Search Results for: Conservatories

What came first – the conservatory or the orangery?

The orangery dates from the 15th and 16th century in Italy, when owners of luxurious gardens began building more elaborate structures to protect orange trees and other citrus trees from the harsher winter climate.

First trees were planted adjacent to sheltering walls, with additional shelter provided by hardier trees and shrubs. Before long partially glazed extensions of these walls came to be built around the trees. These were made possible thanks to technological advances in glass-making processes which allowed larger expanses of glass to be produced.

The popularity of the orangery caught on across Northern Europe as it became apparent that this new style of glass architecture could extend the life of fruit-bearing trees very effectively.

The conservatory developed out of orangery design, incorporating a higher proportion of glazing to allow other varieties of plant to be grown in cooler climates. Over time both structures began to be used for a variety of purposes.

Traditional differences between conservatories and orangeries

A conservatory traditionally has:

• a fully glazed roof
  • a high proportion (up to 80%) of glazed surfaces to let in the maximum amount of natural light
  minimal brickwork.

Conservatories are often located close to a property’s garden as one of their principal advantages is to provide a view of the garden from inside the house. Traditional conservatory designs include Edwardian, Victorian and lean-to conservatories.

An orangery traditionally has:

proportionally more brickwork or solid structure than a conservatory
a roof lantern rather than a fully glazed rooftop
more in common overall with a traditional extension of a home.
With less glass than a conservatory, a traditional orangery design can offer more privacy, making it popular as a dining or kitchen area. It can also be designed to more closely match the exterior – and interior – aesthetic of a home.

Similarities between modern conservatories and orangeries

While conservatories and orangeries have long been identified as separate types of partially glazed structures, nowadays homeowners can specify designs that incorporate a mix of features from both in order to meet their individual needs.

This means a modern conservatory can have features traditionally reserved for orangeries and vice versa. For example, many conservatories are now designed with a solid insulated roof.

Conservatory design specialists can work with homeowners to design their ideal conservatory or orangery.

How to choose between a conservatory and an orangery

So how to know whether a conservatory, an orangery or a bespoke glazed extension with elements of both is right for you?

The best way to approach the situation is to think first about what you want from your new living space. (A view of the garden, a new kitchen space, a place to keep plants sheltered etc.)

Once you’ve got these priorities established, get in touch with a GGF Member company that deals in orangeries and conservatories. They’ll let you know all the options available to you and what they recommend for getting the home improvement result you seek.

We recommend following our guide How To Go About Getting A Conservatory.

So you’d like a conservatory – how do you go about getting one? On this page, we take you through the process from having the initial idea right through to enjoying your new glazed home extension.

1. Decide what kind of conservatory you want

The type of conservatory that will be right for you will depend on many factors. These include the layout of your home, the available space you have to work with and how you plan to use your new conservatory. 

A good way to find inspiration is by looking at completed conservatory projects and noting which aspects you’d like to incorporate into your own conservatory.

2. Contact a GGF Member

Call or pay a visit to a local GGF Member to explain your basic requirements for a conservatory. By selecting a GGF Member, you can be sure you are dealing only with reputable and financially sound companies.

3. Arrange a time for a GGF Member to meet you at your home

The GGF Member will arrange a mutually convenient time to come and discuss your requirements at your home, and at the same time undertake some basic measurements and check that the proposed site for the conservatory is suitable.

4. Seek a quote, agree terms and sign a contract

A fully detailed quotation will be prepared, along with a contract. The contracts that GGF Members use have been prepared in consultation with the Office of Fair Trade.

5. Have a surveyor appraise your property

Once the contract is signed, a surveyor will be sent to undertake a more detailed appraisal of your property checking for drains, tree roots and the local ground conditions around the site of your future conservatory.

6. Acquire planning permission if necessary

GGF Members will be happy to assist you in ascertaining if planning permission is required. If it is they will normally obtain planning permission on your behalf (some official fees will be payable, which varies in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Planning requirements also differ from Council to Council).

Building Regulations will also cover areas such as electrical work, safety and structural stability.

