Foundations and Conservatories
Not a common subject but it is certainly worth taking a more
in-depth look into. Foundations are what you conservatory will be eventually
built on. This also applies to any structure that will become part of your home
and is required by law and building regulations before work on the structure
can even begin. They provide the support needed for the structure to sit on. Without
them there is a high risk of potential devastating damage and could even
collapse after a period of time, Something no one wants after purchasing their
dream conservatory and investing time and money to see it built.
The Basics of Foundations
The image below is the best way I could show you the
structure of foundations for conservatories. It’s not just a great big slap of
cement/concrete you know! There is a little more to it than meets the eye.
Starting from the bottom and working up you can see a 450mm
wide section of the foundation which is the support for the walls. A layer of
bricks is then built up and a Damp Proof Course (D.P.C) is then applied and the
walls are built up until they are at the required height.
Once the walls are complete it is normal to insulate the
cavity between the inner and outer wall to keep you conservatory warm and stop
heat from escaping from your home and also save you some money on heating
bills, Perfect for the environmentally friendly!
Work on the floor can then begin. The work starts with a
150mm hardcore layer. This is in preparation for the D.P.M which stand for Damp
Proof Membrane which does exactly what the name suggests. This is put in place
to stop damp and moisture entering your home through the foundations and is
usually put on top of sand blinding or something similar. A 100mm layer of
concrete is then put on top of this to seal the D.P.M in and stop it from
moving. Once this is dry a layer of screed 50mm thick is applied to complete
and finish the floor.
Foundations can differ depending on many factors such as
ground conditions, the construction and plans of the conservatory and the
location. The basic principle remains the same, as mentioned at the start of
this posts foundations are really important in protecting your conservatory
from extensive damage or collapse. In simple terms it’s to provide the correct
support.
Construction of the Conservatory
I don’t want to go too in-depth with this one as it is
pretty simple and my main aim was to shed a little light onto the hidden world
of foundations put there’s no point leaving the project half built!
As you can see from the image the UPCV conservatory is built
on top of the brick walls. Everything moves from the ground up and the last
things to go in are the glass, double glazed window panes.
Completion can vary depending on many factors, weather being
one of them but you can expect your conservatory to be completed within a week
to fortnight or even less! A conservatory is an affordable and simple way to add
extra space to your home without having the massive impact of huge costs and
your home becoming a construction site.
This article is provided by Hughes and Hilton Piling; specialists in piling in Liverpool & piling in Cheshire
