It’s one of the most traditional home improvements in the country, but delve deep into conservatories and there are all sorts of myths that can start emerging.
A couple of decades ago they were immensely common and after declining in popularity briefly, their popularity is back in full swing. Through the course of this guide we will now take a look at the rooms in detail and highlight some of the main myths that are commonplace in the industry, and how you should ignore them at all costs.
Myth #1 – Planning permission
This is perhaps the most common myth of the lot and considering all of the stringent planning laws that the UK has, it’s no surprise to see how it has come into a lot of people’s minds.
While some people may have to obtain planning permission for their conservatory, this isn’t the case for the majority. Getting planning permission for a conservatory is one of the simplest processes in the whole of the planning department, for the main reason that it is classed as a permitted development right.
This means that the rules are much more relaxed and planning permission will only enter the picture if your conservatory happens to be large in size, makes use of materials which are completely different to the rest of your house or contains any unique features.
Myth #2 – The room needs to be built on the south side
The “south factor” is something that is reiterated time and time again amongst those people who are looking to add a conservatory to their home.
It’s true that building this room on the south side of your property is going to prompt more sun and for some of you, this might be the perfect scenario. Let’s add a few caveats though.
Firstly, so much sun can make the room unbearable. The conservatory can effectively turn into a greenhouse in the summer months – and its use can be rendered, well, useless. As such, you should always keep this in mind if you have been under the impression that you simply must build on the south to reap all of the benefits of a traditional conservatory.
Myth #3 – An orangery is the same thing
Let’s leave the best myth until the end. While some companies might offer both conservatories and orangeries, don’t for a moment think that they are the same thing.
Fortunately, and if we return to myth #1, neither requires any planning permission unless they fall foul of the exceptions. However, they are much different in structure and while a conservatory might be comprised mainly of glass and PVC, orangeries make use of a lot more brick. In other words, an orangery merges into the home much more seamlessly, but at the same time this is obviously going to result in a little extra cost to the project.
What we’re trying to say is that they do look entirely different and if you are on the market for something of this ilk, make sure you get your definitions right.