Bespoke Conservatories Add a Touch of Class

Published: 23/11/2010

Homeowners can dramatically improve the appearance and functionality of their property by adding bespoke conservatories.

Sebastian Lander from the Daily Mail reported that bespoke conservatories are growing in popularity as property developers are keen to build the extensions in order to increase the value of a home.

An increasing number of homeowners are also choosing to invest in bespoke conservatories because they cannot afford to move because of the current economic climate.

A managing director for a conservatory company told the Daily Mail: "We're finding that most people are, to use the cliche, improving rather than moving.

"And playing with the space you have can go beyond mere extensions, particularly in areas such as London where land is at a premium."

The managing director went onto say that more people were opting for conservatories because they provide the illusion of extra space, which is important for those living in small properties.

He told the newspaper: "'There's a demand for roof lights and solid sliding doors. Opening up flat roofs and converting them into glazed ones is also popular.

"It's smoke and mirrors - the property's footprint needn't change - but the space appears to be twice the size if you can swap brickwork or roof material for glass."

Lander wrote that orangeries was now a 'buzzword' among estate agents as a growing number of homeowners are looking to add the extension, which were historically only built by extremely wealthy people.

Orangeries are similar to greenhouses and conservatories in build but are conventionally a place where citrus trees are kept under cover in winter to protect them from harsh frosts.

The Renaissance gardens of Italy are where orangeries were first established because improvements in glass-making technology meant that expanses of clear glass could be produced.

Kevin Allen, from estate agents John D Wood & Co, told the Mail: "The more a client can make their conservatory look like an orangery, the better."

Mr Allen went onto say that bespoke conservatories can add five per cent to a home's value, providing that it has been built to the correct specifications and by a reputable company.

Planning laws introduced in 2007 made it easier for householders to add bespoke conservatories and orangeries because the rules were relaxed on the amount of planning permission required to build an extension.

The Daily Mail reported that an estimated 100,000 homeowners would be spared from applying for official permission from the relevant authorities every year.