Adding a beautiful conservatory or orangery of your dreams to your home not only increases its desirability and value, but is the perfect answer to expanding your living area and opening up your home to let light flood in. Unlike most conservatory companies, look for the ones that offer you more than just one choice of material. Certain companies will give you the freedom to choose from all materials, from a Hardwood, Aluminium or PVCu conservatory or orangery.

Hardwood or aluminium both have their advantages, though cost may have a bearing on choice. A PVCu conservatory costs less than a timber one and apart from occasional cleaning, its weather resistant qualities make it maintenance-free. Or you could choose an aluminium build, giving you structural integrity, a contemporary look, yet can be less costly that hardwood.

Advances in technology have enabled the use of hardwood rather than brick to create truly contemporary orangeries and hardwood conservatories. These hardwood conservatories or orangeries know virtually no limits and can be designed to fulfil the most demanding of briefs.

The choice of aluminium exists because there is a realisation that timber may not be everybody’s choice and as consumers are more aware of conservatories, and the type of material choice, so aluminium offers a quality alternative within the product choice. Aluminium conservatories or orangeries use more open and expansive areas of glass, and it is not uncommon to see full height windows. This different use of glass results in aluminium conservatories looking more contemporary, as well as being a more cost-effective than hardwood conservatories.

The type of glass specified within your new conservatory or orangery will greatly affect your use of it. We have highlighted three choices, Solar, Insulating and Self-cleaning glass.

SOLAR CONTROLLED, the type of glass you require for your conservatory or orangery will vary according to which direction it faces. A north-facing conservatory will have a different glass requirement to a southwest-facing conservatory. High performance glass varies enormously in price. Choosing a solar control glass to keep you warm in winter and cool in summer for a conservatory can cost up to £3,000 extra above basic double-glazing. Solar glass will reduce the room temperature by around 64 degrees, leaving the room only 10 degrees greater than the outside temperature. If you add comfort cooling or air conditioning you can reduce the temperature even further.

INSULATING, all glass is not the same, fact! Insulating glass is measured in U values, the lower the U value the better the insulating glass or comfort factor. To ensure your conservatory or orangery can be used and kept warm in winter, it is imperative that the right glass is chosen. Government guidelines recommend Pilkington K glass, our opinion is that this glass and specification is no longer acceptable. Our own standard glass achieves a U value of 1.1 that’s an improvement of around 55% on the Government's recommended standard Pilkington K glass.

SELF-CLEANING, there is no such thing as a self-clean glass. There is however easy clean-glass. This specialist glass allows rainwater to wash away a considerable amount of the dirt and grime, but not enough to do away with your window cleaner! However, it is highly efficient and reduces cleaning by around 80%.

The design opportunities using a combination of glass, hardwood and aluminium are endless. The more established conservatory professionals will have expert designers on hand to help guide you through the design process to ensure they achieve your ultimate desires to create an individual and distinct structure tailored to suit exactly the style and taste of your home.