Explaining the increasing popularity of conservatories

With conservatory companies reporting record sales this week, its apparent that conservatories are coming back in the trend this year as home-owners look to invest in a conservatory and experience the warm glow of the sun, in the unique way a conservatory provides.


Why the increase in popularity?

Conservatories have always been a versatile living space, especially for families. Being able to act as breakfast/dining rooms, family dens, studies, its extremely convenient for those who need the extra room. Becoming a more and more credible smart investment for home-owners, a conservatory is definitely attracting the majority of home-owners and would explain the rise in sales recently.


How?

Because of this rise in popularity it would suggest that potential property buyers will be looking for houses with a conservatory. Having one can on average increase the value of your home by £9,420! For people looking to sell this would be an almost crucial accessory to have, as it would generate more interest in your property and increase it's value.

Another honourable mention is the obvious excellent placement a conservatory is to have solar panels. Solar power is hugely popular, with earnings and savings up to £750 a year with solar power after the 1st of April. It would seem that coupled with the energy efficiency a conservatory already provides, solar panels would make a tiled-roof conservatory a smart investment for any home-owner as it is the perfect place to have them installed.

All reasons considered, it is certainly undeniable a conservatory would be beneficial for any home-owner, being versatile, attractive and a smart investment. The conservatory is a definite buy.

Find instant online prices for conservatories here.

Recent poll results revealed + New poll goes live

Our most recent poll asked "What will be your number one home improvement this year?"

50% were concerned with creating more space - perhaps through an extension or loft conversion/garage conversion.

25% were considering remodeling and the remaining 25% were thinking of new fixtures and fittings.

Our new poll asks "Awnings or Conservatory blinds - which could you use most this Summer?"

Take a second to select our answer - we don't ask for any email address or contact details to take part but you could help other home owners decide which is the most useful option.

Photo Feature - The Perfect Conservatory

Photo Feature - The Perfect Conservatory
Conservatories are the perfect way to get that all important extra space without the hassle of moving home. Conservatories are available in every shape and colour you could want and can be beautifully added to any home – be it a modest semi-detached or a Victorian mansion.

To get an instant online quote for a conservatory, click here. It only takes a few minutes and you can choose from a variety of styles all online.

To get an instant online quote for conservatory blinds, click here. It only takes a few minutes and you can choose from a variety of different blinds styles all online.

You don’t have to own a big house to add a conservatory. Even small conservatories mean that bit of extra space that provides the kids with a great playroom or yourself with a relaxing breakfast room.

Just because your conservatory may have been an afterthought doesn’t mean it should look like one. Ask for the external features to blend in with the brickwork and window frames. Adding big double doors will also allow the feeling of the garden to run through into your home.

Many people who live in an old Georgian-style house may worry that adding a brand new conservatory will ruin the look of their grand home. Yet manufacturers of tailor-made conservatories can use bricks and designs that are in-keeping with the Georgian theme – and provide a very attractive garden feature that looks like it was built along with the house.

If you have the space for a big conservatory, try using it as a dining room. Come summer or winter, it’ll provide the perfect setting for a dinner party for family and friends – whether it’s a warm summer’s evening or a chilly night under the stars, just don’t forget to think about heating!

A double glazed conservatory can add extra value to your house, and can be a cost effective way to provide you with a new, fully-insulated room that’s perfect for all seasons.

The construction process on a double glazed conservatory is actually a quick and painless process – the design team will work with you to come up with exactly the product you require, and the construction team will install pre-prepared window panes in only a few days.

To get an instant online quote for a conservatory, click here. It only takes a few minutes and you can choose from a variety of styles all online.

To get an instant online quote for conservatory blinds, click here. It only takes a few minutes and you can choose from a variety of different blinds styles all online.

Choosing the right conservatory blinds

Choosing the right conservatory blinds - taken from the last Customer Newsletter.

