Choosing the right builder for your conservatory
Reading time: 12 minutes
Adding a conservatory to your house can make a huge amount of difference to how you enjoy your home. Bringing the outdoors in, expanding your living space, and increasing the value of your property are just some of the upsides that people see when they choose to extend their home in this way.
However, as with any large project you undertake, you need to guarantee you are getting the rightconservatory installer的工作。We spoke to some of the experienced tradespeople recommended on MyBuilder to find out the key things you should know in order to make the right choice:
- Find out if they’ve done similar conservatory jobs to yours
- Make sure you are comfortable with them
- Look out for experience as much as accreditation
- Be aware that subcontracting can complicate the process
- Ensure they’re used to working with the particular product
- Get like-for-like quotes and establish a payment plan
- Check their familiarity with planning permission and building regulations
Keeping these points in mind can help you focus on what to look for when you’re meeting with tradespeople and getting quotes for the work. Carry on reading for more details on how to go about finding the right tradesperson for your job.
Find out if they’ve done similar conservatory jobs to yours
There are several large, nationwide companies that install conservatories, offering a bespoke end-to-end service that covers everything from design to installation. While going down this path can be the most straightforward approach for homeowners, it is also likely to be the most expensive. According to a survey carried out byWhich? magazine, the majority of people choose a local, independent firm to fit their conservatory, which is what we will focus on here.
Though there are many small firms devoted to installing conservatories, some tradesperson who install them will be more general builders. Some will be window and door specialists, others will be carpenters and joiners. There are benefits to both options - aconservatory specialistmay have more dedicated experience with your particular requirements, while a general builder may be better equipped to deal with more complex projects that involve other elements.
David Newman of Barnsley’s Westland Windows, a tradesperson with 30 years of experience and more than 60 pieces of positive feedback on MyBuilder, said:
You get different kinds of tradespeople doing conservatories, but the main thing is that you want the company to be established and have a record, make sure they’ve done a few conservatory jobs before and are experienced. I do windows and doors as well, but I can show people my experience with conservatories and show them the previous jobs I’ve done.
在为你选择合适的商人时，看看他们以前的工作是非常有用的——在投资组合中看看照片是有用的，但安排亲自看看他们以前的工作和会见过去的客户是评估他们工作质量的最好方法。
Lewis Sage of UPS Home Improvements在MyBuilder上有超过150条的正面反馈。他的公司承担了几种类型的大型建筑项目，包括建造温室。He told us:
Any good builder who takes pride in their work should be happy to put you in touch with old clients. When I’ve done a good job and the client is happy with it, I’ll say to them, can I ask a favour, can I use you for a reference in future, and it’s no trouble. I’d say to clients get out there and have a look at something the tradesperson has done in your local area - there’s nothing better than actually seeing it.
Make sure you are comfortable with them
According to David, meeting a variety of tradespeople is important before selecting the right person for you:
When I meet with a client, it’s all about making people feel comfortable and reassured - they need to get the right vibes, from a competency point of view, and an experience point of view. They have to like the person who’s taking on the job.
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You can assess how comfortable you feel with the potential tradespeople from your first contact with them; are they polite on the phone, do they arrive for meetings at the scheduled time, do they ask lots of questions about the project? A conservatory job isn’t done in a day - being able to maintain good communication throughout the build is essential. You shouldn’t be aiming to become best friends with them, but you should be able to have a professional relationship. If you do feel comfortable, you can start to consider how qualified they are for the project.
Look out for experience as much as accreditation
As well as seeing previous work from builders, there are other things you can do to assess their experience. On MyBuilder, you can read honest feedback on the jobs they have undertaken for homeowners, as well as seeing pictures of the jobs they have taken on. Don’t be afraid to ask them questions as well, about any qualifications they may have, their length of time in the business, or how they’ll approach your own particular job.
As well as being able to prove their experience, many tradespeople may also be part of accreditation schemes. Some of the tradespeople who install conservatories may be members of a variety of professional organisations. The most common ones you may encounter might include:
- The Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF):这个行业协会代表制造、供应或安装玻璃及玻璃相关产品的公司，包括窗户、门、音乐学院和相关五金。它旨在提高行业标准，并为使用GGF成员公司的客户提供一些保护，包括保障任何存款，并提供调解服务。
- Fenestration Self-Assessment Scheme (FENSA): Set up by the GGF and other bodies, FENSA is a self-certification scheme for companies that install double-glazing windows, doors and roof lights. It means members can certify their own work, without the need for a separate assessment from the local authority’s Building Control department.
- British Woodworking Federation (BWF): Members of the BWF are visited by the body and vetted to ensure they are either compliant, or working towards compliance with a code of conduct that emphasises qualities such as customer care and clear contractual dealings.
- FairTrades Association: Established in 1983, the FairTrades Association covers multiple trades and works to ensure standards, encouraging its members to offer insurance-backed guarantees on their work.
- Federation of Master Builders (FMB): The UK’s largest trade association for the construction industry, all members are inspected by the body and expected to uphold standards and follow a code of conduct. There are different levels of membership, with the highest, Build Assure, offering the option of an insurance-backed building work guarantee.
