What are the Options for Upgrading My Conservatory?

What are the Options for Upgrading My Conservatory?

Conservatories should be the best room in the house. Their brightness allows you to enjoy the views and joys of nature when you don’t want to be outside in the elements. However, if you’ve inherited a conservatory you don’t like, or it’s become a no-go zone, you’ll recognise that older conservatories can be too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer.

Don’t worry-Ultraframe is at hand! When it comes to conservatory upgrades, there are many options for many budgets. Due to advances in glass technology and roofing, you can bring your conservatory back to life and link it seamlessly to the house by removing internal doors and transforming it into a beautiful, warm, bright extension.

The three questions below will help you determine the right conservatory upgrade. Follow this three-step process to plan the transformation of your conservatory.

1. HOW MUCH OF THE CONSERVATORY DO YOU WANT TO CHANGE?

This will largely depend on your budget, but Ultraframe has 4 options listed in order of cost, with the cheapest first.

• Re-glaze: Changing the glass on your conservatory can have quite an impact if you opt for performance glass. Advances in glass technology mean you can significantly reduce the solar glare, reduce fabric fade, block the sun’s heat and retain more internal heat. The option of re-glazing is only likely to be possible if you’re going back to the original installer.

• Re-roof: Given that the roof has the most impact on thermal performance, it may be wise to upgrade your conservatory roof. The many choices of roof outlined below can transform your conservatory into a cosy space, from performance glass roofs to tiled solid roofs like Ultraroof and hybrid systems like Livinroof.

• Re-place: Replacing windows, doors, and the roof will make your conservatory look new. You could also choose a different colour, add a decorative cornice, or install bi-fold doors to create a truly modern conservatory design.

• Re-build: If you want to change the room’s footprint or dramatically change the configuration of the windows and doors, you may want to re-build the entire structure. This will allow you unlimited design options.

2. WHAT TYPE OF CONSERVATORY ROOF DO YOU WANT?

For two reasons, the roof is the most important thing to consider for conservatory upgrades. Firstly, the roof is where most of the heat is lost due to heat rising. A new, more thermally efficient roof can significantly reduce heating bills. Secondly, a roof lets in three times more light than the windows. Even if you’re installing a solid roof, it’s important to include glass in the roof design to avoid the new room (and sometimes the rest of the house) becoming disappointingly dark.

At Ultraframe, you have 4 options for your conservatory roof design.

• Performance Glass. Advances in glass specifications mean that performance glass can now make your conservatory much more comfortable all year round.

• Performance Glass with insulated pelmet and central lighting panel: Adding a plastered and insulated perimeter pelmet around the bottom of a performance glass roof creates more of a room, making the room cosier than before, especially if you add spotlights. Significant heat is lost from the conservatory ridge, so why not add an insulated central lighting panel where you can add a pendant light to light a dining table or create a real style statement.

• Livinroof: This solid roof system has a hybrid design combining urban grey and glass panels to create your unique design.

• Ultraroof: This is the lightest tiled solid roof on the market. It is so strong that it never needs a tie bar and always has a beautiful vaulted ceiling.

3. DO YOU WANT TO OPEN THE ROOM TO THE REST OF THE HOUSE?

Older conservatories usually have separating doors between them and the rest of the house. This was because they needed to be thermally efficient enough to be classed as habitable living spaces and demanded a separate heating source so they didn’t drain the central heating.

Thanks to technological advances, it is possible to have a glazed extension that becomes an open plan for the rest of the house. You will need to discuss this with your Ultraframe installer. However, if you choose a thermally efficient design, you can create an open plan extension. This will add far more value to your house than a conservatory.

If you want the best of both worlds, create a wider opening and add a set of bi-folds between the conservatory and the house to create a flexible space.

SEARCH FOR YOUR NEAREST ULTRAFRAME INSTALLER TODAY

For conservatory upgrades and help upgrading your conservatory roof, please use our installer search tool. You can also fill out a form during the process, directly requesting contact from an Ultraframe team member. We’d be happy to advise you about our range of conservatories, orangeries, or replacement roofs - we can even come and see you at your home if that would be helpful.