Advice please from serious DIY'ers re second hand conservatories.

As owning a pvc conservatory seems to be going out of fashion, many are now deciding to sell theirs, so I am seriously considering buying a second hand conservatory, probably off eBay, as there are so many available, cheap as chips.

 

I have always wanted one but have never had the funds to buy,  so now it seems i may be able to even if it is just a small second hand one.

 

We finally got our bungalow downsizing from a three bedroomed house, we have plenty of garden and a good spot to add a small conservatory out from the kitchen and back door.

 

My questions then are, as it will be a DIY job, there won't be any errection/build instructions and do's and don'ts, will i need to lay foundations? If so how and with what? Will there be any thing i will need to know or do before attempting to find and buy one.

 

Any help and information will be very gratefully received, thank you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Message 1 of 21
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Advice please from serious DIY'ers re second hand conservatories.

I've noticed a lot of conservatories for sale stipulate the buyer must take it down,this gives you a good chance to take the brickwork base measurments,as it gives you something to work to when laying the foundations,you could also ask if the seller has the original plans for to work to.

 

This will give you an idea of the foundations:

 

http://www.tradeconservatories2u.co.uk/buyers-guides/installation/diy-construction-guide.htm





We are many,They are few
Message 2 of 21
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Advice please from serious DIY'ers re second hand conservatories.

Not something I'd tackle, but I think some of them can be built on a slatted base similar to a shed. Which would make the job simpler and quicker.

If you're not confident, it might be worthwhile paying someone who is a good DIY'er to act as lead and you support them as their right-hand person whilst putting it up. You wouldn't want it to be unstable or not level or worse, blow down during the first winter storm

 

http://www.premierlc.co.uk/how-to-build-your-own-conservatory/

Message 3 of 21
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Advice please from serious DIY'ers re second hand conservatories.

I thinks it's a bad idea.

 

Old plastic can age in the sun. OK, so modern plastics are not like those of old which became so brittle one smack broke them but dismantling an old conservatory's not like mucking about with a plastic bucket.

 

How's the glass been fitted?  By now, all the seals might be on their way out.

 

A job like that's not for a beginner at such a DIY job.



It's life Jim, but not as WE know it.
Live long and prosper.

Message 4 of 21
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Advice please from serious DIY'ers re second hand conservatories.

Thanks for replies and the links.

 

 

I would have lots of free help as I have strong capable sons and sons in law

 

I have to say the professionals make it look so easy.Smiley Happy

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Advice please from serious DIY'ers re second hand conservatories.

If you do go ahead with this you are braver than me!

 

I've built my own stable block, very large 'man shed' and extension but I wouldn't touch a second hand conservatory, there are just too many unknowns.

 

If you have to dismantle it yourself then what happens if you break bits and if it's already dismantled how do you know that parts aren't missing.  Fittings aren't standard between manufacturers so at the very least I would recommend that you identify the manufacturer, (not the installer), and check that they are still in business.

 

All very negative I'm afraid - if you do go ahead I hope it all turns out fine 🙂

 

 

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Advice please from serious DIY'ers re second hand conservatories.

I can see the OP is hell-bent on proceeding. You have to ask yourself "Why are S/H ones so cheap?"

 

As before mentioned, you're going to find out when you try to take it apart. Is it double or single glazed? Are the DG seals still OK? Were the DG units gas-filled or not? Are the fixings all rusted solid?  Good luck.



It's life Jim, but not as WE know it.
Live long and prosper.

Message 7 of 21
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Advice please from serious DIY'ers re second hand conservatories.

Hi guys, thanks for all your opinions, that is what I was asking for whether positive or negative, they are all good and helpful.

CD, hell-bent? I'm not sure that is quite right, I'm not one who goes into something without researching and considering all points.

You and the others who have replied have given me some very important things to consider. I thank you for that.

I am a person that will try things if I am confident enough to pull things off but I don't take silly risks and waste money and peoples time.

I genuinely thank you for your input 😊
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Message 8 of 21
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Advice please from serious DIY'ers re second hand conservatories.

Firstly as you indicate, it's not quite in the range of the average diy job It's mostly in the broad traditional sphere of carpentry/joiner, though fitters may just be specialists in erecting a manufacturers products

 

If fitted by trades people, there wont be any instructions.

 

You would need to decide on what you were looking for and if buying used, whether what you were buying fit into the space you have available, it would present additional problems cutting something down to fit to size.

 

You would need a base if for nothing else but to walk on These units aren't heavy, so the base need not be the same as traditional building work.

 

The base would normally be of concrete with a waterproof membrane,possibly insulated, dug out of the existing earth, and raised above ground to avoid standing water.

 

Some conservatories have a brick wall for part of the structure, called a dwarf wall. If chosen these would require their own foundations/base and require a competent brickie.

Others are full length with no brickwork, and hence remove that requirement.

 

glazing

Some may be single glazed, or a double sealed unit or polycarbonate.

Sealed units if replaced would need to be specifically ordered to size, single glazed or polycarbonate you could buy off the shelf.