A conservatory is an excellent addition to your home – whether as a dining room, playroom, or simply as a place to relax and look out onto the garden after a hard day, the extra space is always welcome. According to a recent survey by online bank, Egg, a conservatory adds an average of £11,000 to the value of your property – so it is also a worthwhile investment.

However, the reality of using a conservatory all year round is sometimes very different. Conservatories usually suffer from extremes in temperature – the trademark large windows means it is very cold in winter and very hot in summer. Excess sunlight can also make the glare uncomfortable if you’re sitting in the room, and can fade your furniture.

Conservatory blinds can be the solution to all of these problems – they stop the glare from the sun and can be installed in thermal fabrics, which keep the heat out in the summer and trap it inside in the winter. There is a vast array of blinds on offer, all with different fabrics and mechanisms. Here are five easy steps to picking the right ones for your conservatory:

Click here to get an instant online Conservatory Blinds Quote

1 – Choose a style
There are many different types of blinds on offer, to suit any style and structure of conservatory, and most can be adapted to fit both roofs and windows. The most popular blind for conservatories is the pleated variety, which is slim-fit to the glass. These blinds are made-to-measure to fit any window size or shape, which means every window and door can have an individual opening blind. Pleated blinds also retract thinner than any other blind, creating the neatest installation. Pleated blinds can cost anywhere between £595 and £3500, depending on the size and shape of your conservatory. Roller blinds are the simplest operating blinds on offer and are excellent value for money, starting at as little as £400 for the entire room. Venetian and vertical blinds are excellent at eliminating glare, while still allowing light into the room, but are not ideal for conservatories, as they are not easily fitted over opening windows and doors. They are easily damaged by winds and by people using the doors.

2 – Choose a material
Different materials offer different benefits when choosing your conservatory blinds. Most are available in hundreds of colours and designs to match the décor of your home, but some fabrics and materials have special functions, depending on the problems you face in your conservatory. Blackout Energy Saver and Opaque Reflections blinds both reflect sunlight, keeping your conservatory cool during the summer months. Prices start at £595 when used in a pleated blind. If you have problems keeping your conservatory warm in winter, Duette blinds provide a twin-layer of material, which creates a honeycomb effect – the two layers trap air and act as an excellent insulator. A very popular choice in material for conservatory blinds is wood, which looks modern and fresh, but also provides excellent sound-proofing and thermal insulation. Wood blinds are more expensive, starting at around £1200, but they are an investment, as you can re-decorate without having to replace the blinds.

3 – Choose a mechanism
The final thing you need to decide on is how you would like your blinds to operate. You may not think this is a big issue, but the mechanism of your blinds could affect your whole choice. For example, if you would like pleated blinds fitted closely to the glass, you may not be able to fit a side pull-cord operation to the window as well. Pull-cord blinds require a mechanism at the side of the blinds to attach the cord to – so you need to consider whether you have that space. If you don’t, you may want to consider a tensioned blind, which has a handle mechanism attached to the actual window frame. You move the handle to operate the blind and the cord mechanism is all held inside it – wherever you stop the handle, the blind will hang there. If you don’t want any handles or mechanisms visible on either the blind or the window, then automatically operated blinds may be for you. These can be controlled either by a wall-mounted panel or by remote-control, and work on a specially designed, quiet motor. They can also be set to a timer, so that your blinds will be open when you come downstairs in the morning and will close at night, without you having to lift a finger!

4 – Measure up!
Most blind companies will offer a measuring service at an extra charge, but you can usually measure the room yourself, using guidelines provided by the blind company, either in the literature or on the website. Most will give a quotation for blinds based on measurements you provide – for roof blinds this involves measuring the entire width and length of your conservatory. You need to measure the widest width and the longest length – measure inside the conservatory along the floor as this will give the most accurate dimensions. For window blinds, you can also measure the room yourself – just measure the total length of all the sides of the conservatory you require blinds for. Most blind companies will only quote for entire sides of the conservatory and not for just a selection of the windows. Quotes based on your own measurements are valid for 30 days.

