I intend to build a uPVC conservatory onto the back of the rear living room of our semi. It needs planning permission because it is 4m deep.
One side wall of the conservatory will be adjacant to the 7' high party-wall wall that runs the length of the garden, so it won't get any sun and if I use a standard uPVC panel it will lose a lot of heat. If I build a cavity brick/block wall instead, it'll solve the insulation problem and satisfy Planning , but it would make the conservatory considerably narrower.
Is there a thin walling material, maybe 3" thick, that has high insulation properties, and that might satisfy planning, that I could use instead?
Probably the easiest thing to knock up would be 6x4 timber on a twin brick foundation.., with ply outside, and the building paper, battens, metal lath and render. Or use weatherboard over. Then infill with rockwool or kingspan and plasterboard over.
That sounds areasonable way to do it. No not structural. It won't be accessable at all from the outside once it's up so I'll have to make sure it is weatherproof. Maybe I can use some kind of pvc sheet instead of ply.
Tony
PS sorry for posting the same question 3 times. I thought it wasn't working
Will you miss 5 odd inches off 4m? I'd reconsider the cavity wall - fill cavity with as much insulation as you can get in (measured thermally rather than volume i.e. use Kingspan etc). That will leave you with the inner skin acting as thermal mass that will absorb heat during warm hours and release it later - so extending the use of the space & maybe helping some tender plants surivive/last a bit longer in these cold dark days... cheers Jim
Losing 5 inches wouldn't be terrible, but I think it is better if I can avoid it. It might be more than 5 inches if planning require some distance between the new cavity wall and the garden party wall. I'll have to talk with them. I've never applied for planning permission before and am not sure how it works. Presumably I submit my preferred design, and if they say no, they'll give me the opportunity to modify it until it suits them.
If I didn't need planning permission, I'd make use of the existing non-waterproof 8" thick concrete block garden wall as the outer skin, put up a horizontal DP membrane of blue visquine, then Kingspan, then an inner skin of block (& brick where it's visible), then finish with plasterboard. The garden wall is made of interlocking 8x8x9 blocks, like Lego. They aren't cemented together. Perhaps I should apply for exactly that and see where it gets me. I'll phone up and have a word with Planning doday.
If they are what I think they are they are for building retaining walls and should be filled with steel rods and concrete after they are in place. How tall is the wall?
Hi (the "5 inches" was what I figured you might "lose" over and above the single thin skin mentioned in other posts)
What area would the conservatory cover ? ISTR planning not necessarily needed (in any case I doubt they will want to talk abt technical building issues - try your councils Building Control). ISTR if it's less than 30m2 (?) Building Regs don't apply either - so if you're within the limits you can legally build it how you want - IOW on your head be it (though hopefully not!!) [sorry couldn't resist!]
Dennis, Here is a pic of the blocks. The wall is 7' high. The blocks are 8 x 8 x 9. One side is vertical, the other is tapered. The top course of blocks comprises bell shaped copings
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did check with planning.The planning requirements changed at the beginning of october. We're allowed to take it outwards by 3 m without planning permission, but we want to take it out 4 metres so do need consent. The total floor area is 12m. I think you have a point though about the whole thing falling in on my head - if I don't get the join with the garden wall right, that could be a source of endless damp problems!! :-/
Here's a mockup of roughly what the conservatory will be like, but without that silly peak on the roof.
roof.http://lh3.ggpht.com/tonyjeffs2/SL_uNyNEmpI/AAAAAAAAAPA/I7sHDuErSng/s...>> Tony
Hi tony
Ah OK so Planning is required but I doubt they will be that interested in the construction details as that is Building Control - who (at least when I did mine last year) are not legally allowed to be interested unless structure more than 30m2 as long as mainly transparent etc (& other easily met conditions).
Pic looks interesting - is said wall to the right? does it slope away from your side to "hold" next doors yard/extension up? Who built it? is it on your land? - have the neighbours built on top of it/used it as support for extension? did they have permission? any paperwork/ deeds for it?
