When you’re looking to expand your home, one of the options you might have considered is a conservatory. They can be interesting additions to your house and there are certainly options available that can add more space for leisure and entertainment. But the reality of a conservatory doesn’t always match what you expected.
There are numerous conservatory nightmares that you might experience. Here is a quick introduction to some of the problems you might have, and how you can turn that nightmare into a dream for you and your family.
While most people consider that conservatories are a great home addition that will provide entertainment space, there are lots of negatives that many homeowners aren’t aware of at first. For one, the addition of a conservatory to your home can be expensive. The building materials, especially glass roofs, can cost more than the value they add to a property. Some buyers might be put off from buying your home because of a conservatory.
In addition, glass and polycarbonate, two of the most commonly used roofing materials for conservatories, are poor at maintaining temperatures at a comfortable level. During the summer, conservatories can become unbearably hot. During the winter, they can lose heat from your home, which increases your energy bill.
Both glass and polycarbonate roofed conservatories can also be unusable during wet weather. Old and or poorly maintained conservatories can cause internal leakages. Even if fully weatherproofed, the rain can make a constant loud noise within the area that is off-putting. Therefore, you will probably spend more time out of the space than in it.
Another thing to consider is that conservatories require a lot of maintenance to keep them looking good. Glass conservatories will need to be regularly cleaned as wildlife, plant debris and the weather can make their mark. When on a glass roof, this can be a hard job to keep clean. A dirty window on the conservatory can really distract from the aesthetic appeal.
In addition, a polycarbonate roof can look cheap and not very pleasant. The value you will get on your property can be drastically lowered and although the initial cost of building a conservatory with a polycarbonate roof can be lower, the long term benefits are much lower. Polycarbonate roofs are also more easily damaged, requiring repairs more often and that is another cost.
When it comes to building a great conservatory, many things can be done to turn a potential nightmare into a dream space for you and your family. One of the options that you have is to demolish any existing conservatory. This will give you more garden space, but there is a cost to this and you will lose the value of the conservatory on the home and it can be expensive to do.
Another option is to rebuild or replace your conservatory. This is a regular choice for some people who are considering how to fix their conservatory nightmares. However, there are problems. If you don’t fix the initial problem with the conservatory - like the temperature regulation, noise, damage, ease of cleaning then you’re not going to fix it on a new build if you’re replacing it like-for-like.
The final option is to consider a warm roof conversion. This is a solid roof that allows you to retain the existing space but overturns some of the negatives that exist with glass and polycarbonate roofing options. This style of roof makes the room comfortable to use throughout the year, regardless of the weather outside. The range of styles and subtle colours can also add an attractive element to the conservatory roof.
Finally, a solid roof can offer you a £200 per year saving on your energy bill, as was found by independent research by AECOM. The solid warm roof also adds more value to your home because it is seen as an extension rather than a conservatory that could have hidden problems. You can still choose to have roof windows installed to regain some of the natural daylight back. You can also choose between a tile or slate finish on the roof, to better blend with style of your house exterior.
Conservatories can be great additions to your home, but the roofing is going to be the deciding factor. While glass and polycarbonate roofs have been standard for numerous years, the Guardian Warm Roof by Guardian Building Systems has been proven to be a much better option. As founders of the first ever conservatory warm roof conversions, we may be biased. But we invite you to look further into our expert home improvement solution so you can enjoy your conservatory more every day of the year.
Learn how the Guardian Warm Roof can transform your conservatory and make your home more liveable.
