Veranda versus conservatories
seakale
Posts: 142
It's that time of year when starts to think of sitting in the garden, having done battle with the bindweed, and reading a gardening mag and seeing more adverts for verandas than conservatories.
from the ads it looks as through verandas can be opened along one complete side or just left three sided.
conservatories in the summer means one cooks into very warm person, or in winter it's a freezer.
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As with anything, it depends on how much you spend on either and then how good the ventilation, shading and insulation are and so on. Done well, a conservatory is useful all year round but a true verandah with open sides will be no use at all for about 10 months of the year - too cold, windy and probably wet too.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
Hi speaking from experience ,the house weve just bought had a long veranda and was turned into part of the house with double glazing all round three sides,cold in winter hot in summer nice first thing in the morning, BUT we now are extending and a Must is do not have paneled,bottoms when you glaze as this is where the heat is lost,so we are using brick bottoms and double glaze gas filled windows, Argon gas windows works out as good as tripple glaze and about half the price..,,just thought id try to save some money for anyone thinking of double glazing stuff. Sunny ere in Norfolk avagooden
Actually the ones I was looking at had a folding concertina type door along one side, I agree probably more use efficient than a three sided affair. 3 sides only not ok if you happen to live in part of UK with a lazy wind, ie one that goes right thro you rather than round
I was also thinking about planning and building regs sort of thing between the 2 structures
You would have to check with your local authority about Building Control or Planning Department requirements.
So far as conservatories go, ours has underfloor heating which is kept on in the winter and turns the place into a heted greenhouse. (Breakfast beside the tomato seedlings). In the summer, being south facing, it does get very hot but ceiling blinds help tremendously and by fixing fly screens to the door opening it is possible to leave the doors open during the day. On a sunny day it is generally about 28C in the afternoon.
If you live in Derbyshire, as I do.
I longed for a conservatory when I lived in Scotland but didn't manage to get one til moved to France when it no longer seemed necessary. OH on the other hand seemed much keener. However, I could not be without it now, we had it built around 7 years ago and practically live in it. The main thing we stipulated was that it had to have a solid roof put on it otherwise, even though we are not in the south (nearer Paris) summers would be unbearable. I don't know what the ceiling material is called but it is white - very strong and thick and definitely insulates in winter and keeps the heat down in summer. It has floor to ceiling glass walls and is used all year round. Great for bringing the outdoors in and doors slide open three door widths so can also feel a bit veranda-ish - and funnily enough conservatories are called verandahs in French. Hope picture gives idea of ceiling.