Conservatory Buying Advice

Be prepared!

With the vast array of conservatory styles and designs available, the choice can be a bit bewildering.

First, you need to think about why you want a conservatory, and what the main function of this additional room will be. This will help you decide how big a conservatory you need, what furniture you will put in it and where it is going to attach to your home.

Research

Look into the available options – research the types of conservatory available and decide which would best suit your purpose and the style of your home. Discuss it with friends or an expert to ensure that it really will work with your property and be suitable for your needs. Sometimes another perspective will help point out potential problems that you hadn’t considered.

Experts

Once you understand a bit more about what you want, talk to some suppliers and fitters to find what is available to suit your needs. Find out your options for the number and placement of opening windows, and the options for your door to the garden. Gather some quotes for similar conservatories.

Getting down to the details.

Check with your supplier, as the measurements they supply are usually the EXTERNAL dimensions. Peg out the interior dimensions (if you cannot obtain these from your supplier, allow 11 inches as the average width of a cavity wall, and 5 inches for glazing) and get a feel for the space, thinking about the views you’ll have.

Another idea is to look at the dimensions of furniture which you might like to have, and work out how it might fit, making sure that there is enough space to move around without it feeling overcrowded.

Conservatory Door

Decide on where to put your door. Having it centrally located could create a corridor effect making the room less flexible in terms in furnishings. A side door is most common.

Windows

Make sure that where your open-able windows are planned, will be accessible once you have furnished your conservatory.

Once you have finalised these details it is time to get things moving.

Your Budget

Having decided on the size and style of your conservatory, it is time to think about how much you want to spend on it. It’s best to allow an extra 10% for any unforeseen problems, such as building issues, and also to help furnish it, decorate and for the internal flooring.

Examples

Before heading for the cheapest quote, try to find examples of your potential installer’s previous work, investigate their customer reviews and ask around to make sure there aren’t any terrible tales!

Planning permission

Once you have decided on the conservatory you are purchasing and where from it is time to look carefully at your plans to see if you will need planning permission. Check out our UK conservatory planning permission tips for more details.

All built!

Congratulations, you now have a fantastic conservatory. You will now need to contact your insurance company to ensure that your new room is fully covered.