Changing conservatory to garden room

[gilli]

Hello, As our conservatory is either too hot or too cold most of the time, I have decided to make a stab at an insulated false ceiling following the contours of the two pitch polycarbonate roof attaching insulation then hollow plastic cladding as a ceiling.

I plan to attach 18mm mdf strips to the bottom face of the self supporting aluminum glazing bars by making "U" shaped brackets screwed into the sides of the bars with self-tapping screws.Am thinking of making the brackets out of better quality cut-down white "square" guttering or similar. The "U" required would be approx.35mm/65mm/35mm Would like to be able to buy the brackets. but a strange size. The cladding would then be screwed to the MDF. I would insulate between the cladding and the existing polycarbonate with 35mm Kingspan as I go along,removing the outer side foil so it would look white from outside although the house is not overlooked.

I might then also add some cosmetic oak "beams" at a couple of points to cover joins in the cladding(the claddingis mainly white wide plank effect with a very faint wood grain )

Although the added weight should be well within the capacity of the bars, I might also, for some added support and to compliment the beams, add a horizontal beam from the top of the outside wall of the conservatory to the stone wall of the house.

From that a vertical support to one of the "roof beams" would help weight distribution and enhance the effect of the beams.

The house is an old cottage which has had most of the character removed over the years. I should then be able to use the fitted radiators during some of the spring and autumn days.

I would be pleased to share any sources or discuss if anyone else wants to think about a similar project. Had I bought the solar inserts for the polycarbonate cavities it would have cost more than =A3300 for the diy kit alone.

Any constructive comments or questions would be appreciated, particularly those which remind me of possible problems which have so far escaped my attention. Thank you for your thoughts and expertise. David Gilliland

[Owain]

This will require building regulations approval for converting the conservatory into a habitable room. You would fail to meet the exemptions for conservatories and would have to meet FULL current regulations from foundations to wind and snow loading on the roof and fire performance inside. You'll probably need a structural engineer's calculations to prove the conservatory metalwork is capable of meeting these requirements.

It will probably also require planning permission, and if it's an old cottage then listed building or conservation area permissions may also be required.

It'll also probably look indescribably naff.

Owain

[Donwill]

Thank you for your thoughts and expertise. David Gilliland

I take it you don't have any vents in the roof?

I understood that greenhouses and therefore it follows that conservatories require vents in the roof to be 25% of the floor area.

Don