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CONSERVATORIES: NOT JUST A COST-EFFECTIVE WAY
TO EXTEND THE FAMILY HOME
It wasn't so long ago that conservatories were viewed as somewhat pretentious and were built with the sole purpose of showing just how much money your family had. Today however, the cost of quality conservatories has fallen so that they are within the reach of everybody and not surprisingly more and more people are now including them when it's time for home improvement.
There are numerous reasons for having a conservatory built onto your house however the main reason seems to be that it is an easy and cost-effective way to extend the family living area. It provides the house with an additional downstairs room and as many designs incorporate French doors and surrounding windows it is often used as a dining room where people can entertain friends and family or as a quite sitting area where you can just watch the world go by. Although conservatories can be relatively expensive to build they are often a lot cheaper than moving to a larger house, especially when you have just got your house decorated the way you want it and you don't particularly want to start all over again. It may also be that you don't need planning permission for a conservatory (depending on its size and where you live) whereas you will undoubtedly need it for a brick-built extension to your home.
One of the great things about a conservatory is that you often recuperate your money when you sell your home as any home improvements undoubtedly add value to your property. Providing a reputable company install the structure and you keep it in good condition, a conservatory can often add more value to your home than it originally cost to build and so you get the added bonus of a higher selling price in addition to the quality time you spend in the conservatory.
The majority of conservatories today are constructed with high quality uPVC windows and doors either in natural white or in stunning wood grain effect which means that your new room will have all the benefits of the main house, that is warmth, security, noise-proofing etc. but with the added bonus of panoramic views of your garden and the surrounding land. In addition, many companies offer a design service so that you can choose the shape, size and style of your conservatory, choose where the exterior doors are to be situated - effectively giving you a 100% unique structure that is suited to your exact requirements.
A conservatory is also a great way of integrating the house and the garden and French doors or sliding patio doors leading onto a well laid brick patio can make the summer months the best months of the year, especially if you splash out on a barbeque and some garden lights as well. Conservatories can get quite warm during the summer though, especially if you choose a glass roof and full length windows however there is a relatively new type of glass called RE-FLEX glass which filters out some of the heat and makes your conservatory up to 15º cooler than using normal Pilkington ‘K' glass. Obviously opening the windows and doors will also dissipate heat however if for some reason the doors can't be left open, for example if there are pets or small children in the house then RE-FLEX glass is a great alternative. The bonus is that this special form of double glazing actually retains heat during the winter months and so it may be that there is no need for expensive blinds and radiators.
Conservatories are becoming evermore popular and because they can often be constructed in a matter of days the building of them causes only minimal disruption to daily life and they can be ready to use within a week of starting; try saying that about a brick-built extension!