7. Commence the building process

A representative from the company you use will stay in contact throughout the entire process, providing up to date developments on the progress of your conservatory.

Planning your conservatory

With a wide range of conservatory types available, careful thought and planning can help you decide on the one that fits best with your home and suits the needs of everyone who will be using it.

Once you’ve chosen a conservatory style, here are some more things to consider when planning your glazed home extension.

Size

When deciding on the size of your new conservatory, make sure you’ll have enough space to enjoy it. A handy tip is to mark out the planned dimensions in your living room so you can see how much furniture you’ll be able to fit.

Sunlight

How much direct sunlight will your conservatory receive and at what time of the day? This could have a bearing on your choice of building location and also interior design decisions.

The orientation of your conservatory may mean that certain specifications of glazing are more appropriate than others because of the impact of solar heat gain from the sun (see ‘Glazing’ below).

Materials – general

You can choose from a wide range of materials for your conservatory, not only for the frames but also in the glazing, the roof and any masonry.

Think about the mood and texture you want to achieve. Some people like the ‘outdoor’ feel with tiled floors, patio-type furniture and bare brick or stone for the house wall; others prefer an ‘indoor’ character with carpeting, soft furnishings and wall coverings.

Materials – frame

Aluminium, with thermal breaks for enhanced heat insulation, is a popular choice and is available in a range of colours and finishes.

PVC-U is the most popular frame material with its long life expectancy and minimal maintenance, especially as nowadays a range of wood grain-effect finishes combine the authentic look of wood with all the toughness of PVC-U.

Wood is the natural choice for people who insist on the real thing.

Glazing

Double glazing is a must nowadays to keep a conservatory comfortable all year round and by using low emissivity (Low-E) glass, it can cut heat loss even more.

If the conservatory is south or west facing it is advisable to consider the use of a modern solar control glass for the roof and side panels of the conservatory.

Solar control options range from ‘body tinted’ glass (where the colour in the glass absorbs heat from the sun) to ‘metallic coated’ glass products.

Modern metallic coated products have the advantage of being neutral in appearance, not obscuring views, while still reflecting the sun’s heat.

Roofing

There are two main choices of roofing – glass or polycarbonate.

Glass gives you a clear view through the roof – it can be supplied with solar control and self-cleaning coatings too. Laminated glass and safety filmed glass can add protection you from any falling debris on the roof glazing of your conservatory.

Polycarbonate creates a softer light effect in bright sun (however, it is slightly noisier in heavy rain or hail).

Ventilation

Ventilation is important. You need to be sure that your conservatory will let in fresh air and avoid condensation.

The internal environment can be carefully controlled with the correct specification of both materials and ventilation. Many roofs have built-in trickle ventilation and Building Regulations specify a certain area of opening windows per floor area.

Technological developments mean that you can have opening roof vents installed that can be thermostatically controlled with built-in rain sensors.

Sound control

Whether it be rain, music, lawn mower, traffic or aircraft noise, reducing the impact of environmental sound can enhance the enjoyment of your conservatory.

The use of laminated glass or enhanced acoustic insulation laminated glass can lessen the amount of noise transferring into or out of your conservatory.

In addition, laminated or acoustic laminated glasses have the extra benefit of reducing standard ultra-violet (UV) light transmission. This means sun bleaching of furniture or fittings is dramatically slowed.

Cleaning and maintenance

Consider what will be required to clean and maintain the glass throughout your conservatory.

Surface modified glass such as self-cleaning glass is available from many glazing companies and can reduce the need for cleaning the external window panes, particularly in difficult-to-reach roof areas.

Comfort and convenience

Comfort levels and environmental factors should be considered. You may wish to extend your home’s central heating, install a separate heater or go for an underfloor heating system, but remember careful specification, design of materials and the location of the conservatory itself can all lead to natural environmental control.

Similarly, you can have overhead wiring for lights built-in or simply a few wall sockets for a table lamp and other appliances.

For more advice on choosing the right conservatory for your needs, get in touch with a local GGF Member company.