Conservatory Specifications - Measuring and Fitting

Measuring up for your conservatory fitted quotation.
Let’s face it if you are measuring up for a conservatory the professionals are always going to come round and measure up for you. However it is still a good idea to get as much information as you can as this will help you make informed choices later.

Feet and inches or millimetres
First of all let’s cut to the chase the conservatory industry works in millimetres. Although the oldies amongst us prefer feet and inches the metric way is the right way. This is because everything from the production factories is made in millimetres, you design paperwork will be in millimetres and so will you base plans. So if you start off on the right foot there is less chance of misinterpretation.

Getting to grips with the size and how large do I want my conservatory?
A simple but practical way around trying to visualise your conservatory is actually getting out in the garden and marking the internal dimensions that you desire. The simplest way of doing this is getting some string, some pegs and peg out the size you think you want.
Whilst pegging out look back onto the conservatory wall and check for obstructions such as central heating ducts, tumble dryer and soil down pipes etc. In addition look up and check for windows and make a note of their height if possible. Don’t let any of this put you off there are modern solutions for all manner of problems even manholes.
The general rule is the more information the better.

Once you have pegged out your conservatory foot print remember that a finished conservatory will be approximately 200mm wider (across the house) and 100mm projection (away from the house).

Now consider where about you would like to put the conservatory doors think about access, furniture size and position.

Right with the above information you should now have more than enough information to start your conservatory design using local conservatory.

Measuring up for that Diy conservatory
First of all let’s get something clear you have not purchased anything yet so getting approximate dimensions is the name of the game. Most diy conservatory companies will supply you with base plans for that diy project. Some won’t release these plans until you give them a deposit (it’s their way of making sure your not a time waster). But almost all of them make the deposit fully refundable. They all understand that you are going to need some documentation for either planning or costings.

A basic guide is this
Go outside and stand in the garden looking back at the house.
Make a note of the desired position of the conservatory and peg out the floor space this will give you an indication of the floor space that you want. Plan for furniture, TV position and where you would like the doors to go.

Think about the colour of the conservatory that you would like and consider is it in keeping with the current window style and design.

Watch out for pitfalls and obstructions on the wall that you are going to attach to such things as
* Balanced Flues –make sure that they are away from the plastic as distortion may occur. Not sure about the position take advice from a corgi registered gas installer.
* Cables – a minor problem but one that you should consider with the increase in television, satellite or phone cables a real one.
* Soil pipes –but simply sometimes its easier just to move the conservatory or shrink the design making it more cost effective they can be overcome by purchasing a soil pipe flashing kit which covers it up inside your conservatory
* Rain water points
* Air Bricks – If the slab of the conservatory covers any air bricks in your home you must make allowances for them in the conservatory.

Manholes
If you have a manhole exactly where your planned conservatory is to be sited don’t panic.
There are some great solutions on the market to get around this. The prefabricated base firms now offer sealed traps in your conservatory floor to. Their base systems basically are a suspended floor system that glides over the man hole and offers enough ventilation via air ducts built into the skirting of the base. These bases also offer a great solution for gardens that are uneven and fall away sharply. The prefabricated base manufacturers have several solutions including leg extensions for levelling unruly gardens.

Height restrictions
The most common height restriction is when fitting or installing to a bungalow.
Considerations need to made to the eaves and the depth of the soffit. Don’t just assume that because you live in a bungalow you need to buy a standard lean to traditional conservatory. If your roof height is low just ask for a hipped back conservatory these are so much more affordable now. If you are building the conservatory on a traditional 2 storey house make sure you take the measurement of the second floor window. Armed with this information we are sure that your conservatory supplier will have more than enough information to prepare your quotation