Hidsons Car Showroom Gets a Glass Face Lift

With competition in the car sales industry growing, Nigel Hidson – owner of Hidsons Car Sales –knows that getting potential customers through his showroom doors is half the battle. He wanted Hidsons Car Sales to stand out amongst competitors and chose two stunning Ultraframe portal conservatories to give his showrooms a major selling point.

Nigel explained: “With so many new models on the market, and even more ways to buy a vehicle, car showrooms are having to work increasingly hard to compete and get customers through their doors. With this in mind we wanted to transform our showrooms to draw in more potential customers and we turned to an approved Ultraframe installer to build two stylish portal conservatories.”

The project was completed with the help of an Ultraframe approved installer with the requisite knowledge and experience needed to design and install the two tailor made conservatory extensions on Hidsons’ car showrooms.

The Ultraframe installer had this to say: “The car showrooms were a challenging project for us. They were our first large commercial installation so we needed a conservatory roof manufacturer whose experience, expertise and product we trusted. We have exclusively fabricated and installed Ultraframe roofing systems for 14 years and have always been impressed by the level of service they offer. When we approached Ultraframe, the Portals team responded superbly. Throughout the project, we had complete faith that Ultraframe could deliver on every aspect of the job, from surveying and drawing to onsite technical support.”

Ultraframe Portal Conservatories Truly Transform Spaces

The first installation, at Hidsons’ Rainham branch, involved expanding the existing showroom into a elegant conservatory front that runs the length of the 29 metre long building. The portal conservatories installed at the new Northfleet showroom was even more impressive. A 25m by 22m L-shaped independent conservatory structure was installed to transform a dark and dingy industrial unit into a sleek, contemporary showroom flooded with light.

The approved Ultraframe installer continued: “The final result is really impressive. We were confident that Ultraframe would design the highest quality roof to fit our brief and we were really impressed at how the whole job ran so smoothly.”

Nigel Hidson said: “The new conservatory extensions have totally transformed our showrooms, not just in terms of providing lots of extra space, but because of the contemporary and airy feel that they provide. They also help us to really stand out amongst our competitors. Our showrooms are different and more attractive than those of other dealerships who have standard, unattractive flat display windows. We are getting a great response from both our staff and customers and the portal conservatories mean that we are literally showing our cars in the best light possible!”

Ultraframe’s Portal Sales Manager said: “The Hidsons car showrooms really show the diversity of what we can fabricate and how much we can tailor designs to suit and blend in with existing structures. We carried out numerous site visits and produced detailed drawings before fabricating the roofs. Then we advised the approved contractor on their first portal installation. Their fitting team was incredibly skilled and efficient and the installation was perfect. Our installer now has two great portal conservatories projects to begin its commercial portfolio.”

The car showrooms have been great flagship portal conservatories projects for the approved Ultraframe installer and are proof of their ability to compete in the commercial market, as well as the domestic sector that they have traditionally catered for. They said: “Portals is an aspect of our business we are keen to develop. I’m confident that by continuing to work with the Ultraframe Portals Team and the high quality products they offer we can cover this market and will see a great deal of future success in commercial projects.”

Understanding the Importance of Portal Conservatories

Portal conservatories suit projects where the proposed structure in much larger than normal and therefore, requires additional support to prevent stress being applied by the roof to the conservatories frames and foundations. This type of design is sometimes also referred to a ‘large span’ or ‘portal framed conservatory.’

In terms of its structure, a portal frame is best described as an aluminium box section that provides structural support for the roof. It is positioned concurrently with the inner line of the cill and the doors and windows then work to form a cladding that seals off the outside section of the portal. The aluminium can be coloured to suit design requirements.

Ultraframe’s portal conservatories were, therefore, the perfect choice for the Hidson’s Car Sales project. But their application would equally have suited a range of other commercial ventures – including a wide span roof for a swimming pool extension – thanks to the versatility and industry-leading quality of the Ultraframe brand.

 Find Your Nearest Ultraframe Installer

If you have been intrigued by the portal conservatory project outlined in this blog, you may want to investigate further by speaking to a trusted Ultraframe installer. Our network of excellence spans the whole of the UK, so you’ll be able to find a local company that can advise you further and quote for your project.

Use our installer search tool to find a trusted company near you. Simply tell us where you live and we’ll provide you with the contact details of nearby firms. If you have a question about portal conservatories – or want to find out about our conservatory roofs and orangeries – you can submit your details at to us.