Hello all,

After recently pulling out from a house purchase (aided from some useful comments from this site) which would have involved a significant amount of work to make the home more energy efficient, we've decided to buy an off the shelf new build house on a new building site. I appreciate that perhaps a self build we could gain a higher level of energy efficiency but with two daughters aged 2 and 3, we are looking for the most stress free option.

Therefore, we have reserved a plot on a new site just outside Minehead in Somerset, but I have a concern over their design with a conservatory on the back of the house which has no doors between the main house and itself. Instead it is described as a family room, basically an open plan conservatory leading off the kitchen area. I have been reassured by the sales team that its roof is double polycarbonate roofing, and its a B rated house but am I right to have concerns that this will be cold in the winter months and defeats the object of trying to buy an energy efficient house? The conservatory isn't huge, approximately 3m x 3m. We have spoken to one of the neighbours who has the same design and the first comment they made was that the kitchen area was cold! This probably already answers my question, but I'm confused as to how it can be a B rated house?

Any thoughts or recommendations would be welcome. I have only committed £500 at this stage, so whilst painful I can still walk away.

Many thanks,

Alex

I wonder what the "B" stands for.

:-)

Ferdinand

Yes, think I will enquire about getting the conservatory turned into an extension. The footings and groundwork are the same as the main house. The walls are being started next week, so its still at the early stages.

I am also confused about it complying with the part l building regs, but assume because its a new build it must be approved? I will challenge this also.

Thanks for the comments so far...

Hi,

I have just had a response back from the developers

"The conservatory does have a poly carbonate roof and double glazed. Inside there is a radiator and you are quite right that it is open to the kitchen. The build and design is built to NHBC standards and regulations and complies with the latest heating requirements.
I have asked the other owners of the Dunster house types on site for their views on the ambient feel etc. Especially as they moved in during the winter months. Their reply was that they did not feel ,by having the opening from the kitchen into the conservatory at any way contradicted their feeling of warmth. Certainly no cold spots."

The rear of the house/conservatory is south facing, however there are 3 other houses of the same design on the plot, all with different facing gardens.

''Based on all of the feedback above, I think my options are to insist that the roof is not poly carb or pull out.''

I think that is the right thing to do, or if you are desperate to have the house, 'take the hit' on having to pay to amend the conservatory into a 'proper' extension later. It seems ridiculous that because they are (obviously) allowed to 'trade off', something that would not be allowed on refurb *is* allowed on new-build. Absurd! It is the same sort of system which allowed houses to be built in the 1990s without floor insulation. I know of a pair of semis which are forever overheated because the tenants are trying to get warm feet - which they never get. Mad! Utter false economy.

yes ferdinand, when you put it like that, it's crazy that they've designed it this way!

I've just demolished the SW facing conservatory attached to part of our bungalow renovation. It was the most satisfying part of the demolition yet! It had a poly roof and reasonably good quality DG windows but was freezing in the winter and constantly overheated all summer. It was also oppressively bright when the sun was out at any time of year. Awful, awful things.

Posted By: owlmanIt's true there are some dreadful examples but they can be a good thing if done right.

Our WSW facing (& ENE) facing conservatories work very well, but they were designed from scratch to suit the purposes we had in mind and our lifestyle, e.g. they have lots of ventilation (low transoms as well as high), 'opal' roof, plenty of blinds, we are around to adjust ventilation & shading. We see them as a very sheltered part of the garden not as a semi-outdoor room, so it's not an issue that it's too cool for indoor clothes comfort in there in winter.

Works for us. For different people with different aims, the outcome would be different.

PS. Been cropping salads since early spring, French Beans for just over 2 weeks, and the first courgette may be ready tomorrow.
And we had the heating off while still 'collecting' HDD12's.

ETA: HDD12 comment.

Skyewright;......'collecting' HDD12's.

I googled and all I got was Tantric sound. Is that what you play when having tantric sex?

Posted By: owlmanSkyewright;......'collecting' HDD12's.

One "collects HDD12's" if the day long mean outdoor temperature is below 12.5C, so I meant that with the aid of the passive heating (& insulation effect) of the conservatories we manage without heating in conditions that in pre-conservatory days we'd have expected to require heat.

I don't find collecting HDDD12's in the least erotic, but if that sort of thing turns someone on, then hey ho, each to their own. Just mind you don't scare the horses[1]...


[1] https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Mrs_Patrick_Campbell

If there's no thermal separation, or if it shares heating with the rest of the dwelling, it's not a conservatory, it's a highly glazed extension.

....... 'cynic', no. More like sensible!