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Bungalows and single storey extensions can restrict the height available when adding a conservatory or sunroom to your home. To overcome this we use a clever structural boxgutter system which allows the sunroom roof extend above the main dwelling while still remaining aesthetically pleasing. This Dublin Sunroom has a nine ft ceiling height and benefits [...]

There is plenty of choice in design and materials used when constructing a Sunroom. We continually add photos of Sunrooms as we build them to help you understand the construction methods used. The photo below shows the steel frame in situ ready for roofing. In this case the Sunroom will be built into the house [...]

Conservatory Designs at Johnstown Garden Centre have just launched their new Ultrawarm construction system for Sunrooms. This construction method, using heavy duty aluminium rafters delivers a U value of just .16 so you can be sure you will be cosy in the winter. Most sunrooms take weeks to construct but this new system ensures that [...]

Here are the top five tips to consider when building a Sunroom. Make sure that the room inside will not be too dark once your new roof has been added. There are ways of making the inner room brighter such as creating a larger opening from the house using a RSJ. Consider building  a Pavilion [...]

  Thinking of building a Sunroom? Here is what you need to know. When we build Sunrooms they generally have a concrete tile roof or natural slate roof to match the roof finish of your home. To support this amount of weight and also allow for another 2ft of snow on the roof the main [...]

A well built and insulated Conservatory should be warm all year around, ours are, and here is the proof. At the time of writing it is minus 7 degrees outside, while the conservatory is recording a temperature of plus 18 degrees inside. To prove the quality of our systems we have a thermometer in our [...]

Looking for a conservatory in Carlow. Conservatory Designs at Johnstown Garden Centre has your area covered. With plenty of satisfied customers in Carlow and another two projects  to complete by Christmas, we are now the  preferred supplier in your area. Our design team are happy to call to your home for offer free advice and [...]

Looking for a conservatory in Kilkenny? Conservatory Designs new showrooms is just an hour away up the motorway. The display site and design centre is open seven days a week at Johnstown Garden Centre. We offer a full building service covering all of Kilkenny and have plenty of happy customers in your area. Our design [...]

Conservatory Designs in Johnstown have just completed a beautiful conservatory overlooking the harbour in Waterford. We have three projects in the design stage which will start in January. With the  new motorway now open we are only “down the road” and are happy to provide estimates throughout Waterford, just email a photo to us for a [...]

With the new motorways now almost all complete We are spreading our wings further afield and are now working across Ireland with conservatories currently under construction in Waterford, Thurles, Athy and Mullingar. See below for some really nice photos sent in by one of our clients who has transformed her living space with a new [...]

We are currently transforming this terrace house by adding a large living area to the downstairs. This sunroom covers the complete back wall of the house, we are widening the opening to the house to allow more light into the kitchen and are including large Velux roof lights for additional light. The Sunroom doubles the [...]

I have just added some photos of a Sunroom currently under construction. Clients often inquire how we overcome the height issues when adding a Sunroom to a bungalow. It is quite a simple process, we strip back the house roof and build in the sunroom roof into the actual roof of the house so it [...]

Rocker Ozzy Osbourne has been bitten by the home improvement bug and is planning to build a conservatory at his home in Buckinghamshire. According to the Buckinghamshire Advertiser, the former Black Sabbath singer has applied to Chiltern District Council for planning permission for the project. The structure would be attached to his Chalfont St Peter property [...]

I have listed the planning rules for conservatories in Ireland in an earlier blog, and I also have a comprehensive section in our down-loadable buyers guide however there still can be some confusion as how to apply the rules. Here are three recent instances where clients thought they did not require planning permission but actually [...]

The climate in Ireland has certainly brought some changes for 2010, an exceptionally cold winter and an exceptionally warm and sunny spring and summer. So how does this impact on your choice of Conservatory going forward?   The two key things to consider is whether it will be warm enough in the winter and cool [...]

With the improvement in our road networks Conservatory Designs have been able to extend our working range to now cover Tipperary, Kilkenny, Wexford, Waterford, Westmeath and Limerick as well as our neighbouring counties where we have always worked.   The key thing to remember when buying a conservatory in Ireland is to make sure that [...]

Getting the size of your conservatory right is first key decision to be made and it can get confusing. Remember most companies quote and work with external sizes so you need to reduce the width across the house by 2ft or 600mm and the depth into the garden by 1ft or 300mm to get the [...]

In this post we look at some of the key considerations when positioning the Conservatory or Sunroom doors. At Conservatory Designs we recommend you consider the following issues before deciding on the best location for the doors.   a) Conservatory doors are glazed fully to the floor and as such, direct your attention when you [...]

Do I need Planning Permission for a conservatory? Small scale domestic extensions, including conservatories, do not require planning permission if the extension is to the rear of the house and comply with the following: The original floor area of the house is not increased by more than 40 square metres. It is important to note [...]

Did you know the most common mistake made when building a Sunroom is not taking the loss of light to the main house into consideration? Did you know there is a difference between direct light and indirect light in your home?   Conservatory Designs specialise in constructing successful Sunroom designs which try to maximise the [...]

