Glass House Extension, Solarlux Wintergarden, Wokingham

Location: Wokingham

This beautiful detached Wokingham property has been given a new lease of life thanks to a complete home renovation and glass house extension project.

Having lived in the property for a few years, the Wokingham homeowners wanted to modernise their family home.

We had previously installed a selection of bespoke double-glazed windows and doors throughout the Wokingham property.

After visiting our Bracknell showroom to view our range of windows and doors, the homeowners were inspired by the Solarlux Wintergarden on display. They were keen to add a similar glass extension as part of their home renovation project.

They decided as part of their home renovation project. They wanted to extend the dining room at the rear of the property. After seeing the Wintergarden, their vision and ideas changed, and they were both keen on an energy-efficient contemporary glass house extension.

With many years in the glazing industry, our architectural designer Michael has the knowledge and creative visual experience to design and construct a bespoke Solarlux Wintergarden with the most exemplary attention to detail to transform the way you live.

Michael contacted the Wokingham homeowners and listened to what they wanted to achieve from their new glass house extension so he could incorporate their requirements into the design, building plans and specification.

Michael worked alongside a Solarlux project manager, who visited the Wokingham property to survey to provide technical plans for the Wintergarden project. The Wokingham homeowners were happy with the overall design. They opted for a stunning SDL Avantgarde Wintergarden, and Michael submitted a planning application to Wokingham Borough Council for a single-storey rear extension.

The entire glass house extension project was coordinated by Michael, who organised and arranged the build and window and door installation schedule with his team of local builders, electricians, plumbers and Thames Valley Windows fitters.

As soon as the planning permission had been approved, Michael applied for building regulations and prepared the site to order skips, digger and access equipment.

The groundwork for the base is an essential part of the new extension. As soon as the builders arrived at the Wokingham property to dig the foundations for the base, Michael arranged for a date for the building control office to visit the property and inspect the work.

Once this had been approved, the builders could lay the relevant drainage, pipework and reinforcements before a second visit from the building inspector for approval to apply the damp proof level and pour the concrete.

The next stage of the glass house extension project was to remove the old bay window, move outside lights and extractors in preparation for the build, and ensure that the property was left secured.

Our installation team arrived at the Wokingham property on a Spring morning in April. They worked professionally and quickly so that the new bi-folding doors, fixed glass panels, and SDL Akzent Plus roof was installed and watertight in five working days. Thanks to the conscientious work and dedication of the installation team, the glass house extension with panoramic views of the garden were already looking fantastic when all the trades returned to complete the interior work of electrics and plastering.

The Wokingham homeowners chose an agate grey DB7038 powder coated finish for the interior and exterior aluminium Eco line bi-folding doors, fixed frames, and SDL Avantgarde roof.

Throughout the Wintergarden Pilkington toughened low ‘e’ glass has been installed. The glass roof benefits from solar control heat-reflective and glare reduction coating.

During the summer months, this can reflect up to 65% of the suns heat and reduce the glare by 63%

The homeowners also chose an activ neutral self-cleaning coating to ensure the glass roof stays pristine at all times. This will allow maximum natural light and greater transparency to create a light and bright interior that naturally warm the area, making it more energy-efficient.

Motorised roof awning provides additional shading, and the low voltage downlights in the rafters create a homely ambience in the evenings.

The agate grey Ecoline bifold doors have an innovative thermally broken aluminium profile of 99mm and offer an overall u-value of 1.4 W/m²K.

The narrower frames of the floor to ceiling door system offer frameless aesthetics and provide the glasshouse extension with a minimalist and seamless appearance. When open, the doors stack externally, and a flush floor track creates a seamless, barrier-free opening onto the small decked area with a step down to the garden.

The bifold doors have a multi-point lock; with a high-quality stainless steel lever handle on the outside, and a flat interim stainless steel handle provides a sleek finish on the inside,

Our bespoke Solarlux Wintergarden is a premier option for a glazed extension. They are versatile and especially suited for open plan kitchen/dining room. They are suitable for most properties, from listed buildings, traditional Victorian cottages to modern new builds. A popular choice compared to modern conservatories for small glass garden rooms with the option of sliding doors or bifold glass doors.

Here’s what our Wokingham homeowners had to say about their experience Thames Valley Windows:
‘We previously used Thames Valley Windows for our double glazing. Their showroom is beautiful and very inspirational. Our dining room is now spacious, bright, open and airy, with lovely garden views. The Solarlux Wintergarden is of very high quality, and we love the underfloor heating in the extended section. We are delighted with the end result.’

The contemporary glass house extension sits beautifully against the brickwork and white double glazed windows and creates a new living space to enjoy all year round.

It is a thermally efficient and secure glass extension with outstanding high-quality finishes that offers uninterrupted visual flow from the house to the garden. It adds a contemporary, minimalist feel to their home whilst harmonising the interior with the natural surroundings to create a tranquil feel.

Products used:

• Solarlux Wintergardens
• Solarlux Ecoline Bi-Fold Doors

You may also be interested in ready our blog, ‘What Makes Solarlux Bi-Folds Different?‘ or ‘Do I Need Planning Permission to Build a Glazed Structure?‘

Suppliers:

Architectural Designer: Michael East

Architect: Michael East Architectural Design

Our ref: 28068