Camel Group GUIDELINES FOR CONSERVATORIES

Certain glazed extensions i.e. Conservatories are classed as permitted development, and may not require planning permission.

1. Floor areas should be less than 30 square metres

2. The roof area is not to be less than 75% of translucent material and not less than 50% of its wall area made of glass.

3. Any part of the conservatory is not to be

more than 4 metres high

within 2 metres of any boundary

Within 20 metres from a public right of way or highway

4. You must be able to shut off the conservatory from the main building.

Semi detached or detached houses

Conservatories should be less than 70 cubic metres or 15% of the main building cubic area (which ever is the greater)

Terraced houses

Conservatories should be less than 50 cubic meters or 10% of the main building cubic area (which ever is the greater)

Recommendations

It is recommended that you have opening lights equal to a minimum of 15% of the floor area and that trickle vents are also fitted. All windows and door frames should be fully reinforced.

Note: Be aware that damp may penetrate around the side frames where they are fixed against the existing house walls.

Building regulations

Document B (Fire escape windows and doors)

The following are for floors that are no more than 4.5 metres above ground level.

The window should have an unobstructed openable area that is at least .33mtr sq. and be at least 450mm high and 450 mm wide. The bottom of the opener must not be more than 1100mm above the floor.

All habitable rooms in the upper storeys of a house require escape windows

To achieve the above required opening there are the options of

1. Tilt turn windows.

2. Egress hinges to 600mm side opening casements.

3. Flying mullion windows.

Document L (Energy saving)

In general all glazed structures require a set U value. PVC or timber frames complete with glazing will require a U value of 2.0. Glass alone a U value of 1.2.

Doors that are of less than 50% of the glazed structure and conservatories that can be separated by doors from the main building will not be required to satisfy this regulation.

In essence any PVC or timber frame will require a 16mm air gap with K glass. Our own timber windows fitted with a I2mm air gap with argon gas and K glass will satisfy the regulation.

Document N (safety)

Any pane of glass under 800mm from finished floor area or within a door or within 300mm of a door will require safety glass.

Disabled access

Please phone Camel Group for further information.

Ventilation

Any habitable room requires a minimum of 8000mm of ventilation, this may be averaged through out the property to achieve the required volume.

If trickle vents are required than these are either fitted to the top of the opening sash or will require a 45mm add on section to the head of the window with the trickle vent fitted to this. Trickle vents are either 2000mm2 or 4000mm2.

Back to PVCu Supply