Buying a conservatory, all sorts of conservatories windows uk styles, online quotes, Victorian, Edwardian.

Planning permission needed for a conservatory:

In almost every case you will not need to worry about getting permission from your local authority before you install your baltic pine conservatory.

Under present legislation, you will NOT need to apply if:

1.) Detached and semi-detached houses
The conservatory does not increase the overall volume of the original house by whichever is the greater - 70 cubic metres or 15% of the volume up to a maximum of 115 cubic metres. (Scotland has its own regulations on this.)

1a.) Terraced or end-of-terraced houses
The conservatory does not increase the overall volume of the original house by whichever is the greater - 50 cubic metres or 10% of the volume up to a maximum of 115 cubic metres.

The wording 'original house' means the house as it was first built or as it stood on 1st July 1948 if it was built before then. If extensions have been built since, then those extensions count against the allowance.

2.) No part of the conservatory projects further forward than the existing front wall or higher than the highest point of your roof line.

3.) No part of your conservatory comes within 2 metres of your boundary if its more than 4 metres above the ground.

4.) It does not cover more than half of the original garden area.

Neither can it be used as a separate, independent dwelling.

Designers can always provide you with more detailed advice on any aspect of this and, should planning permission be required, guide you through the process. Permission would always be required if your house is a listed building or a conservation area. Should there be any doubts please contact your local planning authority.

It's very important to make certain that you carefully choose right roofing:
Polycarbonate roof sheeting types.

My friends Barry and Tina D are into conservatories with their business on the internet in a big way and they have just brought out this brochure in 2003. FREE 'Your guide to buying a conservatory' posted to you, click here.

Polycarbonate roof sheeting, online source for supply only, then click BIG Stuff, then Roofing.

I used to think quite highly of Ultraframe (conservatory roofs) but I have just had papers issued to me as notification that they have made a 'challenge' action against me with the World Intellectual Property Organisation wanting my ownership of a certain conservatory domain name cancelled, without even a phone call or email as a courtesy in advance. Sour grapes if you ask me. I thought it a little odd when recently their rep. called at my home with a package of promotional stuff and free samples for me.

If you think you might fancy a go at D.I.Y. for your own conservatory, have a browse at this:
Do It Yourself Conservatory - Save between 50% - 70 % of what you might pay a fitting company.

Pictures of my own recently finished conservatory

News: Proposals that could bring an end to poorly built double glazed Conservatories may soon come about if they lose their present exemption from Building Regulations.

The Government has now published a consultation paper on this called:

The consultation package "The Building Act 1984. The Building Regulations 2000. Proposal for amending Schedule 2 - Class VII - Exempt buildings and work, with reference to conservatories, porches, covered ways, covered yards and carports" was issued on 21 December 2001. Responses are requested by 29 March 2002. Read all about it: http://www.safety.dtlr.gov.uk/bregs/consult/sched2/03.htm Last time I checked their website seems to be not working at the moment for some reason, try again another time.

Step by step (downloadable PDF) construction guide
(It may take a minute or two to download - and you need to have Adobe Acrobat reader installed)

Useful Link: Conservatory TV