Looking for conservatories in Kent? Whilst the UK can claim to have some of the most changeable weather anywhere, and not all of it good, Kent and the south counties can probably boast they have the best the country has to offer.
Still, winter can be freezing, spring and autumn are often harsh and even the warmest summer can be wet enough to keep you indoors. It isn’t that our climate is extreme. It’s just not reliably good enough to guarantee outdoor entertainment.
Even avid gardeners find cause to complain (let’s leave farmers out of this conversation. They’re never satisfied). That’s the main reason that ever more homeowners are acquiring conservatories. It really is the “must have” home improvement.
Of course, there are other motivations such as a need for affordable extra space, but the British climate is the main mover.
And who in Kent wouldn’t love to sit comfortably in a lovely conservatory, glass of wine in hand, imagining they’re somewhere in the south of France.
Having said that Kent gets more than its share of British sunshine, you’ll appreciate the importance of carefully considering where you site a conservatory (assuming you have some choice in the matter).
And where you site it will have a considerable impact on the specification of the glass for the roof. Here we should say that you can choose a more economical roofing material than glass. The cheapest is called polycarbonate.
It is formed into translucent multi-chambered glazing panels. Yes, it is available in opal and bronze and it is relatively cheap. But, it does not have the insulating qualities of glass. This means that the conservatory will be expensive (maybe impossible) to heat in winter and could be an unbearable hot house in summer.
We always recommend using double glazed insulating glass sealed units in conservatory roofs.
So, what is the optimum siting or orientation for a Kent / south counties conservatory? Winter seems to offer much the same conditions facing all four cardinal compass points. In January a south or west facing conservatory might benefit from a bit of solar gain (heat from the sun), but probably not enough to offset heating costs by much.
Choosing a roof glass that will reflect heat back into the conservatory is an absolute must. Now, summer is an altogether different thing. Odd though it may sound, a south or west facing conservatory is the one that could give the most problems in temperature control.
This orientation requires a roof glass that will reflect the sun’s heat back into the atmosphere. You might also consider argon filled sealed units for additional insulation. And the sun’s harmful UV rays can be minimised by opting for tinted glass. Improvements and innovations in glass are happening so rapidly that it really pays to take expert advice before you specify roofing requirements.
Now that you’ve decided on where you want the conservatory to go, it’s time to consider designs. There isn’t one particular style of conservatory that you could identify with Kent, so the field is wide open.
The most popular styles are the lean-to or garden room, the Victorian, the Edwardian, the Gable front and the P shape. The way to begin to narrow the field is to first decide what size you want. This is more than a function of budget and garden space available for the build.
You should carefully consider what it is you are actually going to use the conservatory for. It will be helpful if you take a rough measurement of the proposed exterior base dimensions. That done, try to imagine which style best compliments your house.
At this point you’ll have to begin the search for a dependable company to price your plan for you. At least, that is what used to happen before Conservatory Online Prices put its clever conservatory quote calculator online.
Simply click start my quote and the process of getting a free instant quote begins. All you’ll need to do is choose a design and enter the measurements that you took in the garden. It only takes a few seconds and you get a price that is relevant to costs in Kent.
You can do as many quotes as you like and they will all be saved. You’ll be sent a link so that you can review, compare or add to you quotes whenever you like.
The service doesn’t stop there. Once you’ve got a good idea of exactly what you want, Conservatory Online Prices will put you in touch with up to three specialist conservatory companies near you. They are all members of the Trusted Local Supplier Scheme and are well established in your local area and excellent suppliers and installers of high-quality conservatories.
As well as being vetted by us, they are all members of a Competent Persons Scheme such as FENSA or CERTASS, which means they have been inspected by an independent body for quality and regulatory compliance. Their surveyors and fitters are all qualified to MTC and/or NVQ level for the industry. These are people you can trust.
But, why take our word for it.
Mr Lewis from Kent had a Gable conservatory added to his property after going onto our website. Here is what he had to say:
Your website was crucial in my research of conservatories. Nowhere else would give me instant price – I just wanted to see how much it would cost me. I was very pleased with the prices and after being put in touch with some companies I chose the company who gave me a price I was most happy with.
The chosen company was brilliant. Lovely bunch of people, very professional. They made me aware of other conservatory options so I could make an informed decision and were very helpful all round.
It really couldn’t be easier.