Season of the Conservatory

The summer of 2019 brings the perfect storm of variables which may make it one of the most productive and profitable summers for installers and fabricators of PVCu conservatories, orangeries and extensions.

We’ve been fortunate enough to have some of the warmest summers on record recently, with temperatures hotter than the Costa del Sol and Ibiza – and with 52% of all summer holidays taking place as ‘stay-cations’ here in the UK, it’s no wonder there’s been a surge in back garden renovations and glazed extensions.

Whether it’s the unsettled global political climate and Brexit’s impact on the economy or the rise in the cost of travelling abroad for a holiday, families are transforming their back gardens into a holiday oasis they can use year round. Television programmes like Garden Rescue have shown what can be done with minimal space in a back garden – and now that the temporary planning 2013 rule which gave homeowners the ability to build extensions up to a specific size without planning permission has been made permanent, I’m sure we’ll see more taking advantage. With the addition of inflatable hot tubs, gazebos and low maintenance decking, bi-folding doors opening into a conservatory could be just what families are looking for, for their very own ‘stay-cation’.

The new permanent rules give most homeowners with semi-detached or terraced houses the ability to build single-storey extensions up to 6 metres from the rear wall of their property, and detached houses up to 8 metres long (restrictions apply in special circumstances) without the need for a time consuming and expensive planning permission application.

For growing families, this is great news. The UK housing market lacks affordable housing, and now instead of trying to move to a more spacious property, homeowners can easily add an extension, giving their growing family the room it needs. Since the initial start of this initiative in 2013, 100,000 homeowners have already taken advantage of the relaxed rules – so it’s safe to say this trend will continue.

For fabricators and installers this is the ideal opportunity to upsell new windows with a conservatory, and even a PVCu or composite deck – keeping disruption to homeowners down to a minimum and offering them the ability to match their windows and conservatory with foiled profile.

If the customer already has a flat roof extension, a glazed lantern roof is perfect for letting in some of that stunning summer sun. Liniar’s Elevate lantern roof is available in a traditional rectangle and also in a square version and takes as little as 30 minutes to install. In as little as the same time as a lunch break, the customer can have a beautiful lantern roof over their orangery, kitchen or extension.

For further details about the planning permission rules on conservatories, orangeries and extensions, visit https://interactive.planningportal.co.uk/detached-house/outside/conservatories/planning-permission.

To learn more about Liniar’s Elevate lantern roof visit www.liniar.co.uk/elevate/ and see the decking range at https://www.liniar.co.uk/decking/- or contact the sales team on 01332 883900.