FAQ's 

Conservatory FAQs

What is a Victorian conservatory?

A Victorian conservatory has its distinguishing architectural feature is a bay front giving a curved shape and a steeply pitched roof with ornate ridge details.

What is a Georgian/Edwardian conservatory?

A Georgian/Edwardian conservatory is the most popular style as it is the most versatile, which is a flat-fronted style with each side of the roof sloping back to the centre, resulting in a contemporary space-saving design.

What is a Gable conservatory?

A gable conservatory has the same angular face as the Georgian, but the front panel remains upright rather than sloping back, creating a feeling of great height within the conservatory.

What is a Lantern Conservatory?

A lantern conservatory is distinguished by the two-tiered feature roof, and the height within the lantern adds an extra dimension to the feeling of light and space.

Why choose a lean-to conservatory?

A lean-to conservatory is ideal for those who prefer the clean understated lines of a Mediterranean sunroom, and is ideal for properties with limited space under the eaves.

What is a Loggia?

A Loggia is a glazed extension system by Ultraframe and provides a modern alternative to a brick extension. A Loggia costs considerably less than a brick extension whilst still delivering all round usability.

What’s the difference between an orangery and a conservatory?

An orangery is a modern alternative to a standard conservatory and is recommended if a permanent extra room is required. An orangery is an ideal option if considering a kitchen extension, a dining room, a study, a light and airy living room, a room to entertain or perhaps a garden room.

Do I need planning permission?

Probably not in most cases, but if you do need planning permissions and/or building regulations, Crown can advise you and can apply on your behalf. planning permission is generally not required if the roof is made of at least 75% transparent or translucent material, has at least 50% glazed walls, has a floor area of no more than 30 square metres and is separated from the main house by an exterior quality lockable door.

Can a conservatory be built over a man-hole cover?

The answer is that we may be able to plan the design around it, but if not, then the man-hole will need to be re-positioned.

What is the process of building a conservatory?

It does depend on your requirements, but following survey and design approval and finance is agreed, the conservatory is ordered and the site is prepared; the foundations are dug, drainage is installed and concrete is poured into the foundations. If required we then build a dwarf cavity wall. The floor slab is prepared and insulation is added to the cavity wall and floor slabs. Once the inner and outer leaves of the cavity walls are completed, PVCu sills and frames are fitted to the top of the dwarf wall. The roof is then installed, and glazing bars are fitted prior to glazing installation. The ventilated aluminium ridges are added and glass sealed units then fit into the side frames to complete the installation.

Will it get really hot in the conservatory in the summer?

South facing sites receive much more sun than North facing, so you may need more ventilation and shading if the conservatory is going to be in direct sunlight for much of the day. Crown provide a full range of conservatory fans and integrated window blinds and high performance energy efficient glass will also help to prevent excessive heat build-up.

What glass options are there with a conservatory?

You can choose between glass or polycarbonate. If you are wanting more light through the roof, then glass is the right choice and Crown supply a self-cleaning glass which is specially engineered for the needs of a conservatory roof- deflecting heat in the summer and retaining warmth in the winter. Polycarbonate is a lower cost alternative and is available in a range of colours, thicknesses and specifications.

How much maintenance is required on Crown conservatories?

The roof and side frames of your conservatory should be washed down every four months with a soap water solution to remove grime and atmospheric deposits, however if you choose a self-cleaning glass this requires less maintenance. Gutters and box gutters will need to be kept clear of leaves and debris and you may wish to lubricate the window and door hinges with a light machine oil lubricant to keep them in tip top condition.

Window FAQs

What is condensation?

Natural ventilation has been virtually eliminated by modern materials and construction methods. The benefit of this is that buildings are less draughty now, the downside is condensation. Water vapour is produced in large quantities by normal day to day living and remains trapped in the air inside a poorly ventilated house. The warmer the air, the more vapour it can contain. When this saturated air comes into contact with a cool surface, such as glass, it sheds its excess vapour which is deposited onto windows as a mist and larger amounts condense into water droplets. Installing double glazed windows can reduce your condensation by up to 80%.

How will installing double glazing help to reduce heating bills?

Choosing energy efficient windows to replace single glazed or older double glazed units saves energy from day one. In fact, replacing the windows alone could reduce your heating costs by up to 20%.

Will double glazing reduce road noise?

Yes, installing double glazing will significantly reduce outside noise as the high performance glass and window seals will help to reduce external noise pollution.

What is covered with a 10 year Crown guarantee? (excluding electrics)

Crown window products are tested to the latest British Standards and will be installed to comply with the latest UK Building Regulations. Our supplier uses a quality control system that is independently audited twice a year by the British Standards Institute to ISO 9001:2000. During this audit, windows are taken away and tested to BS7950 (testing weather performance and security). The supplier of the PVCu sections has its material tested to British Standards BS7413.

I have a period property, so what windows will be best to choose?

We offer a wide range of bespoke products to suit all period properties, including steel & timber. Experienced craftsmen design, manufacture and install these premium metal windows to create the perfect replacement for historic windows in listed buildings. The sympathetic designs work in harmony with period properties and the latest manufacturing technology provides modern standards of comfort and ease.