Polycarbonate Roof Conservatory replaced with Modern Glass Room Extension, Lightwater.

Location: Lightwater, Surrey

We recently replaced a polycarbonate roof conservatory with a spectacular glass room extension at a beautiful detached property in one of the most sought cul-de-sacs within Lightwater.

Having lived in the family home for many years, the Lightwater homeowners wanted to update their house for modern living, comfort, and enjoyment by replacing the old conservatory with an energy-efficient Orangery they could use all year with seamless access from the Living room into the garden.

The old conservatory offered poor aesthetics and thermal performance. Polycarbonate is an outdated and underperforming synthetic material that only lasts a few years before it is susceptible to weather damage.

They rarely used the conservatory as intended, as it was far too hot in summer and cold in winter.

After being advised by a local Conservatory/Orangery company that they could not provide a quote primarily due to the breadth of the extension requirement.

The Lightwater homeowners then found Thames Valley Windows via multiple recommendations on Facebook.

Our architectural designer Michael contacted the homeowners and listened attentively to their design aspirations and requirements.

Michael spent time discussing their ideas and exploring different options, and with a few adjustments and tweaks to the layout, he came up with a design solution that had the right aesthetic for their glass room extension.

After a couple of visits to our Bracknell showroom to view the different products.

Our clients decided on a six-panel Solarlax Ecoline bifold door system for the glass room extension to create a smooth connection to the garden. They also chose a couple of large fixed aluminium windows. For the colour, they opted for an elegant anthracite grey finish for the exterior and interior.

For the flat roof, they selected a bespoke glass roof lantern from Atlas finished with matching RAL7016 on the exterior and white on the inside to allow natural light to pour into the living space.

The double-glazed roof lantern glass panels incorporate low e soft coating and Pilkington Active Neutral glass, reducing heat and glare build-up in the summer months.

Working closely with the Lightwater homeowner, Michael produced the planning drawings. Michael’s expertise in building regulations was invaluable in obtaining planning permission from the local council.

Michael coordinated the entire project, which has been completed with exceptionally high-quality energy-efficient glazing products and designed with the finest attention to detail.

The end result is spectacular. The glass room extension has been decorated to a very high standard with matching floor tiles for the interior and patio.

The dark Anthracite grey aluminium profiles of the bi-folding doors and windows are aesthetically pleasing, contrast perfectly with a neutral interior décor palette without being too harsh, and enhance the tremendous natural light.

The family now have a beautiful light-filled living space where they can relax and entertain with views of the garden to be enjoyed no matter the weather all year round.

The Lightwater Homeowners are delighted with their Glass Room Extension and advised:

We had an old conservatory that was only habitable for approximately two weeks of the year and wanted to replace this with an Orangery and a new patio outside.

After a few visits, Michael promptly contacted us and designed a solution that met our requirements and some aspects we still needed to consider.

This process was helped by visits to the showroom in Bracknell to see what it would look like and choose between options.

We also extended the scope of the works to include the replacement of old Bifold doors, all the windows and ageing soffits/guttering, all to lower maintenance in the future.

Michael was our single point of contact throughout the engagement, including submitting Planning permission with the local council and continuous delivery throughout the project.

All the various parties delivering the services were professional and timely and tried to limit the inevitable disruption as much as possible.

We are now enjoying our ‘new house’, linked more seamlessly with the garden.

Look at the ‘before’ picture in our gallery above for the transformation.

Suppose you are interested in a free, no-obligation quote bespoke glass room extension or a frameless glass box extension. In that case, our architectural designers are always happy to help you turn your dreams into a reality.

Products used:

• Orangeries
• Solarlux Bi-Fold Doors
• Roof Lanterns

Suppliers:

Architectural Designer: Michael East

Architect: Michael East Architectural Design

You may also be interested in reading our blog article ‘What is The Difference between a Conservatory and an Orangery.’

Our ref: 32224/25/26/27