Ideal conservatory specifications

June 16, 2010

The ideal specifications for a conservatory is really dependent on it’s location, intended use and of course personal preference, however in general, the following guide provides the most important factors to consider.

Style – Choose a conservatory style that most suits your home and try to avoid any over-the-top design that doesn’t fit in with your property.

Size – Make sure that your conservatory is large enough to serve it’s purpose but not so large that it looks out of proportion on your home.

Colour – Choose a colour that closely matches your existing or proposed new windows and doors.

Frame Glazing – There are now many different glazing types to choose from. For convenience, consider self cleaning glass and for comfort and energy conservation, consider thermally efficient and solar control glass. This will help keep your conservatory more comfortable all year round.

Roof Glazing – Again, consider thermally efficient, self cleaning and solar control glass or polycarbonate. Remember, a glass conservatory roof will normally allow more glare than most polycarbonate roofs.

Heating - Due to the proportion of glass in the typical conservatory, adequate heating during cold spells can often be more difficult than with other rooms in the house. Often, a single radiator or heater is not enough and should be aided by a secondary heating source such as electric underfloor heating for example.

Blinds - Fitting blinds provides privacy, helps reduce heat loss through the windows and guards against heat and light which can damage furniture.

Furniture - If your conservatory is to be used as an additional living area, then you’ll need to furnish it. Choose comfortable furniture for relaxing, socialising or watching TV, just as you would in your main living room.

If you follow this guide, you’ll not go far wrong and it will enable you to get the very most out of your conservatory.


Conservatory base evolution

May 12, 2010

The modern conservatory has continued to evolve over the years in terms of materials in manufacture such as the latest fully sculptured PVCu frames and corner posts, frame glazing such as Pilkington K Glass and self-cleaning glass, roof glazing such as solar control polycarbonate and glass, again with self-cleaning options and of course the modern roof system comprising of aluminium profiles with PVCu cappings.

But what about the conservatory base? The materials and method used for the foundations, base and walls have remained exactly the same since time began – until now!

Steel conservatory bases are the future of how conservatories will be built. Many modern commercial buildings, bridges and skyscrapers are now built on steel sub-structures and these bespoke steel base units are ideal for building conservatories.

Modern steel subframe technology means less work and less mess – a lot less.

Lets take a look at the benefits of the ConservaBase steel conservatory base system.

The ConservaBase factory finished system was designed with the aim of streamlining the installation process by minimising the amount of work necessary on site and reducing reliance on outside trades to zero. This even enables an average DIY enthusiast to carry out a complete conservatory installation project from base to roof.

The main advantages of this steel conservatory base system are as follows.

  • Total conservatory solution from “the waist down” cutting down three week projects to just three days
  • Highest possible build quality using tried and tested zero maintenance modern construction methods
  • Standard base and walls can be completed in under two days
  • Meets and exceeds all relevant building regulations where necessary
  • Highly engineered finish indistinguishable from a conventional build complete with independent structural warranty
  • Can be carried through house when no rear access available
  • No skips needed to remove spoil, as no major earthworks are required
  • No builders or bricklayers required
  • Fully finished and highly insulated with no need to add insulation on site
  • Manufactured to exact sizes, so conservatory will always fit perfectly
  • Can be fitted over existing patios (no need to dig up tonnes of concrete)
  • Manholes and drains can be left in place
  • Moisture resistant floor means no waiting for concrete to cure
  • Huge range of real brick tile finishes, plus render and pebbledash options
  • Alternative foundation options for difficult sites, ground conditions and complex design of conservatory.

A quick guide to conservatories

August 18, 2009

conservatory guideWelcome to this quick guide all about conservatories .

I have been in the conservatory industry for over 20 years now and have decided to create this blog to offer my expert views and insights in to the world of conservatories, as well as providing many useful resources for home owners looking for ways to add space to their homes, therefore here’s a quick guide.

Let’s start with furnishing your conservatory.

Conservatory furniture is one of the most practical and effective ways of enhancing any conservatory and after dealing with many suppliers over the years, I can confidently recommend Haddon House.

With over 20 years experience and a range of over 30 cane and wicker furniture products, I have always found Haddon House to be the most helpful and the most competitively priced suppliers of conservatory furniture that I have ever had dealings with and you can see their website at www.haddonhouse.co.uk and request a free brochure there.

Conservatory heating is without doubt one of the most important things that should be considered when planning conservatories as it will make your new room far more comfortable and usable all year round.

One of the most effective ways of heating a conservatory is electric underfloor heating. I have installed this in my own conservatory at home and can honestly say that it is one of the best decisions I have made, it really is very efficient and reasonably economical to run.

The company I used for my own conservatory is actually called Floor Heating and you can see their website at www.floorheating.com.

Again, this is a company that I can strongly recommend as their prices are the lowest I have ever come across and the staff there are very knowledgeable and helpful.

Flooring for conservatories is really a matter of personal taste, although tiles are most suited to electric underfloor heating which performs extremely well in my own conservatory.

Finally, most people eventually install conservatory blinds to reduce the heat build up and glare which occurs through the large areas of glass that conservatories typically consist of.

To be honest, I have dealt with several suppliers of conservatory blinds, all of which have provided me with a very efficient service and quality products.

I would say my favourite supplier is Thomas Sanderson as they always seem to be bringing out great new products and have a massive range of blinds to choose from.

Thomas Sanderson also offers a free brochure which can be requested at their website, www.thomas-sanderson.co.uk.

I you find hope this article useful and that you enjoy reading the advice I am able to offer from my long experience in all aspects of the conservatory industry.

I will be offering further valuable advice in future posts but in the meantime, anyone needing advice or having questions about any of the subjects I cover are most welcome to contact me.


Conservatory Speaker System

March 28, 2009

The idea behind the development of the MOOD conservatory speaker system came from Eurocell’s research into trends in the market.

Intergrated Speakers for Conservatories

Many homeowners, inspired by the possibility of de-cluttering, were looking for clever ways to make the best use of available space and because conservatories are used as family rooms, dining rooms and entertainment areas, anything that made this space work harder was desirable.

Findings also showed that because many families with young children have conservatories there is also a safety consideration when it comes to the purchase decision. Traditional speaker systems in conservatories often have trailing wires that can be a trip hazard.

MOOD is unique in that the wires are integrated into the structure of the conservatory making them completely hidden from view. All you see with the MOOD system is the connection point in the wall and stylish speakers that blend seamlessly into the conservatory roof ring beam.

Read the full press release >>


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