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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.

Conservatories are one of the best options to create more living space in your home. If you thinking about building a hardwood conservatory in your home, then you’d probably like to know exactly how much it’s going to cost you. The truth is, just like many other home improvement efforts, the cost of constructing a hardwood conservatory is dependent on a wide array of elements. While it is crucial to budget for your extension, it is also quite important to note the immense value a top quality hardwood conservatory can add to your home.

Hardwood conservatories look a lot elegant and luxurious, and is surely a necessity for all homes with character ( or a period property). With relative ease and effortlessly, they appear far more superior to any other materials you can think of, even using similar styles. However, a drawback to hardwood is the high maintenance requirements and the fact that they must be treated and painted every couple of years in order to maintain their aesthetic appearance. No one likes a flaking and weathered frame sitting in their compound. Despite this drawback, hardwood offers a wide range of styles and options. If you are building your own then you can bespoke the joinery styles for the carved frames, multiple colour options and lots more.

Amongst the best hardwood types for building conservatories are elms and beeches. They are very common due to their ability to increase the stability and durability of conservatories. An average hardwood conservatory kit will cost within the range of £10,000 to £20,000.

Apart from the good looks of hardwood conservatories, it also brings about a plethora of benefits which the owner can enjoy. Not only does it add more living space to your home and beautifies it, but also goes a long way to add great value to your home. It's a big task doing a DIY conservatory so make sure you are fully prepared before you start.

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.

What Is The Difference Between A Conservatory And An Orangery?

If you’re looking to build an extension for your home, one of the first things that comes to mind is the type of structure that would best suit your property. When it comes to glass extensions there are two major varieties which includes the traditional conservatory and the orangery, but there are usually a lot of confusion over the differences of these two varieties. With the growth in popularity of glazed extensions, the differences between the two structures are becoming more and more thin. However, the main difference between a conservatory and an orangery is the number of glass incorporated. Conservatories are fully glazed structures featuring a low brick base wall, meanwhile orangeries are grand brick structures with with glazed roofs. But as a result of innovations of over the years in glazing, the difference has changed a bit.

Here are some of the major differences between a conservatory and an orangery.

✓ Orangeries are generally best suited to traditional-styled homes or with older property making use of matching stone or brick in construction. Meanwhile for a more recent or modern property, a conservatory will be the better option to add the flair to your property.

✓ Conservatories tend to be larger than orangeries, therefore if you want a smaller extension, an orangery would be your best bet.

✓ Orangeries are typically rectangular in shape and is traditionally a more regular building meanwhile a conservatory can be shaped to suit your needs. With an conservatory, you can get a T-shaped, L-shaped, curved, double ended and lean-to extensions to suit your preference.

✓ An orangery usually possess a flat roof at the edges with a glazed lantern section right at the centre. You can also find more luxurious orangeries having two or more lantern sections. However, when it comes to the roofing, conservatories generally have more options. Some are gabled or pitched, others are lean-to with a plethora of choice to finish off the roof.

Whilst uPVC is the UK’s favourite because it’s cheap to manufacture and has a number of qualities, there are also options available including aluminium and hardwood. Both are popular for various reasons.Aluminium, as a metal, is the strongest and most durable material available for conservatories. On top of this it won’t rust, warp or crack. Hardwood offers a more traditional appeal and whilst it requires high maintenance levels, is perfect for conservation areas and listed buildings.

No matter how small or little your lean to conservatory is, the benefits that can be derived from it remains immense. Not only does it add to the value of your home by making it more attractive to potential buyers and securing you a long term investment, but it can also serve as a relaxation or hang out spot with family and friends. In fact, with the lean to conservatory’s simplistic design, it happens to be an economical way to extend your home and also to maximize your living space. If you’re considering to build a small lean to conservatory on your property, then you’d probably want to know exactly how much this is going to cost. In this post, we’re going to look at the price involved in constructing a small lean to conservatory.

When it comes to building a lean to conservatory, there are a bunch of factors that’ll play a key role in the final cost of the project. For example, you’d have to make a decision on the glazing options, roof type, size and more. All these factors will have a huge impact on the final cost you’re going to incur to complete the project. For instance, a polycarbonate roof material lean to conservatory with a size of 3500mm x 2000mm will cost within a range of £7000 to about £8000, while a glass roof material lean to conservatory of the same size will cost within the range of £7500 to about £8500. In order to get a more accurate cost estimate for your small lean to conservatory project, there’s the need to call in a professional to discuss your specific requirements as well as budget.

When you build a new wood-constructed conservatory, or any type of conservatory, you’ll need to dig a trench for the footings. You’ll need to dig to a minimum depth of 600mm and at least 300mm below your property’s damp proof course. When you dig down, you might expose obstacles such as underground pipes.

If this happens, you’ll need lintels for your wood-constructed conservatory. These are usually concrete and protect the pipes or obstructions from being crushed. You may also want to use steel mesh for additional support.

Building Regulations state that if an opening is formed in a wall, the structure above the opening needs to be supported. This will be especially relevant if you’re building a wooden lean-to conservatory. It says that there are two ways that you can use lintels to provide support.

The first way involves using a steel lintel to support both the inner and outer leaf of a cavity wall. It can then serve as a cavity tray that directs moisture from the cavity through the outer skin of the wall as well.

The second way to use lintels is to use two steel or concrete lintels. They support each leaf of a cavity wall construction. You’ll need separate thermal insulation and a cavity tray as well.

Whatever type of lintel you use, it should have a suitable bearing onto the wall at each side. If you’re not sure, speak to the manufacturer of your wood-constructed conservatory, or ask a reputable company to install it for you.