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After being in the shadows of conservatories for so long, Orangeries are now pulling a great comeback into the scenes. They were quite popular back in the 17th and 18th century, but went into the drawers with the advent of conservatories. In recent times, Orangeries are now becoming more and more popular with several homeowners now looking to have one constructed in their homes.

Like many other home improvements or extensions, orangery prices can vary based on a number of factors. However, you can expect to incur within the range of £15,000 to £20,000 for a basic orangery design and build. If you wish to build orangeries with more distinctive features, this price can jump up to £50,000 or more depending on your preferences. Generally, orangeries are more likely to be a bit cheaper when compared to their conventional extension counterparts and add more value to your home than a conservatory in terms of a resale.

For the best results, it’s advisable to investing good money to ensure a solid build and save money in the fittings. Do not look to cut costs by going for cheaper building materials like poor quality vines. Generally, interior design will always depreciate in value, but its the solid structure that command great value for resale purposes. Also, when the structure is solid and of a great quality, you’ll get to save a lot of repair money down the line as the cheaper frames will always give way with time. However, if you have the money, you can also consider spending huge bucks on both the structure as well as the fittings because its only through this you truly maximize the benefits from your orangery. When the fittings are of great quality, repairs won’t come often which ultimately saves you some money as well.

A polycarbonate conservatory roof is made using a polycarbonate which is a contemporary plastic material that features several beneficial properties which gives it a high optical clarity as well as a good durability. Visually, it’s very similar to glass but its a lot more resistant to impact  which makes it just as strong as some metals. As a result, there are a lot of cases where polycarbonate is used as a replacement for security windows and more. If you happen to possess a polycarbonate conservatory, then you’d probably like to know how you can fix it in case of any damages. In this post, we’re going to consider how to repair polycarbonate conservatory roofs. Let’s take a look!

There are a bunch of effective methods you can consider for fusing or gluing polycarbonate plastic. Glues will leave an adhesive behind, while fusing results in a chemical reaction which enables the material to melt back together. Here is a great method you can use to repair polycarbonate plastic:

• Use of methyl methacrylate. Due to the fact that this creates a strong, resilient bond, methyl methacrylate is the best way to fuse polycarbonate. According to some of the users, if they try to pull the polycarbonate apart the unaffected part will break before the bond does. During the application of methyl methacrylate, you’d have to ensure you’re in a well ventilated area or outdoor. This is because the fume generated from methyl methacrylate can be toxic if it’s inhaled in a high concentration.

Are Glass UPVC Conservatories Cold?

An extension is always a great addition to any home or property and while it’s a handy space, it also helps to enhance the visibility of the garden. If you plan to extend, the choice is yours as you can develop a customized design to give you the much desired appearance as well as function. However, in order to give more natural light to a single storey extension and for a more modern look, so many homeowner’s wonder the viability of glass roof. The short and quick answer to this question is yes, but will this lead to a trade off when it comes to heat loss?

If you’ve had the chance of making use of a poorly designed conservatory, you’d be in a better position to explain how weather affects the living space. Due to fact that glass is being used, heat becomes very difficult to retain as it easily leaves the conservatory. However in the summer, this quality can actually be helpful as conservatories without the right glass or the appropriate vents can heat up in just an hour or even less. Overall, all these are extremes a glass roof extension wouldn’t suffer but there are still a few things to be learned.

First and foremost, glass needs to insulate the space, it’ll never perform as good as a flat roof when you make use of a cheap glass. Then secondly, the installation of the glass roof extension has to be designed and carried out for your unique home or property by a specialist due to the fact that both size and direction would have to be put into consideration. This way, your UPVC conservatory wouldn’t have to so cold and unusable especially during the winter months.

With the ability of orangeries to create additional space in your home as well as altering the appearance of your property completely, it’s very likely you’ll require a planning permission to construct an orangery. However, with the lengthy and complicated application process, you might want to consider the few exemptions before getting started.

If you’re considering to build an home extension such as an orangery, the obvious first step would be to consider whether or not you’ll need planning permission. And while you tend to get carried away in the thought of adding new beautiful living space, you should never forget to take into account your area’s planning regulation as well as the planning process realities. However, the application process is not one of the most exciting activities any homeowner would like to pass through and even more so when they live in a conservation area or possess a listed property that can even make the process a lot more challenging.

It’s recommended that you consult your plans and ideas with a professional such as an architect, building design company or a chartered surveyor, but there are some options you can put into consideration if you want to avoid the applying for a planning permission.

