Clearview National February 2015 - Issue 159 | Page 72
conservatories
Conservatory market
definitely not in decline
While there are considerable column inches dedicated to the latest tiled GardenRooms
in the media, including their own impressive engineered offering, Prefix Systems firmly
believe that the conservatory market is still alive and kicking. As the UK’s largest
independent roof fabricator, they are also in a good position to pass expert comment.
»»It’s accepted that
the market is a third of what it
once was, with around 100,000
installations each year and now
polycarbonate has been replaced
by glass as the roofing material
of choice. The specification of
conservatories has also changed
with new and exciting foiled
finishes such as Chartwell (Sage)
Green, Grey and Irish Oak,
while bi-folding doors are being
increasingly incorporated into
final designs.
Consumers are becoming
ever more conscious of the
lack of space in the typical UK
house and are not necessarily
just requesting a standard
conservatory, but a glazed
extension which opens up
further opportunities for new
colours and designs. There
still remains a strong demand
for a stylish conservatory
with desirable options such
as Cornice and LivinRoom
gaining popularity. Integration of
decorative pilasters and couplers
have also led to greatly improved
lateral structural performance
of the supporting side frames
and allowed more complex and
varied design options, as well as
providing superior aesthetics over
a standard corner post.
The conservatory market
grew on the back of the 3x3
72 » F EB 2015 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M
Victorian and Lean-to designs,
incorporating products such
as Ultralite 500 and now
these generic types are far less
common. Consumers are now
more informed than ever when
it comes to investing in a new
glazed extension with all the
relevant research available on the
internet, indeed some consumers
are second or even third time
buyers and keen to ensure their
next purchase improves on what
has gone before. The market
has also changed with the
importance of effective customer
support, BBA Certification and
product development now more
important than ever.
Prefix Systems has
continually evolved and the
company has in recent years
added their own range of
ancillaries including Multibeam
and Retrofix, along with a full
suite of aluminium windows
and doors, aluminium bifolding doors, Residence 9
window and more recently the
Clearview glazed rooflight for
flat roof installations, which is
due for launch in Q1 2015.
For a free copy of their new
trade brochure, contact the sales
office on 01254 871800, e-mail
[email protected]