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A guide for conservatory surveyors
Within this section we will cover most of the key points to consider when doing an intial survey for a customer requiring a conservatory. If there are still questions you need answering then don't hesitate, get in touch with us using the contact details on the menu to the left. We are able to supply you with a more indepth guide.
PLANNING PERMISSION AND BUILDING REGULATIONS.
These two are often confused and the following notes are intended for guidance only, and are general requirements for all areas. Please consult the relevant local authority for any specific requirements for the area concerned. On some new housing estates the developers sometimes insert a clause in the deeds requiring their permission to extend the house. This should be checked and in some cases a small fee may be charged to obtain permission.DEFINITION OF A CONSERVATORY.
According to the Department of the Enviroment, a conservatory is defined as "A building that has not less than three quarters of its roof area made of translucent material, and not less than fifty percent of its wall area made of glass"SPECIFIC PLANNING PERMISSION IS NOT NORMALLY REQUIRED IF THE FOLLOWING GUIDELINES ARE MET:-
APPLICATION FOR PLANNING PERMISSION 1S REQUIRED IF:-
BUILDING REGULATIONS.
These are the construction and performance standards which if followed allow a structure to be built. They relate to the structural integrity of the construction and not its location. It should be noted that Building Regulations in England and Wales are different to those in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Check with local authorities for the existence of any local by-laws which may need to be considered.A CONSERVATORY IS NORMALLY EXEMPT FROM ANY BUILDING REGULATION CONTROL PROVIDED IT MEETS THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS:-
BUILDING REGULATIONS.
If a conservatory does require Building Regulation approval and the conservatory is situated within 1m of the boundary, then the wall of the conservatory adjacent to the boundary should be constructed of materials eith limited combustibility which meet fire regulations to Approved Document B of the Building Regulations 1992.The best way to survey a property is to sketch out a plan and a elevation of the proposed site showing all existing windows, pipes, drains and other possible obstructions. The dimensions between each feature should be indicated and the position of the proposed conservatory. If you are carrying out several surveys in a day and drawing the results up at a later time, it is a good idea to reinforce your survey sketch with a photograoh of the site. A 'polaroid' camera is ideal for this purpose. This part of the survey is best conducted without the distraction of the customer present.
A thorough inspection should be made of all possible obstructions as listed in the following pages.If a conservatory does require Building Regulation approval and the conservatory is situated within 1m of the boundary, then the wall of the conservatory adjacent to the boundary should be constructed of materials eith limited combustibility which meet fire regulations to Approved Document B of the Building Regulations 1992.
It is essential that a thorough site survey is undertaken before construction begins. A mistake made at this stage could be very costly to your company. A cost that may be incurred is rectification of the installation due to inaccurate information being supplied to the construction teams. This in turn may result in the customer retaining payment of the conservatory. A breakdown in customer relations, a lack of customer confidence and damage to the reputation of your company may ensue.First of all check the site access. Is there adequate room for skips and delivery of building materials? Leaving a skip on a public highway requires permission from the local authority. If the conservatory is to be constructed at the back of the house and access is only from the front, are there any restrictions to the movement of materials such as overhanging trees and narrow passage ways? Remember the construction of the base will require excavation and removal of material usually by barrowing followed by delivery of ready mixed concrete - can the concrete wagon gain access without driving over paths etc.? Also the delivery of the conservatory will involve large frames, bar length components up to 6m long and possibly welded cills.
SITE ACCESS.
First of all check the site access. Is there adequate room for skips and delivery of building materials? Leaving a skip on a public highway requires permission from the local authority. If the conservatory is to be constructed at the back of the house and access is only from the front, are there any restrictions to the movement of materials such as overhanging trees and narrow passage ways? Remember the construction of the base will require excavation and removal of material usually by barrowing followed by delivery of ready mixed concrete - can the concrete wagon gain access without driving over paths etc.? Also the delivery of the conservatory will involve large frames, bar length components up to 6m long and possibly welded cills.
