Clearview National February 2015 - Issue 159 | Page 68

conservatories Orangery or economy? Hybrids can deliver both »»Judging by the ever-growing consumer interest in orangeries, anyone could be forgiven for thinking the conventional conservatory has had its day but of course that is far from the case. One underlying reason, according to many installers, is that some homeowners want an orangery but are put off by the price – not to mention the upheaval of the additional foundation work - so settle for a conservatory as second best. But how are installers to recover this gap between demand and accessibility? The answer, as many are finding, is the hybrid orangery, a simplified structure giving much of the look of an orangery but at a much reduced cost – and far less hassle to install. Synseal has not only been at the forefront of the development of the hybrid orangery but now leads the field with a range of innovative products that have bridged the gap in a way that has brought the orangery concept within reach of far more homeowners. At the core of Synseal’s hybrid offering is the best-selling Global Summer orangery design, which is an addition to the marketleading Global conservatory roof system with eye-catching external fascia claddings and internal pelmets to create the internal orangery soffit. Alternatively, the Capella design adapts 68 » F EB 2015 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M ‘offering an alternative that is not only more affordable but also can be installed with much less upheaval’ the proven K2 conservatory roof with a range of modular design options including a choice of external fascia and gutter solutions and easy-fitting shelf-style or fully-plastered internal soffits, all of which can be fitted with downlights to add to the orangery effect. Mark Schlotel, Synseal’s Head of Marketing, says this hybrid style has widened the potential of the orangery market, especially at the price-sensitive middle and lower end, giving many Synseal installer partners a way into this valuable market: “When you look at how many homeowners want an orangery against how many people end up choosing one, there is an obvious gap and we have identified a large part of that gap to be simple economics. By offering hybrid designs such as Global Summer and K2 Capella, the installer immediately closes that gap by offering an alternative that is not only more affordable but also can be installed with much less upheaval.” Of course, many homeowners still choose to invest in a true orangery and here Synseal also scores with a range of designs including the Venetian system, which brings orangery installation within the reach of many more installers thanks to its speed and simplicity. The Venetian is based on aluminium beams that can be optionally supported by structural aluminium posts bolted directly to foundations and so allow any design to be used beneath, including wide span bifolding doors or fully-framed walls, without the need for additional support. Venetian also incorporates fully-insulated ‘warm roof ’ construction to ensure Building Regulations compliance.