DAO Conservatory Frequently Asked Questions

If you are looking to enhance your living space with natural light and enjoy views of the sky, Then glass conservatory roofs are a great choice. There are many great choices for high-performance glazing that can be used in glass conservatory roofs to ensure thermal efficiency. These choices can also include self cleaning which leads to little maintenence.

The roof is the key difference that sets apart an orangery from a conservatory. A conservatory roof is pitched and can be glazed with glass, polycarbonate, solid panels, or a solid tiled roof. While an orangery has a solid flat roof with one or more glazed lantern roofs. Orangeries often feature brick columns, although these can also be used on a conservatory.

Yes, by adding a glazed extension to your home you are adding extra living space, and so this will certainly add value to your home. The amount of value a conservatory will add to your home depends on various factors including the quality of the products used, the size of the conservatory, and how well it complements your home.

How long a conservatory will last depends on many factors such as the quality of the installation and the products used. Factors that may indicate that it's time to think about upgrading or replacing your conservatory include leaking, condensation, damage, and big variations in temperature throughout the year.

The guarantee on your conservatory will be provided by your installation company and so the length of the guarantee varies from company to company. It is important to ensure that you have an insurance backed guarantee too - this will protect you in the event of having a problem with your conservatory and your installer having ceased trading.

It is difficult to say whether a conservatory is cheaper than an extension as there are many options for both an extension and a conservatory. For instance you may choose an extension with a small lantern roof, or a conservatory with a solid tiled roof and the price could be very similar.

Yes you can put a kitchen into a conservatory but you would need to mention this to your installer during the design process to ensure that adequate ventilation is included in the design. This is to allow any moisture vapour from cooking to escape to the outdoors and ensure that condensation does not occur.

Yes you can remove the doors between your home and your conservatory but doing this means that you will need Building Regulation approval.

Yes you can put a hot tub into a conservatory but you would need to mention this to your installer during the design process to ensure that adequate ventilation is included in the design to allow any moisture vapour to escape to the outdoors.

Conservatory roof blinds do provide shade but of course, they also block out the views of the sky above and natural light. A better alternative to conservatory roof blinds is to ensure that your conservatory roof is glazed with high-performance glass that will control the amount of solar heat that enters the room.

Conservatory roof insulation does not work as it creates a room that may be warmer in winter, but that in summer will be unbearably hot. Roof insulation is also very damaging to the conservatory structure which could potentially compromise its stability and cause leaks. 

D.A.O conservatory roofs are the strongest on the market - in fact every one is designed for the specific postcode location where it will be installed to ensure it is strong enough to withstand the weather at that location.

The bars on a conservatory roof are made from UPVC which on some systems is clad in aluminium. The roof can be glazed with either glass, solid panels or a solid roof system with tiles and glass. Some older  conservatories may be glazed with a plastic sheeting material called polycarbonate.

We offer conservatories in all of the standard window colours so that they will match the windows on your home. We can also create conservatories in ANY colour so if you want something a bit different, just ask. 

Conservatories often fall under Permitted Development, which means you can build them without Planning Permission. As long as the conservatory doesn't exceed four metres in height and is no higher than your home's roof you should be able to build it without Planning Permission but you should always check with your local building control officer at the local council for the rules in your area.

There are 4 main steps to building a conservatory: 1. Preparation of the foundations and base. 2. The building of any brickwork such as dwarf walls or brick pillars. 3. Installation of the windows and doors. 4. Installation of the roof.