The very latest highly engineered uPVC windows give you the opportunity to choose from hundreds of design options. The slender frames needed to achieve a slimline look have the same front to back dimension as traditional timber which means it is possible to remove your old windows and replace them easily and efficiently.

Showers…storms…drizzle…We hate to break it to you, but the average rainfall in the UK is between 700mm a year in East Anglia and 3,000mm a year in the Scottish Highlands. That’s a lot of potential for leaks, puddles or even worse.

Today’s uPVC windows are technically superior, too. Multi chamber construction helps control noise and heat loss. High levels of weatherproofing and intruder protection keep you safe from the worst of the British climate - and secure in your home. Plus there’s a sophisticated choice of finishes from white through to wood effects that have virtually no maintenance.

Whitegrain uPVC windows are also extremely tough. They feature high-impact uPVC frames with fusion welded joints and corners. This makes them robust and strong so they’ll last a lifetime. All the fixings and hardware are tested to breaking point to ensure the multi-point locks, shoot bolts and locking handles offer maximum protection by gripping the frame securely. For added peace of mind quality uPVC windows are internally beaded so the glass cannot be removed from the outside. All of this means your home can look beautiful and remain a sanctuary for you to enjoy in peace and comfort. It’s an investment we feel you deserve.

Special escape hinges, where fitted to the side opening windows, allow them to be opened to a 90 degree angle, providing an exit facility in case of fire. All side openers have the ability to be moved away from the frame, providing what are called ‘easy clean’ feature – meaning you can clean difficult to reach upstairs windows from the inside of the house. You can also have your uPVC windows hinged from the top or side, either left or right, as tilt and turn or with trickle vents, which allow air to enter while the window is fully closed and locked.

You’ll also welcome another great attribute of uPVC windows, as casement uPVC windows can be left slightly ajar to allow air to circulate – yet the multi point locking system remains 100% fully engaged. Called the ‘night vent’ feature and it’s standard on most reputable casement windows – perfect for ground floor windows or people who like to feel safe while asleep.

Choosing the right uPVC windows for your home can significantly help reduce your carbon footprint and save yourself money on energy bills.

In today’s tough economic and environmental climate, we as the householder have two ever increasing issues to deal with. Not only does the spiraling cost of fuel mean that our utility bills keep on growing, but these days most of us have a social conscience, and are all mindful of the harm we are doing to the planet from our daily activities.

We can’t of course stop global warming overnight, but by taking small steps, collectively we can make a difference. Whilst we can’t do anything about the price of fuel, we certainly can help limit our bills by reducing the amount we use. They may not come along very often, but there are certain win-win situations in life. If you are thinking about having replacement uPVC windows, you are genuinely facing one of these choices.

The level of insulation offered by any given window is made up from a combination of the insulation of the frame, and that of the glass or ‘sealed unit’ that is used. But other factors such as frame size and air leakage are taken into consideration, so all in all it’s quite a difficult calculation to understand.

That’s why the government has introduced the Window Energy Ratings scheme. By using the same ratings system that items such as fridges and washing machines have been using for years, it is now possible to rate a window from any given supplier. The finished window combination is independently tested, and awarded a rating from A to G. Those achieving a C-rating or above are allowed to display the Energy Saving Recommended blue label, demonstrating they have been designed, manufactured and tested to provide a good level of overall thermal efficiency.

Energy ratings don’t just now apply to fridges, boilers and windows – they apply to your entire home. When you come to sell your house, you will need a Homebuyers Information Pack, or HIP for short. As well as your heating type and things such as loft insulation, the windows in your home contribute hugely to the overall rating.

Choosing to save energy and the environment is a lifestyle choice and it’s not always easy. As with energy saving light bulbs, the changeover in the short term might even be slightly more expensive.

It is however a change that will benefit us and our children for years to come. So if you are thinking about replacing your windows, choose the latest energy rated uPVC Windows.

Mid Wales Windows in Newtown, Powys joins the growing Conservatory Outlet network

We’re pleased to announce that a fantastic new dealer is joining the Conservatory Outlet network of premium quality conservatory installation companies. Mid Wales Windows have been trading for over 10 years in Newtown, Powys, and cover an area including:

Mid Wales, Powys, Newtown, Welshpool, Church Stretton, Llandrindod Wells,
Aberystwyth, Knighton, Ludlow, Rhayadar, Llangurig, Tregaron, Machynlleth, Dolgellau, Builth Wells, Craven Arms …plus many more.

The company is run by husband and wife team, David and Davina and have a great team of staff including Nick who runs the double glazing sales.

You will find their Newtown showroom on the Mochdre Industrial Estate, Powys, featuring fully fitted conservatories, each themed to different “lifestyle” settings and a upvc window and upvc door gallery, local customers can discuss their requirements with highly experienced conservatory, window and door specialists.

The team at Mid Wales Windows are people who treat you honestly, fairly and with courtesy. They now supply and fit superb Conservatory Outlet conservatories, orangeries, windows and doors that will do what you expect of them and which are covered by comprehensive guarantees.

Front Doors in black, red, green, blue, oak, rosewood, white etc

Conservatory Outlet offer two types of composite doors which give us a great range of coloured front doors to offer our customers.

