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| Frequently Asked Questions |
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Q - I am building my own conservatory. What should I be looking for in a good PVC roof? I will be using 25mm five wall but I do not know about the construction aspect. Two companies have quoted, one uses the K2 System? A - 25 mm polycarbonate is a good option. With regards to which roof system to use there is now quite a number of roofing systems available. Almost all the systems are very good and offer similar features. Amongst the best know are Ultraframe, Quantal and Park Lane. K2 is a relative new comer that has been growing in popularity recently. As you are doing this your self then ease of installation and the quality of instructions you will receive will be important. Some systems allow for ventilation within the roof either with roof vents or trickle ventilation. You may wish to investigate this. We suggest you make sure your supplier will provide you with the complete roof including guttering, polycarbonate (already cut to size) and a comprehensive roof plan showing where everything goes. Ask if sheets of polycarbonate and roof rafters will be numbered in order to make "matching" on site easier. If your supplier is local it may also be good if you can make arrangements to view the completed roof fully assembled on the factory floor prior to them dismantling it and delivering to you. Some companies use aluminium clad in PVC for the rafters and others use a totally aluminium rafter (inc aluminium cappings). Both of these options are OK with us. The choice you make on this is a matter of personal taste. The K2 web site is at http://www.k2conservatories.com Q - We have built our own conservatory, to finish it off we would like to put some decorative detail on the roof. We don't know the name for the metal finishes, help! Do you know where we can purchase them? A - What you are looking for are usually referred to as "Finials" (pointed bit at front) and cresting. They are available in both PVCu and metal. Most conservatory companies could supply this for you or you could try a retailer of polycarbonate (they usually stock items such as this). Q
- We have recently built a conservatory and the people next door
have objected to it being to close to there property. They say it
should be three feet away, will I have to modify it or take it down.
Please help. I am in Newcastle,UK. Provided you have complied with the above its unlikely you need planning permission from your conservatory. Its also unlikely (unless there are some local restrictions or covenants) that you needed to be at least 3 ft away from your neighbours property. People are often surprised (and their neighbours perhaps even more so) that they can build a conservatory virtually right up to the fence / boundary with neighbour. Its important however that items such as guttering etc does not "trespass" on to your neighbour's property. In practice most people will allow a little space between themselves and their neighbours - so as to facilitate cleaning / maintenance. (12" - 18" is typical). Even though there may be no "restrictions" in most cases - we do advise people to always discuss their plans with neighbours prior to commencing work. This is especially so in terraced and semi-detached properties where it is more likely you will be very close to the boundary with your new construction. This is not because your neighbour can prevent you doing the work - its because it's the "neighbourly" thing to do. If your neighbour is adamant you are in the wrong - then they will have to provide the relevant documentation to prove this. It may help to consult your local planners for advice also. Good luck with resolving your "differences". Q
- We are thinking of having an extension to our kitchen
and this will join via a door to a conservatory we are also planning
to have built. The total will exceed the 70m3 and we realise we
will need planning permission. One builder who looked at our plans
suggested we may have these rejected because the 45% line from the
mid point of the neighbours nearest ground floor window would 'cut
across' our conservatory. Is his advice correct? There is no strict planning law on this issue, and a neighbour having objections in respect of the loss of light caused by an extension to a neighbouring property has to pursue this under the law of tort (an area of common law). There is a generally accepted "right to light" which cannot be taken away by the actions of a neighbour. The question of the neighbour’s window and the 45 degree rule is, I believe, a principle that has been established in case law. It is accepted that daylight enters from a position of 45 degrees from the horizon (the normal "average" position of the sun in the UK). Assessing a line measured at 45 degrees from horizontal, from the window, is a good rule of thumb that courts use to assess whether an extension is likely to cause obstruction, although strictly speaking I think the rule of thumb is the bottom of the glazed opening, not the middle. This is offset by the type of room the window is serving (is it a principle room?), whether there are other windows serving that same room, and which way it faces. A north facing window to a utility room with another window on another wall is not likely to be an issue. Conversely the main lounge window facing south will be. The planning officer will consider this as one of the factors in assessing a proposal, but only as one of many. A conservatory must be less offensive than a brick wall as it does not cast a shadow in the same way. My best advice is always to consult the neighbour first for any "thoughts" on your proposals. If they don't object, then a problem is less likely. Q - We had a conservatory built last summer and we're very happy with it. However, we're very confused about what we can do/should do about a 'barrier' between the original building and the conservatory. We changed a window to a door opening, but we haven't a door yet. Should we have one, planning permission wise? Secondly are there any specific requirements for such a door, e.g. does it have to be an 'outside' door or will a single glass, softwood door do? Any advice would be really welcome! A - If you do not have an external grade door between your main home and the conservatory then your conservatory should be subject to Building Regulations approval if you live in England or Wales. Building regulation approvals are quite different from planning permission approval. With building regs, the conservatory construction is inspected at various times during build by a building control officer from your local council. They inspect for such things as depth of foundations and have specifications for the minimum levels of insulation in your conservatory. Frankly it is quite difficult to meet building regulation standards in most conservatories - especially on the insulation standards. Usually you need to specify Pilkington "K" double-glazing with argon filled units in order to get near the standards for insulation. (Do however note that Domestic Conservatories which do not exceed 30 square metres in area and which are separated from the main property by a door do not require building regulation approval in England or Wales). Getting Building Regulation retrospectively is not easy so my advice would be to install an external grade door between your main home and the conservatory. I know a lot of people are quite "cavalier" on this issue and don't bother. My only word of warning on this, is that when you one day wish to sell your home - then this may become an issue and you will find yourself "forced" to fit doors. (Following inspection by the purchaser’s surveyor). If you have any further doubts, contact your local Building Control Dept. They usually have quite useful information on this issue available in leaflets. |
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