Gone are the days in the Victorian era when a conservatory was a glorified greenhouse attached to the home — now, with the development of construction methods and materials, it is a practical additional room, giving living space for dining, relaxing with children and pets, entertaining, watching TV — even doing the ironing!
But to make the most of it, you need to think about its location and aspect,
and what you intend to use it for.

WHAT DO I NEED TO CONSIDER - 1
Purpose
First you need to determine what you are going to use it for,
as that will affect the style and cost.
If just an additional room, that will be multi-functional,
it may be better to choose a simple, practical design such as a lean-to.
If it is primarily for relaxing and entertaining in, you may want to choose a more
elaborate style — anything from an angular Edwardian to a complex lantern or P-shape.

WHAT DO I NEED TO CONSIDER - 2
Style
The style of your home should also have a bearing on your choice of
conservatory design — a Victorian style, for example, suits a traditional,
older property, whilst lean-to’s are ideal for bungalows.
The style of your home will also influence your choice of colour for your
conservatory frame: mahogany, golden oak, white or rosewood, depending on
your external brickwork and window and door frame colouration.

WHAT DO I NEED TO CONSIDER - 3
Position
Second, you need to consider its position, and the direction it will be facing,
as this will have an impact on the “atmosphere” within.
A south-facing conservatory could become unpleasantly hot in the summer,
if the most appropriate glazing is not chosen and there are insufficient opening
windows or roof vents. By contrast, a north-facing conservatory needs to maximize natural daylight and warmth.

WHAT DO I NEED TO CONSIDER - 4
Specification
It is here the roof glazing plays a vital role.
Most conservatory installers today use multichambered polycarbonate sheets.
This is a plastic glazing material whose structure creates insulation performance
similar to double glazing, yet it offers impact resistance up to 200 times that of plate glass and is a third of the weight (reducing the structural support required).
It is usually used in either 25mm or 35mm — 25mm (above) has been the traditional option, but the advent of 35mm (left) gives increased sound and heat insulation.

WHAT DO I NEED TO CONSIDER - 5
Polycarbonate Options
CLEAR — the traditional choice, and was chosen where maximum natural daylight is required eg a north-facing conservatory.
OPAL — which gives an opaque “white” internal light quality, so useful if the conservatory will be overlooked by neighbouring properties as it increases privacy. It is increasingly being chosen over clear, as the opal tint enhances the brightness of the natural light coming into the conservatory whilst obscuring any dirt on the roof.
BRONZE — which gives a golden glow to the light entering the conservatory. It also has the lower light transmission value of the three major tint options, so is useful for a south-facing conservatory as it reduces solar glare. It is also often chosen to tone in with the home’s brickwork, and gives the same privacy benefits as opal.
DUAL TINT — eg bronze/opal (bronze outer layer, opal inside) chosen for privacy and blending with the traditional character of the outside of the home.
HEATGUARD OPTIONS — specifically designed for situations where the warmth inside needs to be controlled (eg a south-facing conservatory) as they cut heat build-up by an average 30%. They can be used in other locations and avoid the need to buy blinds.