Conservatory Designs Ltd specialise in building Energy Efficient Conservatories and Sunrooms.   There are four key elements to ensuring the best insulation for your conservatory   Glass Conservatory framework Wall and floor insulation Roof glazing   Glass: Heat loss is measured by the U value, which in simple terms is the speed that heat can [...]

On a serious note always to remember to add your conservatory to your home insurance policy. Your insurance company will always be looking for a way out if you have a problem, your new conservatory increases the value and square footage of your home and should be noted on your policy.

There’s an interesting article I have read on the Daily Mail website at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/property/article-1204842/Add-touch-glass-extra-value-home-state-art-conservatory.html In the article I was particularly interested in the following statement: And just how much value do these glass structures add? Allen says in the short term you can expect to cover the costs of a building a conservatory and, provided [...]

Conservatory Designs offer a complete turnkey service which also includes advice on furnishing your Sunroom or Conservatory. All of our display conservatories are fully furnished with suites, tables and giftware from Johnstown Garden Centre. There is a wide range of fabrics and colours available. To view the range online visit www.johnstowngardencentre.ie

Are blinds a good idea for conservatory roofs? At Conservatory Designs we recommend glass roofs for conservatories where clients do not want to lose any light in the rooms of the house over which the conservatory is built. However this can lead to glare problems on the rare sunny days. Blinds offer the perfect solution, [...]

Bungalows have height restrictions for conservatories except of course when adding on to the gable end. There are two simple and very effective solutions; construct a false dormer/gable in the house roof or create a conservatory design which will link to the bungalow using a boxgutter. Creating a false dormer in the bungalow roof conjures up [...]

Conservatory prices are based on a number of key factors. With consumers now extremely price conscious we have outlined the key items for you to consider: Conservatories are not all the same, here are the key specifications you MUST have in your conservatory, leaving these out to reduce cost will be regretted in the long [...]

Here are some interesting links for further research Ultrafame Conservatory Roofs- www.ultraframe-conservatories.co.uk/ Veka plastics- http://www.vekauk.com/ Network Veka- http://www.networkveka.co.uk/ Vista Therm- http://www.careyglass.com Peter Fox blinds-http:// www.peterfoxblinds.ie Johnstown Garden Centre- www.johnstowngardencentre.ie/

This is a very common question and one I have first hand experience of. I installed under-floor heating in my last conservatory and it was an unqualified success however there is always a BUT and the BUT here is that it must be plumbed directly to the boiler with its own thermostat and isolating valve [...]

Conservatory Designs sponsored the KFM outside broadcast on the bank holiday Sunday as the team made their way to Croke Park. The three hour broadcast from the premises included an interview with Peter Clarke, managing director, to discuss the new showrooms and chat in general about sunrooms and conservatories. Supporters on the way to the [...]

This is a very common question and the answer I’m afraid is not a simple yes or no. Every client has a different reason for adding a sunroom or conservatory to their home. For many it is an escape area from a growing family. The sunroom or conservatory offers a peaceful haven away from the [...]

At Conservatory Designs Ltd. we use two principles methods for constructing sunrooms. The first is more like a solid roof conservatory with the main structure consisting of the Upvc windows, just like a conservatory with a steel superstructure of 100mm by 100mm box steel to carry the weight of the concrete tiles or slates. This [...]

At Conservatory Designs, we build every conservatory twice, once in the factory and once in the garden. This process adds some cost to the process so why do we do it? Firstly we get a better finish in the factory, there is no cutting in the garden everything is cut by machine so no human [...]

I get shivers down my back when I read adverts for companies trying to persuade consumers to buy conservatories DIY. I have been in the business for over 20 years and have built literally thousands of conservatories and sunrooms, trust me these are not a DIY item. I know they may look easy but when [...]

You will note from our planning section that you do not require planning permission for a conservatory or sunroom if it is to the rear of the development, you have not already added to the house which together with the conservatory would increase the original footprint of your home by 40sqm and you are not [...]

June has been a warm month which might explain the increase in sales of our Heat Guard Polycarbonate roof. Heat Guard was our most popular roof for the month of June. The roof which is seven layers thick has three outer layers of a reflective material, this basically reflects a lot of heat back off [...]

This is probably the most common question we are asked and a very valid one at that. The answer unfortunately is not so straight forward. Here are the most important aspects to consider; If you are overlooked then polycarbonate should be considered, it will offer complete privacy from overlooking neighbours. The alternative is to consider [...]

With all the focus currently on energy efficiency the term U value is cropping up in conversations from attic insulation to double glazing. So what is a U value. To put it simply, U-Value is the measure of the rate of heat loss through a material. Thus in all aspects of home design one should [...]

Most conservatories built on semi-detached homes will require a wall on the side adjoining the neighboring property. I am continually amazed at the number of times I hear prospective clients say to me that other companies are quoting to build the conservatory using the existing garden wall. This breaks every rule in the book and [...]