At Evis Build, we build all style of home conservatories in Surrey, Kent and London. Our professional builders and glazing installers will work hard to make sure your conservatory is completed to exactly the specification you require and provide you with more internal space by bringing your garden and volumes of natural light into your home, whilst keeping you protected from the elements.
Key points to consider about conservatories – Surrey, Kent or London
Although we can help design your proposed conservatory in Surrey, Kent or London and work through the finer details before we start your building work, you should first decide on the type of ‘conservatory’ you would like us to build.
Conservatory
A ‘true’ conservatory can be defined as a structure:
- With not less than 75% of the roof area made from translucent material.
- With not less than 50% of the wall area made from translucent material.
- Which is unheated or heated by a system with its own and separate heating controls.
- Which is separated from the main residence by ‘external’ doors.
An extension which meets the above definition would be classed as a ‘true’ conservatory by your local planning authority and would in most cases not require planning permission (see below).
You should bear in mind that a space encased in glass will not provide anything like the insulation values required under current building regulations. This does mean that such a space will require much more energy to keep warm during the Spring and Autumn months. For this reason, you should treat a conservatory as optional additional accommodation as opposed to an extension which can be used year round.
The location of your conservatory will also be important during the summer months as it can heat up quickly. Positioning your conservatory to face East or West is usually the most ideal orientation as to gain direct sunlight without it being excessive.
Sun room, sun lounge or garden room
Sun rooms, often referred to as sun lounges or garden rooms, tend not to have roofs constructed from glass and therefore do not meet the definition of a ‘true’ conservatory. These structures would be classed as single-storey extensions by your local planning authority and would require planning permission (see below). Choosing a sun room over a conservatory in Surrey, Kent or London often creates a space that is seamless with your existing home and is not separated by external doors (as would be the case for a conservatory).
Orangery
An Orangery can be defined as a more substantial conservatory in Surrey, Kent or London. The walls would tend to be solid with partial glazing and the flat roof would feature single or multiple lantern roof-lights which flood light into the space below. As with sun rooms, these structures would be classed as single-storey extensions by your local planning authority and would require planning permission (see below). The benefit of an orangery over a conservatory or a sun room is the seamless space they create with your existing home in the same manner that sun rooms do, however their appearance tends to be perceived as more sophisticated and traditional than conservatories.
Local authority involvement with conservatories – Surrey, Kent or London
Once you have made some decisions based upon whether you would like a sun room, orangery or conservatory in Surrey, Kent or London, you may want to know whether you need planning permission for your conservatory.