Site Survey Guide for your DIY PVCu Conservatory
This guide will, hopefully, assist you if wish to make your own site survey – perhaps prior to having a designer or sales representative visit your home.
It will also assist those of us who prefer a DIY approach and will serve as a useful “aide-memoire” when ordering from your supplier.
Before we get started… a few quick tips.
“Our first tip is unique to UK visitors (North American Visitors – this does not apply)”
- Try and get used to measuring in millimetres (mm). There are 1000 mm in a metre. There are 25.4 mm in an inch. If you are at all uncertain about measuring in mm then give your measurements in both mm and inches.
- Invest in a good quality (large blade) tape measure.
- Never assume your house wall is plumb. Using a line and weight, check your wall for plumb (fix line to house wall at ridge level temporarily and let weight hang at end of line at DPC level). If the wall overhangs the base add this measurement to your base dimensions. For instance if you have an overhang of 20 mm and the base has a 3400 mm projection then you would make the overall base projection 3420 mm. The conservatory frames will still be manufactured to suit a 3400 mm projection and you will pack off / make good to conservatory frame.
- As a generalisation the internal width of a conservatory frame / roof is external width less 200 mm and internal depth is external depth less 100 mm in all “normal” three sided lean to or Edwardian styles with no box gutters etc.
For your information
This Quick survey guide is not intended to replace a professional site survey – it is not a comprehensive guide to surveying for conservatory and sunrooms. If you have a particularly difficult site – you will wish to enlist the assistance of the relevant professional. We do however hope it will assist you in evaluating your site and it’s potential for an outdoor living space.
Shown below are some of the most common “obstructions” and difficulties encountered when building a conservatory. Our intention is to help you carry out an initial site survey and feasibility study. Armed with this information you should be able to determine what size conservatory best fits your property.
One “obstruction” not shown in this guide is the exhaust flue from a central heating boiler. On no occasion may a flue exhaust into a conservatory (or any type of building for that matter). There are ducting kits available to overcome this in some instances. You should not attempt this yourself – but consult the relevant professional.
Here we have a fairly typical view of the rear of a property. In an “ideal” world none of these obstructions would be inside your conservatory. However just because they are there does not mean they cannot be overcome or accommodated in some other way.
For Instance…
- Manholes can be placed inside a conservatory (you will need to use a double sealed manhole cover) provided the “footing” or dwarf walls are not built over the exact top of the manhole. If that is the case, then you will need to either re-position the conservatory or move the manhole. (This will need building regulation approval in England and Wales.)
- Soil Pipes often end up inside a conservatory. In this instance you will need to be especially careful how you seal around the pipe as it exits through your roof. If you wish to disguise its appearance inside the conservatory you ” box it in” – perhaps make it some sort of internal feature – hang pictures on “boxing” or stencil. If you wish to disguise the appearance of a soil pipe outside your conservatory – you can always consider covering it over with some sort of trellis and a climbing plant.
- Downpipes from your guttering can be re-positioned fairly easily – moved so that they no longer come within the scope of the conservatory. You may need to build a new soakaway in your garden.
- Gully’s ideally should not be inside a conservatory. However this is often not particularly practical – especially if your conservatory is an extension to your kitchen. If you would really prefer it outside your conservatory – consult your builder or conservatory supplier.
Here we have a drawing showing some of the measurements you may need to take. Use this drawing as an “aide memoire” and you will have covered most eventualities. There may be more (or less) additional dimensions or information you will need to record. If you have any doubts – then you should as always consult the appropriate professionals.
Our final tip, as often quoted by many carpenters…
“Measure twice and cut once” – or in other words – double check all measurements.
