everything from Edwardian and P-shape through to Victorian and T-shape.
Then there is the material; UPVC conservatories are extremely hard-wearing and easy to maintain whilst wood provides a different look and feel, but may require more extensive upkeep.
A major design choice these days is the roof itself – should you go cheap with polycarbonate, traditional with glass or should you consider a tiled roof? Tiled conservatory roofs are not cheap, so maybe you should check this out first “How Much Does a Tiled Conservatory Roof Cost?”
Another factor which is not so simply decipherable is whether or not you require planning permission. As a general rule in England and Wales you’ll need planning permission if:
- Your structure is within two metres of the boundary line of your plot, and at this point the roof is four metres or higher;
- Your conservatory is spread over 50% or more of your original garden;
- Your home is Grade 2 listed;
- Your planning developed rights have been moved;
- Your conservatory is 20 metres or less from a road or public footpath
Ok. So the preparatory work has been completed and you’re chomping at the bit to have your new conservatory installed. But is that entirely necessary, or could you save a barrel of cash and install UPVC conservatories yourself?
Well probably not unless you have extensive DIY skills Then it’s probably best to leave it to the conservatory experts.