Home improvement questions and answers

What materials are used to construct doors?

Doors from T&K are available in five different materials: uPVC, aluminium, timber, steel and composite doors. You can follow the highlighted links to learn more about each material. Although none is better than the other, each material has its own particular strengths. They also differ in appearance so you might find you’re more attracted to the one that suits your home’s unique styling.

Is Secured by Design accreditation available?

Yes, a number of our door options are available with Secured by Design accreditation. To name one example, our composite doors are available with it. For a full list of door options that are available with this accreditation, feel free to get in touch with the T&K team. The specific security hardware that’s in use will vary depending on the type of door, although we always use advanced multi-point locking systems, securing the door to the frame in multiple positions. This makes it very difficult for a would-be intruder to find a weak area of the door that can be exploited to gain entry to your home.

What colours are doors available in?

No matter what type of door or material you opt for, there’s a huge number of colour options available to suit your home. They range from the incredibly faint to the ultra-loud, encompassing every colour of the rainbow. On many of our doors, you can also opt for dual colours. This is where you have different colours for the internal and external part of the door, ensuring for a seamless match with every part of your home.

What opening options are available for doors?

This will depend on the chosen door. For instance, bi-fold doors are folded to one side to open in a concertina style and sliding patio doors slide to the left or right. For most of our other doors, there’s the option for them to open inwards or outwards. We work with you, taking into account your needs to determine which opening option is the best for your home. However, entrance doors do not usually open outwards because this will involve placing the hinges outside your home, which is a potential security risk.

Are there threshold options to suit all access requirements?

Yes, there is. T&K has four different threshold options to choose from, including an ultra-low option, which allows for wheelchair access if required.

Does a conservatory need building regulations?

Usually, conservatories are exempt from building regulations, however this is only if they meet the following criteria:
• The conservatory is less than 30m2 in floor area and is built at ground level
• It’s separated from the house by external quality walls, doors or windows
• It has an independent heating system that has separate temperature and on/off controls
• The glazing and any fixed electrics are compliant with the relevant building regulations

Otherwise, conservatory building regulations must be met.

Do you need planning permission to put a tiled roof on a conservatory?

Previously, a certain percentage of a conservatory’s roof had to be translucent in order be exempt from planning permission. This means that newly built tiled roof conservatories can usually be built without planning permission, provided they meet the correct criteria. However, when replacing the glass roof on an existing conservatory with a tiled one, Building Regulatory Approval will be required. Planning permission might also be required because this is classed as ‘change of use’. However, when hiring T&K for a conservatory roof replacement, we will take care of all of this for you. For further guidance, use the link below.

What is the best conservatory roof?

Which conservatory roof is right for you will depend on what you’re looking to get out of your conservatory. The three most common conservatory roofing types are glass, tiled and polycarbonate. To separate them in simple terms, glass leads the way in terms of illuminating your conservatory, tiled roofs provide the most insulation and polycarbonate roofs are the cheapest. We have a conservatory roof guide available for a more in-depth look at this issue.

How deep do conservatory foundations need to be?

There is no exact amount for this, however foundations are usually between 650mm and 1000mm in depth. Foundation depth is affected by a number of variables, including the condition of the ground and the number of trees close by. Also, if any drains are nearby, the bottom of the foundations must be at least as deep as the floor level of the drain(s).

How long will a conservatory last?

Provided you take good care of the conservatory, it will easily be able to last decades. Plus, every conservatory installation from T&K comes with a 10 year insurance backed guarantee. This means that, in the unlikely event of a fault occurring with your conservatory during this 10-year period, we’ll come out and rectify any issues free of charge.

Can existing conservatories be moved?

Existing conservatories can be taken down and moved to another location. However, any warranties and guarantees will be voided in the process, plus its structural integrity might be compromised. If you’ve recently moved to a new home and are considering a new conservatory, get in touch and see if we can help.

Can you build conservatories without walls?

Instead of walls or a dwarf wall, which is a short brick wall, T&K can build full-length glazing panels instead. However, this will limit the amount of radiators and power outlets that we can fit because these types of things are unable to be fitted to glazing panels.