Improvements to residential properties can not only make your house more homely, creating a sanctuary you are likely to want to spend your time but – with the right materials, labour and budget – add value to your property when it comes to selling up and moving on.
The addition of a conservatory to your home can create such an investment, whether you plan to use it as an additional room, garden lookout or even an office. As an ideal method of creating a larger area of living space without the need to relocate to a new home they can provide versatility, light and extra warmth, functioning in a variety of every day uses from sun rooms right through to kitchens.
As one of the more dramatic yet cost efficient additions that you could make to your home, with meticulous planning and attention to detail, a modern conservatory can instantly become an essential part of your home.
As a popular form of building which featured in Victorian and Edwardian residential architecture, the conservatory structure dates as far back as the 17th century, however it has become more popular than ever as an affordable and contemporary method of adding value to your home.
Choosing to add a conservatory to your home is an excellent method of utilising space however, with paperwork, planning permission and labour to consider, undertaking management of the new structure independently isn’t always the best course of action.
A home improvement of any size or magnitude requires meticulous planning to details inclusive of design, materials and budget to ensure that required time frame targets are met and that the end result is one which exceeds and satisfies all expectations, ensuring that there are no hiccups along the way.
Sometimes having time to plan, source and undertake improvement work on your home is not always possible due to time constraints and limitations of a busy family life, work balances or social commitments. This is where a building management service could be effective to ensure that work undertaken flows smoothly, to your budget and on time, without any risks to safety or the employment of cowboy tradesmen.
With this in mind Apple Solutions Residential take a look at some key things to contemplate with your new building.
Planning permission
Adding a conservatory to a house is considered to be a ‘permitted development’ not requiring an application for permission so long as it satisfies certain requirements, although it is suggested that approximately 60% of all conservatories do require planning permission.
It is likely you will need to know the answer to certain questions;
- Do you know the extension restrictions relating to detached, semi-detached or terraced housing?
- Is your house listed or within a conservation area?
Different local authorities have various rules and regulations that are required to be followed which is why it is always worth contact them for local planning advice and suggestions.
The key to submitting clear plans is accurate design, measuring and considerations to the types of materials that are likely to be used.
Undertaking such thorough plans independently is likely to be difficult and can lead to potential mistakes which could slow down your application, additionally employing separate surveyors, architectures and trades people is unlikely to be cost effective.
At Apple Solutions our building consultancy service and supply of the accurate staff to undertake and submit such plans on your behalf provides a solution which will not only answer questions relating to legalities and regulations but can also speed up the process of your application while saving you more money overall.
Positioning
Planning permission and the positioning of your conservatory go hand-in-hand. With various directions of facing to consider (North, South, East and West), dependent upon the area of your property that your conservatory will be attached to, you will need to consider the advantages and disadvantages together with how much light you are likely to receive.
As conservatories are designed to feel like part of your garden with the majority of the structure being made from glass, the positioning of your conservatory will more than likely dictate the room function of the building.
As an example, a north facing conservatory is likely to only get sunlight at the beginning and end of each day so while it will not overheat during the hotter months, it is likely to get cold over winter. So if you plan to use the area as an alternate living room or kitchen you may want to consider heating solutions.
We can advise on such aspects as part of our service.
Plumbing and electrics
When constructing your conservatory it is likely that the tradesperson undertaking the labour will have a thorough understanding of what your additional room will be used for in consideration of your plans and advice.
If you are choosing to use your conservatory as a kitchen or additional living space, planning will not only involve the sketching out of the structure but also making room for plumbing pipes and electrical cables. Ensuring that you have the qualified and skilled electricians and plumbers on hand to advise on this during planning and construction phases is the key to avoiding any obstacles which could hinder your structure being built during the required time frame.
At Apple Solutions, we not only provide consultancy and management services but the skilled and experienced practitioners to carry out the required plumbing, joinery and electrical work needed in order to create the conservatory that you have always dreamed of.
We work alongside homeowners every step of the process to ensure that they are kept well informed and are happy with the work that is due to, is to be and has been carried out.
If you are looking for a building management service that has experience in the construction and design of Conservatories in Birmingham and surrounding areas then please contact Apple Solutions.
