Aesthetics
Unlike a conservatory, a glass room aims to create a smooth transition to the outside with full glazing, providing unobstructed views. Where conservatories have disturbing frames, a glass room is made of frameless glass panels, giving it a cleaner look with more light and visibility. Depending on the chosen design, some glass rooms have multi-utility folding partitions that open completely, transforming the room into an open air patio area.
Planning Constraints
A conservatory is an extension of the house, meaning it requires a building permit and must comply with statutory regulations regarding airtightness and insulation to ensure it complies with energy efficiency values. A glass room is an extension of your garden. It is uninsulated and, depending on your outdoor surface, can often be fixed straight onto the existing patio. This means that there is usually no building permit required and energy efficiency regulations do not apply.
Cost
Glass rooms are generally more expensive than a conservatory to construct. However the quality and durability of the aluminium construction versus uPVC conservatories quite clearly accounts for the higher price.
Flexibility
When building your glass room, you may decide to start by installing a glass veranda first, adding side glaring aspects at a later date. Because of the modular design of glass rooms, parts can be fitted together and extended like a jigsaw puzzle, allowing you to adapt your glass room as you please. Creating your room in stages can also make it more affordable by spreading the cost over a series of installations. By contrast, a conservatory must be built in one go and cannot be easily extended.
Workmanship
Glass rooms are measured to the millimetre onsite before the panels are cut with laser precision. This means installation is quick and efficient with fewer errors. Issues commonly faced by conservatory builds, such as tightness gaps and condensed water, are not common issues with glass room installations.
Use
A glass room is an extension of the garden rather than an extension of your house, meaning it’s designed to allow you to use your garden and outdoor living space for a much longer period of the year. This can be extended further by installing infrared heaters. As a conservatory is fully insulated with a solid floor they are heatable and so can be used all year round.
If you would like to find out more about glass rooms and glass verandas, please contact us for more information.