Our Rockdoor range has the following options:

Red front doors
Blue front doors
Black front doors
Green front doors
Oak front doors
Rosewood front doors
White front doors

We also offer the full range of Global composite front doors which have have the following colour options: red, green, blue, black, oak and white.

So the range of colours are pretty comprehensive and so are the designs you can choose from. In fact we have over a million different options, so there’s definitely a front door for you!

We have a very useful colour selector section where you can pick the door design and then choose a colour for the style and see what it looks like:

Our composite doors come in six external colours; red, green, blue, white, light oak and now also Black. The internal colour is white.

The solid colours - red, green, blue, white and black - are pre-pigmented which means the colour is added during the manufacturing process. As the skins are applied, the colour goes on evenly.

The light oak finish is a hand-applied stained finish to give depth the woodgrain and all the doors have a high gloss, UV resistant film to give them a final sheen.

The best thing to do if you’re interested in a coloured front door then why not ask for one of our sales advisors to come and see you and provide a free quotation.

Everything you need to know about Planning Permission and Building Regulations for your bespoke orangery project.

For many, when planning your modern bespoke orangery, Planning Permission and Building Regulations can be an unwanted concern. By choosing Conservatory Outlet this is taken out of your hands so you are free to enjoy the exciting parts of choosing your dream orangery or contemporary conservatory – such as what style will you have, will the roof be glass or polycarbonate and how will you use your new orangery or sunroom?

What is the difference between Planning Permission and Building Regulations?

Planning Permission and Building Regulations are often confused. Both are the responsibility of the Local Authority and basically, Planning Permission takes into consideration the aesthetic effect of a new building/orangery on the surrounding homes and neighbourhood, whilst Building Regulations define how the structure must be constructed in terms of thermal efficiency etc.

Do I need Planning Permission?

Conservatory Outlet will take care of this for you, but for your information, here is a summary of the basic facts. In most cases you will not require planning permission for your orangery in the same way as a conservatory under the present legislation, unless you are adding an orangery to a house that has already been extended. You may also need to check if your house is a ‘new build’ as developers sometimes place restrictions on them.

You may now be able to build quite a number of orangeries or conservatories without planning permission that previously would have needed it. The following rules must be followed to remain exempt from them.

• They are built at ground level and are less than 30 square metres in floor area

• At least half of the new wall and three quarters of the roof is either glazed or translucent material.

• The orangery/conservatory is separated from the house by external quality door(s).

• Glazing and any fixed electrical installations comply with the applicable building regulations requirements.

From 1st October 2008 new rules for conservatories, orangeries and glass extensions took affect which replaced the old rules and affect planning rules as follows:

1. No extension forward of the principal elevation or side elevation fronting a highway. This means that any orangery on the front or side of a house that will be closer to a public highway than the original house will need planning permission. A highway is any public right of way including footpaths.

2. Maximum depth of a single-storey rear extension of three metres for an attached house and four metres for a detached house. The width of an orangery running along the back length of a house is not constrained at all unless it projects beyond the house which is constrained by rule 3. A house is only detached if there is no solid structure connecting it to a neighbour. A “link” house is therefore not detached nor would be two houses with a common garage. The rules on what counts as being detached have not changed from the previous ones.

3. Side extensions to be single storey with maximum height of four metres and width no more than half that of the original house.

4. Maximum eaves height of an extension within two metres of the boundary of three metres from the lowest point on the ground.

5. No verandas, balconies or raised platforms.

6. On designated land no permitted development for rear extensions of more than one storey; no cladding of the exterior; no side extensions.

7. No more than half the area of land around the “original house” would be covered by additions or other buildings.

8. Maximum height of a single-storey rear extension of four metres.

While permitted development rights now allow for the construction of many orangeries and conservatories without planning permission items 1 and 2 above may still limit their size and material construction if you want to avoid building regulations. If a conservatory you are building does not meet any of the above four rules then it will have to adhere to building regulations in full.

Will my orangery need to satisfy Building Regulations?

In general, a domestic orangery or conservatory will be exempt under UK building regulations, again, ask Conservatory Outlet to check this out for you, they will take care of the process.

If you would like to receive a quotation for an orangery or modern conservatory then please fill in one of our free quotation request forms, and our sales advisor can also discuss whether your project will need planning permission or building regulations.

Which double glazing company?

If you’re currently getting double glazing quotes, and trying to find a good double glazing company then in the current economic climate you need to be very careful.

You need to do your research to find the best double glazing firm, but unfortunately there aren’t very many good double glazing review websites to help you. There are quite a few online double glazing quote websites which give you the chance to find out how much double glazing costs, but be careful not to just go for the cheapest double glazing quote.

Cheap double glazing is not always the best double glazing!

In the last 12 months, 10% of uPVC window companies have gone bust, and over the next 12 months there’s likely to be even more companies ceasing trading. And if the company you choose goes bust once you’ve placed a deposit then you may be in trouble. And what about your double glazing guarantee?

Conservatory Outlet carefully vets all its dealers to ensure they are premium quality double glazing installers. All dealers also offer our unique 123 guarantee which gives you the ultimate in peace of mind when purchasing uPVC windows, uPVC doors, a conservatory or an orangery.