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Original poster

What is it like in your conservatory summer and winter?

77 replies

Berrie · 13/09/2007 17:03

We need some extra room and we could stretch to a conservatory but I'm wondering whether we should wait until we can afford an extension.
Will it be too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter to use and is there anything that can be done about these problems. It would be west facing or we could have a north facing one but I don't think that's such a good idea.

OP posts:
Original poster
Berrie · 14/09/2007 15:36

SPIDERS? They have spiders?

helliebean, would you be insured if someone broke in through the conservatory?

OP posts:
Original poster
Berrie · 14/09/2007 15:38

Wisteria, glad you said that about the underfloor heating, I was thinking about that.
Rubberduck, did you have the footings done so that you could extend upstairs at a later date and if so was that hugely more expensive?

OP posts:
mummydoc · 14/09/2007 15:40

berrie - we live in the country and the house is full of spiders/dead flies and gkw else most of the time, particularly bad at moment

Original poster
Berrie · 14/09/2007 15:44

Ah, we are full of spiders too. I can cope with the garden spiders, it's the house spiders I hate and there are a lot of those in the porch...wondered if it was the same.

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chenin · 14/09/2007 15:47

Berrie... I honestly don't think insurance would be a problem... the sort of doors that would be in place would only be dining room double doors with no locks anyway. My friend has a similar set of doors from dining room to conservatory, and they are open and pushed back against the wall all the time.
So the insurance cannot say that they are a security feature as it were....

I have to say Rubberduck... our conservatory took longer than a weekend to build! They had to use a digger to go down the required number of feet for the foundations... then there is the dwarf wall that the conservatory glass sits on...

RubberDuck · 14/09/2007 16:05

helliebean, sorry was exaggerating a bit, but really - neighbour's conservatory was up incredibly quickly (especially considering that you don't need planning for a small one) compared to our extension

Berrie: No we didn't get footings done for a 2 storey - mainly because our layout upstairs is such that it wouldn't be worth it (we'd end up with bigger bedroom 2 and 3 but not significantly more useful spaces) compared to the value it would add to the house.

We technically have deeper footings than we need though, because the planning guy was one of those types who needed to find something wrong while building was in progress (both architect and builder said that he was talking bollocks but was quicker and cheaper to just do as he asked) and complained about a tree that was in no way close or a threat and we now have better foundations in the extension than in the main house

Wisteria · 14/09/2007 16:23

No spiders in ours, well no more than anywhere else of house! You need to make sure you have the triple lock (the one where you lift the handle and 3 bolts shoot in; top middle and bottom, can't remember the name) upvc doors for the insurance not to be compromised or increased I think.

Have seen under floor heating in others without huge financial cost so probably worth looking into. Maybe it's cheaper if run from Central Heating? I think you still want radiators though if you want to use it in Winter.

Original poster
Berrie · 14/09/2007 17:07

35K eh? Wonder how much that would cost me every month? Anyone know how to work it out?

OP posts:
Wisteria · 14/09/2007 17:53

If you're doing a remotgage, go on a mortgage calculator
here

Or for a loan go here

Wisteria · 14/09/2007 17:53

Don't know what a remotgage is

Original poster
Berrie · 14/09/2007 19:24

Oh that's good...only dh has found me me out and is laughing at me

OP posts:
Original poster
Berrie · 14/09/2007 19:25

About 300 per month...but pay back far far more

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Wisteria · 14/09/2007 19:35

dp not laughing at me , just found out that our 3yr fixed rate was actually 2yr and finishes soon. Was already worrying about money

Original poster
Berrie · 14/09/2007 19:51

uh oh

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Wisteria · 14/09/2007 19:55

yeh I know - have you seen the news today about mortgage rates spiralling {and worried emoticon}.

Just went on (prompted by your thread) and our mortgage might go up to £950 a month - yikes!!

[help me I'm drowning emoticon]

Original poster
Berrie · 14/09/2007 20:11

Yikes indeed...(Berrie opens back door and wonders if she could pull knackered old caravan up outside instead)

OP posts:
Wisteria · 14/09/2007 20:30

I might need your caravan to live in soon

Original poster
Berrie · 14/09/2007 21:16

Tee hee...feel free!

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SlightlyMadSweden · 14/09/2007 21:18

LTH says it all:

In summer its so hot we can't sit in it.

In winter its so cold we can't sit in it.

TBH i hate the bloody thing.

princessmel · 14/09/2007 21:22

Ours is cold first thing in the morning. But after the heating has been on for a while its fine. We have underfloor heating too that we put on ,on VERY cold days. Its too expensive to use every day.

In summer its fine on normal warm days. With the windows and double doors open.
On VERY hot days, 30 degrees etc its too hot to use. But then we're outside.

Ours is our playroom , so we use it every day. It opens on the patio. We love it. Its light , airy and fun iyswim.

princessmel · 14/09/2007 21:28

We had a bargain one. Couldn't afford a fancy posh one. We really needed the space though.

3 of our friends have used the company too. They deliver the bits and you either get builders to put it up or do it yourself. We had builders to dig the foundations and do the wall then dh put it up. Its 7 by 4 meters. It cost about 4k for the conservatory and the same again for the builders. Worth every penny.

www.protechdirect.co.uk

Original poster
Berrie · 15/09/2007 08:12

Thanks Princessmel, I reckon dh could manage that...whether he would want to is a different matter!

OP posts:
ChasingSquirrels · 15/09/2007 08:35

Ours is open to the kitchen and has underfloor heating, we eat in it every day, every season, every meal.

princessmel · 16/09/2007 17:40

Its easy!! He roped in his dad and friend.
first few hours nothing much seemed to be happening. Tehn it all seemed to go up pretty quickly. Once the first glass bit was in place the rest followed quickly.

biryani · 05/11/2007 17:57

I have a west-facing one, with no bells and whistles. It's big - about 15x13' - and sits right at the end of the house. It's hot in summer (sun all day - loads of glare) but not too bad in winter, providing it's not too cold outside. I toyed with the idea of blinds, but this would add about £5k to the price.

You can get flashy conservatories now, with special glass and underfloor heating which are more practical. Polycool do roof inserts which (allegedly) stop glare and prevent some of the heat loss.