If you’re sure about not wanting to apply for a planning permission, you’d have to check your area to identify the possible local planning implications and determine whether or not your home has permitted development right which allows for some building works that can be made without the need to apply for a planning permission. To do this, simply check the government’s planning portal to determine whether your project is covered by the permitted development rights or applying for a planning permission would be required. What’s more? You need to determine if your building is listed especially if you live in a period property. For listed building, it can be much more difficult to get a planning permission as you must comply with some very specific regulations.

You might think that all wooden conservatories are the same. But there are actually lots of differences between them, and some conservatories are better than others. One of the most important factors to consider when you’re looking for a wooden conservatory is the type of wood that it’s made from. Generally, there are two different types to look out for: softwood and hardwood. So what wood should be used for a wooden conservatory?

Softwood conservatories are usually made from European redwood or Siberian larch. These types of conservatories are the cheapest wooden conservatories you can buy because the wood grows much faster than hardwoods. However, due to their soft nature, they may only last 7-15 years, reducing their cost-effectivity.

The best wood to use for a wooden conservatory is a hardwood. The most expensive type is oak, but you get what you pay for – it looks fabulous and it can also be coated with a bug and pest-resistant solution to increase its longevity. If you haven’t got the budget for oak, other hardwood options include Brazilian cedar, idigbo and luan, which are still great choices. Make sure you speak to your conservatory installer about the ‘closeness’ of the wood grains, as close-grained hardwoods are said to be the most suitable for conservatories. You should also check that your supplier has strict control of the quality of the wood so can ensure that it’s been well seasoned and prepared for use in construction.

Lean-to conservatories are often known as Mediterranean conservatories or sunrooms and are a great way to add more living space when you’ve only got a small amount of room to work with. They usually have clean lines, a rectangular shape and attach to the side or rear of your home, which makes them one of the easiest conservatory types to build yourself.

So how do you build a wooden lean-to conservatory? The first step is to decide what you want it to look like. Most lean-to conservatories are constructed of glass and the wood frame, but you can choose to have dwarf walls too. Dwarf walls are low brick walls that are useful if you’re planning to plumb in radiators, have air conditioning installed or put plug sockets in the conservatory.

When you’ve decided what your wooden lean-to conservatory is going to look like, you’ll need to get the materials. You’ll need to choose a hardy wood – oak is the most expensive but also the most durable – and source glass for the windows. You’ll also need to decide on a roof material and work out the correct pitch.

The first step to building your wooden lean-to conservatory is to dig the foundations. You’ll then need to level the earth, then add concrete to the correct height, which should be lower than your property’s existing damp course. Then, you’ll build up to the damp course, which will be your conservatory’s floor level. Don’t forget to make sure it’s even.

If you’re building a dwarf wall, start it from the base and build up to no more than 1 metre high. Once the cement is dry, place external sills on top of the dwarf wall. You’ll then need to secure the frames; start with the one that secures to your property, then do the same for the rest, connecting outwards until they meet from the two sides. Then put up your doors.

Now it’s time to build the roof. This should be simple if you’ve bought your own custom-made kit. Place the roof ridge on top of the frames, then add the roof rafters between the roof ridge and hip bars. Fit your glazing sheets and guttering – it’s important that your wooden conservatory roof has guttering just like your house, otherwise your conservatory roof won’t last very long and could even cause rainwater to rot your wooden frames.

Once you’ve built your wooden lean-to conservatory, all that’s left is to decide on how you want to decorate it. But if this all sounds like too much, get in touch with specialist wooden conservatory installers who will be able to give you a quote for building you a lean-to conservatory.

Getting its name from it’s original use and commonly mistaken for conservatories, orangeries were developed about four hundred years ago to help protect citrus fruits from the winter frosts. An orangery is basically a room extension featuring a flat perimeter roof, brick base as well as a central roof lantern including doors and windows. Even though it originates from Italy and made more modern by Holland’s architectural development, orangeries have grown to become an ubiquitous phenomenon within the British society with thousands of the extension being built every year. They’re built in a similar way to conservatories, however, orangeries are typically developed from a brick base and usually making use of a stone or brick pillars to provide support to a flat roof perimeter. Also, the common choice for an orangery is a central roof lantern including glass panels or vent windows. Unlike conservatories which usually make use of patio doors, orangeries are more likely to have more complex bi-folding door system - enhancing the visual appeal of the extension in a more unique and stylish way.

Orangeries typically incorporates less glass when compared to a conservatory - thereby, allowing a moderate amount of natural light into the space. This way, you would not have to go outdoors to enjoy the sunlight during the summer months. Generally, the extension also offers a atrium-style ceiling height while also protecting your space from excessive sunlight and adding character to your home.

In conclusion, orangeries are an excellent choice when it comes to extending your home - be it to make a room larger or adding a new room all together. Ultimately, they go a long way to add incredible value to your home for resale purposes. Orangeries are best installed by seasoned professionals in order to ensure the best outcome.