 

openable windows v single sheets

easiest is single sheet polycarbonate..basically a plastic instead of traditional glass, It's more flexible, less prone to break, better insulation, often fitted to roofs with no openings; obviously no openings means you dont usually have the traditional window frame which is openable.

 

The frame which may be aluminium with pvc, starts with a ground plate bolted to the base, on which the first wall section is fitted to it and the property wall.

The next is fixed to that one, and so on till the complete wall is formed.

On top of that runs a perimeter fixing section where the roof rafters go, and rest on the end on the wall plate fixed to the property

wall where they form a sloping run/roof.

Polycarbonate sheets just rest on the preformed grooves, and are quickly in place covered by supplied finishes.

You can get lots of roof variations and apex variants, which requre further effort to secure and waterproof.

Its essentially building in sections, fitting and fixing in place and requires less skill than say timber construction just a screwdriver and drill etc and a careful eye so that you keep level.

That said its far from an afternoons job,even excluding foundations and any brickwork Most are fitted by trade, rather than diy

 

If you can find one cheap enough bearing in mind transport costs, and deconstruction, you might consider it. You can as joe said check the base size if its still in situ. If you take it down yourself, it will give you some idea of how it goes up, though allow sufficient time to do this.

Most of any sealant, flashings, other waterproofing will need to be replaced, and are readily available.

Check for end caps, the finishing bits to cover the cut metal, are there, also dont be in a rush to take it down and twist any metalwork.

Some screws will have lost their head, or just wont remove so have a plan on dealing with them while still preserving the frame

 

Good luck

Message 9 of 21
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Advice please from serious DIY'ers re second hand conservatories.

If you do go ahead,try and buy a "lean to" conservatory as it will be a lot easier to install as you only have the 3 dwarf walls to build,I worked for a year building conservatory bases and if you can get hold of a good joiner it will make it a lot easier,don't be put off just go for it! if any of the DG units are misted or damaged you can get replacements cheaply enough,same as the roofing.it can be bought in sheets cheaply enough if you shop round,and don't forget once you buy it we want pictures of construction!





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Message 10 of 21
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Advice please from serious DIY'ers re second hand conservatories.

Anonymous
Not applicable

Check if you need planning permission. Sometimes you do.

 

And if you know someone who has one ask them how it sounds when it is raining hard.

You might also think twice about putting it on a south facing side. You will boil in that room.

 

Message 11 of 21
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Advice please from serious DIY'ers re second hand conservatories.

Here is a link to what is allowed without planning permission. As DH says, don't be tempted to have it South facing. Even in a normal British Summer it will get so hot it will be unusable when the sun shines and it will be difficult to keep plants alive without constant misting of the air inside it.

 

 

https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/10/conservatories

Message 12 of 21
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Advice please from serious DIY'ers re second hand conservatories.

Many thanks jav, Joe, dirtyharry and JD

 

 

 

One question, i have no clue how to recognise south facing, could someone explain, ta muchly xxx

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Message 13 of 21
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Advice please from serious DIY'ers re second hand conservatories.

Look out of the window right now, at this time of day the sun is due south. Smiley Very Happy

Message 14 of 21
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Advice please from serious DIY'ers re second hand conservatories.

Anonymous
Not applicable
When you look at where the sun is, see where it hits your house, fence or wall. That will be the side that is facing the sun. So when you look out in the morning and see the sun rising in the East, there where it hits your house will be the East facing side.
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Advice please from serious DIY'ers re second hand conservatories.

Anonymous
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Advice please from serious DIY'ers re second hand conservatories.

The sun rises in the east, and sets in the west

Hold your left arm out pointing to where it rises, and your right arm in a straight  line with your left in the opposite direction, that will be where it sets in the west. Face your head forward, and that's south

 

Of course in places like the NW the sun may seldom if ever appear. Fortunately you can download an app for your phone or tablet that will function as a compass. Just go out of the kitchen and see what the orientation is from that.

Alternatively google your postcode, using an overhead view, locate your property. On the right hand side should be what looks like a compass, but without marked points. The shot should be facing north and check on the arrow to make sure. Zoom in until you are happy and you can work out your orientaion from there

 

In practice, there is usually little choice of location, in your case if its adjacent to the kitchen, whatever that orientation is, then thats it.

You can shade certain parts and depending on the structure and make use of ventilation if needed

 

Message 17 of 21
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Advice please from serious DIY'ers re second hand conservatories.

Wow,. Thank you all very very much you have been so helpful.

 

 

I'm seriously going to think about getting something, but by  the advice and help given i think i have got a south facing position so I'm going to have to think about the heat side of things.xxx

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Advice please from serious DIY'ers re second hand conservatories.

Heres a handy way to remember:

 

 

 

 





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Message 19 of 21
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Advice please from serious DIY'ers re second hand conservatories.

If I had the choice I would prefer a south facing consevatory, because I can always block out the sun, if in the rare event we get a hot day or two

In the spring and autumn I may also be able to use it, unlike a north facing one, which would likely be too cold

You can block out sun, you can't make more of it if you're facing the wrong way.

 

 

 

Very quiet on here

 

 

 

 

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