Choosing a Conservatory Supplier

It is often said that next to buying a home and a car, a conservatory is the greatest single investment made in life. As such choosing the right conservatory can be a daunting task. In addition to the myriad of styles available, there are a great number of stages to go through, from the initial survey and application for planning permission through base-laying and installation to furnishing the conservatory and regulating its temperature for optimum comfort. Of all the decisions to be made, however, the question of which conservatory manufacturer to award the contract to is the most crucial.

To narrow down the number of conservatory designers to approach, it is worthwhile establishing the sort of conservatory you want to build. The easiest way to do this is by deciding what you will be principally using it for. Do you have a simple occasional sunroom in mind or a more permanent structure that can be used most of the year, or do you want an additional living space that is functional all year round, no matter the weather? Have a look at conservatories attached to homes similar to yours, flick through magazines such as Homes and Gardens, browse the internet and send off for brochures to get an appreciation of the different designs that are available on the market. If you have a particularly large or difficult project in mind it is a good idea to have your plans drawn up by an architect who can clarify what you will be able to do.

Once you have decided upon the function and style of your conservatory, the next step is to decide what building material to use. It is advisable to determine these things as far in advance of entering into contract negotiations as you can, because it is very much in your interest to be as specific as possible. Three principle materials are used for conservatories:

PVCU

The cheapest and most popular option, this is an excellent, highly insulate material that requires little or no maintenance and comes in white, Mahogany and Cherry Oak wood grain. It is not, however, acceptable for use in more traditional designs and as such is not advisable to use for listed buildings and in conservation areas.

Hardwood

The most appropriate material for older buildings because practically any traditional design can be recreated. Hardwood is also a perfect match for bespoke conservatories, but can be very expensive. Although it requires a degree of maintenance, modern paint finishes and stains ensure that this is increasingly less of an issue. Hardwood is available in a variety of stains (mahogany, light oak, etc.) and painted finishes (white, cream, green and brown).

Aluminium

Very similar to PVCU, though stronger, more expensive and not as good an insulator. Most appropriate for use in conservatories where strength is a major issue, and for this reason aluminium is regularly used in the roof structure of PVCU conservatories.

Once you have decided on the design and building material it is worth calculating the internal floor area of your proposed conservatory, because most suppliers will quote sizes based on external specifications and doing your own calculations could save you money.

Getting a Quote for your conservatory >>