Having a new conservatory built is an exciting project and once completed, it will add a whole new level of space and comfort to your home.
A conservatory will also add value to your property and can be a great selling point for any home.
Once you've decided on a conservatory there are a few important things you need to be aware of before giving the go-ahead to start laying down the foundations.
Building on top of clay soil for instance has to meet certain safety criteria and putting up a conservatory close to shrubs or trees can mean higher costs because of the need for deeper foundations.
Another key consideration is whether there are drains or sewer inspection covers on or close to the proposed site of the conservatory.
Most houses built since 1939 will have their own, private sewer system as opposed to being linked in to the one which the Water Authority owns and manages, but you need to check this before any work starts.
You are legally obliged to get approval from your water authority, before you start building, if the conservatory is within three meters of any public sewer.
If you have to build the conservatory above an inspection cover, you are required to replace the existing one with a sealed cover so that no gases or odour can escape into the conservatory.
In any case, if you can't avoid building the conservatory above pipes or drains of any kind then it is essential that you make sure you include a hatch or trapdoor under the conservatory to allow for access to any pipes below.
A hatch or trapdoor can save you lots of inconvenience and hundreds, if not thousands of pounds in costs, if you have to rip up the floor or saw a hole in your new conservatory to gain access to a blocked pipe or drain underneath.
It seems simple enough but it's a key detail you should include when planning a conservatory.
Unfortunately, more than a few people have found to their cost that putting up a conservatory above pipes or drains without installing a trapdoor can become a bit of a nightmare, especially when faced with the problem of a blocked toilet and without any access to the pipe.
Therefore be sure to raise this point with your conservatory company when planning where to build and ensure that, if necessary, the correct measures are taken to avoid these kinds of problems in the future.