Conservatories have been little more than white elephants in the past, great big extensions that were neither in keeping with the rest of the building nor adding much functionality or value to the home.
These days, a carefully planned and erected conservatory can be a real bonus to any home but are people still shying away from the much maligned extension? Conservatories built themselves a sub standard reputation in many cases because of their lack of aesthetic appeal and their one size and style fits all approach.
Nowadays a conservatory can be a seriously classy way to extend your home without knocking down supporting walls and spending a small fortune but be wary of the pitfalls, there are still some out there! The first pitfall to avoid is the disreputable company and there are quite a few out there who will cut corners and leave you with a barely standing conservatory while they flee quietly with your hard earned pounds.
Search online for companies and you should be able to judge their reputation by quality and range of products on offer and reviews are widely available on most products and companies these days so it's worth spending time researching.
The second thing to avoid is companies that don't listen very carefully to your requirements, if they keep pushing the same old product and it's not what you want, it's time to look elsewhere.
These days the term 'bespoke' can be applied to almost anything and that's because suppliers and retailers know that people want flexibility and individuality and conservatories are no different.
Avoid at all costs companies that only offer conservatories with wooden or UPVC frames, there has been so much enhancement in windows, doors and conservatories that they really should be offering you a composite option too.
The same goes for glazing, there should be the options of single, double and triple glazing and you should also look into the options of both heated glass and self cleaning glass.
Composite conservatories are strong, durable and need no maintenance unlike their wooden counterparts which need regular attention.
They're also extremely secure, with multi-point locking systems on the single or double doors and reinforced glass meaning absolutely no weak points for burglars to target.
The advances in technology and the bespoke nature of the world today means that conservatories are indeed gaining in popularity once again so there's no need to shy away from the big white elephants any more, they can be whatever colour you like and done right could do wonders for the value of your home.