I spose at end of day if you can't take that possibly retaining(?) wall out and rebuild it *solidly* in a vertical fashion to all's satisfaction, you will have to just make the best of it, leave it alone and build right up against it? To me it seems unlikey you'd gain much space even if you did rebuild it - as you could bet your neighbours would involve Bldg Ctrl who would be interested and they'd probly make you build a replacement as thick if not thicker!!
Jim Sorry for rudeness in not replying - I drafted reply and lost it in the ether, got sidetracked, and forgot....
That sounds ok. Is that 30m3 volume, or 30m2 floor area?
Yes
does it slope away
No - It's perpendicular to the houe wall, built some 70 years ago, supporting nothing.
No -none of the above.
Yes - it's 8" thick, so only 4" is on our land.
The big problem is, I think that the sloping roof is quite high - It needs to be to look right, to have the same slope as the adjacant kitchen roof. It will seriously loom down on next door's patio area, and if I was them I certainly wouldn't like it, so I won't blame them if they object. There isn't really a good way of lowering it. I could put a slope towards one side, so looking down on it, it'd be a rectangle with a diagonal line '' from the top middle to the bottom corner, but that wouldn't help much.
Anyway I'll put in the plans and take it from there. I have other jobs on the go, so don't expect to start until January, and even then only if the weather is nice!
I might also look into the possibility of wood which would allow more flexibility in shapes and sizes and changes on the fly.
Thanks for the tips, and especially the clarification on the role of Building Control.
floor area (there were/are other conditions but nothing that would bother most conservatories - check this group or google for the full sp.
So if they are reasonable people I would be tempted to talk to the neighbours and "sell" the idea of your nice new conservatory wall replacing the "ugly" "unsafe" existing garden wall with rendered block ? that they could paint to whatever colour they want on their side and make a nice corner area up against your conserv.....
You could also broach the topic of the roof line etc and see what they say - which way does the sun shine round there? that would be my only concern if i lived next door and your conserv made my patch "much" darker - then again I like to think I'm a reasonable guy!!
If they aren;t reasonable - you could research with council over phone answers to hypothetical questions along the lines of "I want to build a conservatory in my back garden - on what grounds could the neighbours stop me?" etc or as you suggest bung aplanning app in and let em try and stop you once and for all.
The planning app will tell you who is legally interested in what you want and also what the rest of the neighbours think (or actually object - you can read who said what at the council planning office later ;>)) about your ideas.
Well wood allows more detailed fancy finishes (think on the inside) but does need care -mine is wood but with aluminium capping bars over the rafters so *should* only need the external sides looking after!
A conservatory or any other extension may not need planning permission. See
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for the new rules that started a couple of weeks ago.
It will have to meet building regulations and may need specific approval and inspection. Just because a building doesn't need approval for building regulations does not mean that the regulations do not apply!
The planning portal above give building regulations guidance as well and I think you may well need it as it effects the heat management of the building. As it happens so does fitting draught excluders and I can't see them wanting approval for that even though it appear to not exclude them in the part L regulations.
with conservatories - which is what the OP is interested in...and says:-
"Building Regulations
Building regulations will generally apply if you want to build an extension to your home. However, conservatories are normally exempt when they meet a number of conditions."
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"Conservatories are normally exempt from building regulations when:
They are built at ground level and are less than 30 square metres in floor area 2. At least half of the new wall and three quarters of the roof is either glazed or translucent material 3. The conservatory is separated from the house by external quality door(s). 4. Glazing and any fixed electrical installations comply with the applicable building regulations requirements (see below).
You are advised not to construct conservatories where they will restrict ladder access to windows serving rooms in roof or loft conversions, particularly if any of the windows are intended to help escape or rescue if there is a fire.
Any new structural opening between the conservatory and the existing house will require building regulations approval, even if the conservatory itself is an exempt structure."
So, specifically, which Building Regulations do you suggest the OP follows - for his conservatory that *doesn't* come under the Building Regulations, to ensure it's "safe" ??
Anything other than common sense? I think not - otherwise conservs would surely come under the regs in first place?!
If the OP wants to check details out then he can ask whoever he wants
- builders, on UKDIY, even the BCO if he's interested.
Seems like it's one of the last freedoms/responsibilities left in this country - enjoy it while you can Tony!!
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