5 – The finishing touches
Once you have made your decisions and received at least three quotes to compare prices, you are ready to choose a blind company! They will handle everything from ordering and making to installing your blinds. Blind installation is very quick and, depending on the style of blinds you have ordered, you may even qualify for “perfect-fit” blinds, which are fixed onto pre-measured brackets that just pop into place in minutes! These brackets will usually only fit windows which don’t have large handles obstructing the path of the blind, but extensions are available for small handles which only cause a slight obstruction.

Once your blinds are installed, all that’s left for you to do is sit back and enjoy your new conservatory!

Visit www.blindsquoter.co.uk for more information and an instant online conservatory blinds quote.

Visit www.windowquoter.co.uk for an instant online conservatory quote.

Patio Awnings and conservatory blinds – not just for summer

Patio Awnings and conservatory blinds – not just for summer.

If you thought Patio Awnings were just for summer, then think again.

The latest designs come with optional extras like lighting and heaters so you can still enjoy your patio or garden long after the sun has gone down and the night chills.

And you won't have to rely on fine weather for your next garden party as an awning makes running for cover from rain and showers a thing of the past.

Todays patio awnings are available in a range of designs and most now come with remote operation as standard so you can retract or extend your awning from the comfort of your own chair. When you choose a powered awning, you can also specify wind and sun sensors so that should you accidently leave your awning extended and it becomes windy, the awning is automatically retracted to avoid damage.

The same is true for the sun sensors. Forget to extend you awning and a sun sensor will automatically extend your awning to protect interior furnishings from fading as well as offering shade to outside planters – very useful if you're on holiday.

You can now get instant online quotes for your patio awnings. They're completely free of charge too. You just type in the dimensions of the awning you'd like, add other options like heating and lighting etc and you'll get an expectation of the cost there and then. Quotes include fitting and installation.

To get your instant online quote for a patio awning, go to www.awningquoter.co.uk.

Earlier I mentioned conservatory blinds. Again, these are often thought of as a summer accessory however, well fitted blinds can prove a bonus in the winter too.

As the evenings draw in, the sunlight comes into homes at a much lower angle. You'll have noticed that driving home in the evenings can be quite a trial with the sun low and in your face.

Blinds can cut down on the glare of evening sunlight, making your conservatory a much more pleasant place to be.

Also, depending on the type of finish used, certain blinds have thermal properties that can reduce heat loss and reflect it back into the conservatory. Reducing your heating bills and again, making your expensive conservatory a much more used part of the house.
This is especially true if you intend to use your conservatory a lot in the evenings. Perhaps you use it as a home office? Whatever you use it for, the right blinds will make a difference.

As with Patio Awnings (above), you can actually get an instant online quote for your conservatory blinds. Just type in the dimensions of your conservatory, the style of blind you'd prefer, and you'll get an instant online price there and then.

Just go to www.blindsquoterexpress.co.uk and try it now.

If you enjoyed the ability to get an instant online quote without a pushy salesman having to call, then you may be interested to know that we can also offer instant online quotes on: double glazing, conservatories, fitted kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms, driveways, roofs, garage doors, even car turntables for your driveway.

Use the links at the side or visit www.homeimprovementquotes.co.uk for a complete round up of the online quote services we offer.

Blinds Quoter now covers Eire (Ireland)

Just a quick update to let you all know that our already popular Blinds Express Quoter service - providing instant online quotes for conservatory blinds - has now been extended to cover Eire (Ireland).

You can get an instant online quote for your conservatory blind requirements, using your own measurements before receiving an instant price for three different blinds options - roller, pleated or reflective.

It doesn't matter whether you already have a conservatory or you're planning on having one built, the online quote mechanism will still give you an instant conservatory blinds price.

Why not visit Blinds Quoter Express now, and see how much you can save when you get an instant online quote?

Blinds Quoter Express - part of the 'quoter family of websites.