If you’re anything like the rest of us, you want to enjoy
your garden all year round.
For most green-fingered Brits, however, the volatility of the
weather in Dear Old Blighty is enough to make even the most serene gardener shake
an angry fist at the threatening clouds above.
At this time of year, even when the sun is shining, it’s normally cold enough to break the smoke off your
chimney, which makes sitting outside in your garden akin to an Arctic
expedition.
But this is where a conservatory is worth its weight in
gold.
Whatever the forecast, conservatories offer an agreeable space to
take pleasure in your pansies or bask in your bellflowers, as well as adding
around £9,000 to the value of your property.
Far from being a passing fancy, there are well over four
million homes in the UK boasting a conservatory, with hundreds of thousands
more being constructed every year.
Interested? Check out our three crucial considerations
before you hotfoot it to Conservatories R Us (that’s not a real place) in a
desperate bid to join the ranks ...
Select Your Style Carefully
Whether you live in a mock-Georgian mansion or a
contemporary grand design, it’s important the conservatory you choose blends
with the existing style of your home. Why? Because if you get the style wrong,
it’s much like giving a horse a pair of stilettos – it just doesn’t work.
As a result, most folk tend to opt for a Victorian or
Edwardian style of conservatory if they have a more traditional home. If you
home is fairly new, however, it’s important to speak to your conservatory
specialist to find a modern style that won’t stick out like a very expensive
sore thumb.
Learn About Planning
Permission
It’s natural to imagine that erecting a new structure onto
the back of your home would require reams and reams of paperwork – but adding a
conservatory is actually considered a permitted development, which means it
doesn’t require a planning permission application.
However, according to the government’s Planning Portal, a
single-story rear conservatory must not be higher than four metres or higher
than the highest part of your roof. For further details, and to avoid the wrath
of your local authority, familiarise yourself with the full guide here.
Chew Over Your
Glazing Requirements
When you fork out for a new conservatory, it’s
understandable you want to use your investment all year round – and choosing
the appropriate glazing, which will also make it energy efficient and reduce
your heating bills, is a crucial part of making that happen.
Therefore, be sure to choose a glass with a low
U-value, especially if it faces north and receives less sunlight, which
means heat will be trapped during the colder months, keeping you and your
family warm without turning up the thermostat.
Fancy having your say?
Let us know what else our readers should consider when
buying a conservatory by leaving a comment below – we’d love to hear from you.
No comments:
Post a comment
Due to an increased level of spam, comments are being moderated. We have had to turn off anonymous users, sorry for any inconvenience caused.