Clearview National April 2018 - Issue 197 | Page 58

CONSERVATORIES&SOLIDROOFS
A room
for all
seasons
» » WHEN A CLEARVIEW GROUP STAFF
member took the plunge and decided to have
a new conservatory, he hit some rough weather
during construction. But ultimately, he and
his family found it was worth it. They can
now enjoy a stylish, comfortable space all year
round - whatever the climate.
It’s hardly surprising that this employee and
his family dreamed of a cosy conservatory.
They live in a market town on the Pennines
where the highest point is a cool and breezy
820ft above sea level. That’s reflected in the
sometimes bleak and rugged weather, and
not only in the winter. As the locals in nearby
Barnsley will warn you: “Don’t go up there –
it’s four coats colder!”
The Clearview worker, who has lived in
even colder climates overseas, was all too aware
of the need for warmth as well as space. He
explains: “The conservatory project was to
extend the downstairs footprint of the house,
but it was important that we could utilise the
room all year round. We wanted to open up
the space in the summer via bi-folding doors,
and the redesigned patio area.
“We got Ryan Woods on board for
the building and ground works, and
sourced windows and doors (Spectus Elite
70) from Warwick developments www.
warwicktradewindows.co.uk and www.
admwindows.co.uk
“The Ultraroof 380 was from Specialised
Conservatory Roof Company www.
specialisedltd.co.uk and installation of
windows, doors and roof was by Ben
Sidebottom www.soakinstallations.co.uk” .
It’s worth noting the careful choice of
products for the project. They were selected
not only for quality but also for sheer
practicality, given the nature of the property
and surroundings. For example, the Elite 70
system is one of Spectus’ flagship products and
is used in a full range of windows and doors
in a wide range of colours. Elite 70 is a fully
post co-extruded suite of profiles, available
with either bevelled or ovolo aesthetics. The
window range includes casement windows, tilt
& turn, and fully reversible.
58 » A PR 2018 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M
For the roof choice, Ultraroof380 proved to
be a cost-effective, simple to fit, pre-packaged
solid roof kit that is often selected for the
replacement of tired conservatory roofs.
Ultraroof380 substantially overcomes – for the
consumer – the twin issues of the conservatory
being too hot in summer and too cold in
winter. Moreover, it creates a beautiful vaulted
plastered ceiling inside and with a stepped
detail at the eaves, the perfect place for cables
and spotlights.
For those consumers who still want an
element of light through their new solid roof,
the clever configurable technology allows the
fitment of multiple glass panels – this can be
a major consideration to protect light into the
adjacent room.
As the homeowner says, the installation
of the roof, windows and doors was a part
of the project that went more smoothly than
expected. He adds: “The installation was much
quicker than we thought, especially as it was
the first roof of this type the installer had
done.”
The project started in April 2017 with
groundworks, followed by landscaping,
brickwork, window installation, roof
installation and interior plastering, electrics
and finish.
There were, as with just about every
installation of this type, a few hitches that
could not be avoided. The homeowner said:
“We did hit a snag with the terrible weather at
the time, and our decisions on the type of roof
were based on the limited access to the rear
of the property. The Ultraroof 380 sectionally
built was the ideal answer.
“We also made changes to the interior
plans. Underfloor heating was installed after
consultation with an electrician, and now we
have a smart thermostat which allows remote
control.”
Happily, the conservatory is now finished
and came in on budget although the
householder says he’s still waiting for the
heating bill! “We’re delighted that we’ve been
able to use the space on a daily basis even in
the worst winter conditions for years. I’d do
it again and I’d definitely recommend that
homeowners go for a project like this. It makes
a big difference to comfort levels as well as
adding value to a house.”