While full and up to date membership of a body like this is a good indicator that a tradesperson is competent and working to certain standards, it should not be the main thing that sways your decision - unlike membership of the Gas Safe Register, a legal requirement for tradesperson who work with gas in the home, there is no obligation for tradesperson to join these trade bodies. Use your own judgement of their past work, and look into their accreditations to see what the organisation does in the way of vetting the tradespeople who use its name and logo, and protecting people who hire its members. David said:
If someone is registered it does give people some comfort, some form of accreditation is good. But some trade membership schemes are just subscriptions - you just pay and you can use their logo. It’s worth doing your research and asking the tradesperson about it.
Be aware that subcontracting can complicate the process
When contracting a firm to build your conservatory, you should ask if they are planning to outsource any of the elements of the construction.
像安装温室这样的分包工作的例子包括雇佣建筑工人来挖地基并为建筑做初步的基础工作，或者请砖匠来建造矮墙，形成基础并在上面添加玻璃。像这样的分包是比较常见的，特别是如果你选择的人是一个专家，如釉匠，而不是一般的建筑工人。
If your tradesperson is planning to use subcontractors, you should be made aware of this early in the process, and establish your own responsibilities as regards these subcontractors. In most cases, the tradesperson you have hired directly will take responsibility for their work and all payments will be part of the initial quotation. However, it is worth checking who will be project-managing the work, and who will actually be on site during the build.
Establishing good communication with the person you hire, and getting all the details in writing before the work commences, are key to ensuring the process goes smoothly and dealing with any issues as they may arise.
Ensure they’re used to working with the particular product
There are a range of ways of purchasing a conservatory - buying the structure on your own and installing it yourself, or getting a tradesperson to install it; buying it from a company that both manufactures and fits conservatories; or hiring a tradesperson to purchase and install the conservatory for you.
因为有很多制造商和品牌可供选择，大卫建议你咨询你的商人，确保他们熟悉你喜欢的产品，或者他们可以推荐最适合你的工作的产品。这一切都要回到与你的商人的沟通上——他们是否问了足够多的问题来理解你想从项目中得到什么?
You want to make sure you’re getting a decent quality job, and make sure they know what system they’re using. There are different brands of frames and roofs and different materials. Whoever comes in should check what the requirements of the client are, what they want the conservatory for, and make sure that what they plan to do will fit all those requirements. People want conservatories for different reasons - it used to be people wanted it to grow plants, or just wanted somewhere to sit in summer. Now it’s a lot more diverse.
正如他所说，这不是一个简单的一刀切的问题。
Get like-for-like quotes and establish a payment plan
最好至少与三个商人会面，并向他们索取报价。他们报价的细节和范围可以告诉你很多关于他们的过程。重要的是要确保所有的报价都是对等的——它们是否包括材料和劳动力，以及任何分包商可能做的，以及增值税?The only way to accurately compare quotations is if you are comparing like-for-like.Paul Coulson of KDBS in Newcastle, a building firm which often erects conservatories and has more than 350 pieces of positive feedback on MyBuilder, said:
Getting a good quote is really important. I list everything in the quote, all separated out and itemised - what materials I’m using, what the labour costs will be. And when it’s all done, that’s the final figure you’ll be charged - there won’t be lots of extras. I have seen people get quotes from other tradesperson that were massively less than mine, and I’ve been asked if I’d bring mine down, but I just say ‘no’. I know they’re are lower because they won’t be using the correct materials, or they’ll try and add things on later.
在通过一份准确的书面报价同意一个价格后，确保你有一个让你感到舒服的付款计划。一个声誉良好的商人通常不会预先期望或要求一份温室工作的总价值。然而，根据工作的规模，小额存款并不罕见。Paul said:
你们必须一起坐下来，想出一个对你们双方都有效的办法。如果这是一个工作，只需要一个星期，我很高兴采取全额付款后的工作完成，所有的工作是完成。
Check their familiarity with planning permission and building regulations
The majority of conservatories are exempt from needing planning permission as long as they adhere to certain requirements, mainly concerned with the size of the extension. Other restrictions may apply if your home is listed or live in a conservation area. Conservatories are usually exempt from needing building regulations inspections as well.
Although it is unlikely, it is always worth checking with your local planning office to inquire about the relevant permissions, and it is important that your tradesperson is aware of them before beginning work. Experienced builders will be knowledgeable about the latest requirements, and how they are dealt with by the planning departments of various local authorities - they may even know planning officers to ask for advice. Some firms, especially those that focus on installing conservatories, may manage the whole process on your behalf if it is necessary.
It is always worth doing some research on your own - David said that most clients nowadays are “savvy” about planning permission, because the internet has made it so easy to do the research - but even checking if other houses in your street have conservatories can help give you a good idea as to your situation. Watch out for tradespeople who insist that no conservatories need planning permission - breaching planning requirements can lead to fines and being forced to undo any work. As David said:
Most conservatories don’t need planning permission, but there are exceptions and it helps to do some research on that. When you work across different local authorities, you find they work in slightly different ways, so it’s worth hiring someone who familiar with the relevant building departments and keeps in touch with them.
Lewis added:
I’m very familiar with local planning offices and all the Building Control staff. When they come on site, they say hello and shake my hand, because they know I do a good job. The whole process is easier with that experience.