CONDITION OF EXISTING PROPERTY
Inspect the condition of the existing house walls. Is the wall plumb or are there any projecting brink plinths or bell casts which may effect the design of the conservatory? If installing on a bungalow the existing soffit may become a part of the conservatory. If the existing bungalow roofing felt, above the soffit in the area of the proposed conservatory, has deteriorated this may result in a water ingress problem at a later stage. Lift the lower roof tiles and inspect the felt. If perished, this should be replaced or repaired using one of the prietory repair systems which are available today. The bricks that are used in the construction of many modern houses are very porous. Consider the requirement for a cavity tray.
This is often overlooked and is more difficult and expensive to install after the conservatory has been built. If the elevation on which the conservatory is to be built is particularly exposed to the weather, a cavity tray should certainly be used. A cavity tray should always be considered when constructing a conservatory on a new house that is covered by the ten year NHBC guarantee. Any problem occurring from water ingress due to the lack of a cavity tray will not be covered by the NHBC guarantee.OBSTRUCTIONS (ON WALLS).
Take a good look at the exising house wall and check the position of pipes, cables, air bricks, extractors, soil stacks and of course existing window and door openings. Moving soil stacks can be very expensive and will require Building Regulation Approval. If moving an obstruction is not feasible, then it may be necessary to cater for the obstruction when designing the conservatory. Balanced flues are a particular problem and it is extremely important not to build too close to these as it may effect their efficiency and the safety of the householder. Advice should be sought from a Registered Gas Installer or British Gas.
OBSTRUCTIONS (FOR THE BASE).
Obstructions to the basework are, more often than not, hidden from sight. The obvious obstructions that need to be considered are gullies and manholes. It is not always possible to move an existing manhole due to its depth and run of the drainage system. The solution to this is to raise the manhole to the height of the conservatory floor and fit a sealed (airtight) manhole cover which is suitable for internal use. These can be obtained with a tray top which will accept tiles or carpet to disguise the cover but still maintain access if required.
Try to work out the position of underground drainage pipes by following the run from the soil stack and other waste pipes to any manholes which are visable. If necessary lift the manhole cover to check the depth and direction of drains. Flushing a coloured drain dye may help if there is any doubt about this. Be awarw that manholes are sometimes covered by the DIY or 'cowboy' patio builder. If an existing drain runs under the proposed conservatory it will have to ne encased in concrete and possibly a lintel constructed over the drain in the position of the drawf wall.
EXISTING FEATURES.
Again, make a note of any existing structures that may have to be removed and/or repositioned. Check the projection of the conservatory. Will existing flower beds or ornamental garden walls be effected? The customer may wish to re-plant prized blooms before building work begins.
WILL IT FIT?
Once all the obstructions and possible problems have been identified this is the best time to involve the customer. Discuss your findings with the customer and always plot out the proposed conservatory with the customer present. If necessary, use stones or pegs to illustrate the size and shape of the conservatory. Always make sure that when discussing dimensions with the customer, you qualify the differences between the external base size and the internal floor area. This is one of the most common misunderstanding that occurs. Be aware of any height restrictions such as low bungalow eaves, first floor windows and one that is often overlooked, the overflow pipe from the cistern. The difference between the house floor level and external ground level should be measured. Check also the position of the house damp course. If the conservatory floor is to be level with the house floor and this is more than 150mm above the external ground level, then steps will be required.
CONSERVATORY SITE AND SLOPING LAND.
Sloping sites can produce several possible problems. For instance, if the ground level is much lower than the proposed conservatory floor level, then it may not be feasible to install a solid floor in the conservatory due to the infill required. If a suspended floor is required this will add to the cost of the basework. Depending on which way the site is sloping, it could require additional height to the conservatory base wall. Alternatively, it may require part of the site to be excavated and a retaining wall built before the conservatory will fit.
It can be seen that there are many factors to be considered and time should be taken for each of these. In order to assist the survey on site, talk to us here at Bristol Trade Frames as we can supply you with a booklet which contains a "site survey checklist" which covers all aspects discussed in this section.
