Self Build and DIY Conservatories

Self Build and DIY conservatories are a way of saving money on a new conservatory, but it’s not something I can’t recommend unless you have some building experience, are an enthusiastic and knowledgeable DIY’er or have trustworthy local builders and carpenters that can do all or some of the work with you.

Most DIY conservatories are off-the-shelf modular designs and while these may look satisfactory on a small modern building, it’s unlikely that they will complement a period property or one with a distinctive design.

Similar problems will be experienced with uVPC conservatories or ones sourced from a superstore or a builders merchants catalog. Conservatories built in this way may save you money, but will probably stick out like a sore thumb on the back of your home and may even reduce the desirability of the property when you come to sell it, rather than add value to it.

A DIY Conservatory doesn’t have to be a cheap looking mass-produced product if you invest in one from a bespoke conservatory designer with their own workshops and craftsmen. Contact one of these and they should be happy to discuss your self-build requirements with you and provide detailed drawings and plans. In fact they may be very happy to work with you, as they will be selling a conservatory and not have to do the installation work themselves!

However, before you get to this stage you need to choose the style of conservatory that will suit your home and your lifestyle. Take a look at conservatory websites and familiarize yourself with traditional conservatory designs such as Georgian and Victorian and the alternative modern and contemporary designs.

When you’ve chosen a design, you’ll need to calculate the size of the conservatory. In my experience most people overestimate the size of the conservatory they need. So my tip is that you measure some of the rooms in your home and look at how much furniture you have in the space. Then go into your garden with some bricks, string or garden twine and measure out the size of the conservatory you would like on the ground in situ. Take some garden furniture and arrange it in your outlined space; mark the positions of doors from the house and into the garden so you can see the thoroughfares and then see how comfortably you can move around your furniture and how much space you need.

Then you’ll need to get down to more practical matters. Find out whether any planning rules apply in your locality and what building rules there are that need to be followed. You’ll also need to understand what type of foundations will need to be prepared depending on the ground conditions.

A good builder should be able to cope with these issues quite easily, but it is worth taking time to understand the processes involved so you can see what you may be able to undertake yourself and what you might find easier to sub-contract to local tradesmen. Most conservatory companies will have been through the process many times before and will be happy to advise you with the planning for diy conservatories.

By: Ian Dewar

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