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Frequently Asked Questions
• What can a Lancaster Sunroom or Conservatory addition
be used for?
• Can we use our existing deck or patio for a new room
addition?
• Can a Lancaster sunroom addition blend into the character
of my home?
• How long does it take to deliver a Lancaster room after
placing the order?
• How long does the construction of the Lancaster
sunroom or conservatory take to complete?
• How much is a Lancaster sunroom going to cost?
• What return on investment can be expected on a sunroom
or conservatory addition?
• How hard is it to build a Lancaster conservatory
or sunroom addition?
• Will I need a building permit?
• What about maintenance?
• What is Lancaster Conservatories doing to protect the
environment?
• Why should we purchase our addition from Lancaster
Conservatories instead of other rooms available?
• What is the difference between a Conservatory and a Sunroom?
• How do we get started?
Q: What can a Lancaster Sunroom or Conservatory addition be used for?
A:
Sunrooms and Conservatories are probably the most flexible room on many homes.
Anything from a breakfast nook, an extension on a family room, a recreational
room, we have even worked with a sunroom for a private car collection, the
uses are endless.
Q: Can we use our existing deck or patio for a new room addition?
A: That depends; usually a deck will require more supports in order to carry the additional load, and the flooring will need to be changed to allow a smooth transition between the house and the room addition.
A concrete patio on the other hand will probably need to be removed because chances are there are no footings directly under your planned addition unless you are replacing an existing room structure. The two concerns with using an existing patio are: 1. Typically the patio will slope away from the house to allow for water drainage. If you reuse the existing pad the floor in your new room will have a slope. 2. The second concern is more important as it deals with the seal between the house and the room addition. Patio’s that don’t have footings under them will move vertically as frost builds underneath during the winter. You may not realize it but the concrete can actually move vertically up to 1” under extreme circumstances. That vertical movement makes it very difficult to keep a weather proof seal between the room and the house. Many times code departments will not allow use of existing patios for this very reason.
Q: Can a Lancaster sunroom addition blend into the character
of my home?
A: Absolutely, that is the beauty of working with a
wood product. The color choices are infinite, with the option of multiple
colors on one room. Let’s
say the color of your home is a two tone combination with the trim boards
being a different color than the siding, your Lancaster addition can be painted
the same combination to match perfectly.
Q: How long does it take to deliver a Lancaster room after placing the order?
A: Your room can be delivered in as little as a couple of weeks, ready to
install. Usually the time between placing the order and the delivery of the
room is used to prepare the building site so that when the room arrives it
is ready to install.
Q: How long does the construction of the Lancaster sunroom or conservatory
take to complete?
A: Although there are many factors that determine the time to complete the
construction process, such as accessibility and elevation, the time to complete
Lancaster project takes about the same amount of time as it would take to
build a similar size custom addition.
Q: How much is a Lancaster sunroom going to cost?
A: As you know cost is driven by quality. A Lancaster room addition is going
to be a slightly larger investment initially than other sunrooms available,
but the overall craftsmanship and quality is unparalleled.
Q: What return on investment can
be expected on a sunroom or conservatory addition?
A: The ROI depends greatly on the quality of the sunroom, the functionality
of the room, and the ability of the room to blend into the character of the
home. If built with these factors in mind the room should be a focal point
of the home. We enjoy hearing stories from homeowners that have purchased
a home with an existing Lancaster addition telling us that one of the primary
reasons they selected their home over others available was the beauty of
the Lancaster sunroom or conservatory.
Q: How hard is it to build a Lancaster conservatory or sunroom addition?
A: The Lancaster Conservatories system has been designed with ease of installation
in mind. A majority of the components have been cut to length, mitered, and
predrilled giving carpenters with the skill level to build a custom deck
the comfort to install a beautiful sunroom or conservatory without difficulty.
Plus, we offer customer installation support on all Lancaster projects, so
help is never more than a phone call or e-mail away.
Q: Will I need a building permit?
A: In most cases a building permit is necessary. We
can assist by providing the necessary elevation drawings for obtaining
permits in your area. Engineering reports are available if necessary to
show lateral and vertical deflection tables for Lancaster’s standard
room configurations. Lancaster rooms have been tested, and have exceeded
225 mph wind load resistance and 70lb per square foot snow load without
structural damage or failure.
A: When treated initially with a high quality, lifetime exterior paint the
maintenance should be little to none. Most major paint manufactures have
an exterior paint product that comes with a lifetime warranty, guaranteeing
that you have a lifetime of worry free enjoyment. Best of all, if an accident
occurs that damages the room in any way there are many simple ways to repair
and touch up the damaged section.
Q: What is Lancaster Conservatories doing to protect the environment?
A: With the design of the Lancaster Conservatories room additions being mostly precut, scrap is kept to a minimum. Upon completion of the Lancaster addition all the scraps will be able to fit into one trash can with the exception of the packaging. The shipping pallet is built to be disassembled and reused elsewhere on the project. Even the sawdust is collected to be used in making glue. Our manufacturing facility is ISO14001 certified and follows guidelines set forth by government agencies for responsible use of timber.
Lancaster uses hardwood that is harvested from tree plantations and government controlled resources. As mature trees are harvested seedlings are planted reestablishing a supply for the future. Wood is the only truly 100% renewable resource. The production process of manufacturing wood components uses about 1/10th of the energy required to manufacturer man made materials such as vinyl and aluminum.
Wood is the best structural insulating material that
can be used in building. When you combine a solid wood frame, an insulated
roof, with 1-1/8” Low-E
/ Argon insulated glass you end up with a sunroom that is as efficient as
can be built, thus cutting down on the amount of energy required to keep
the room comfortable year ‘round.
Q: Why should we purchase our addition from Lancaster Conservatories instead
of other rooms available?
A: At Lancaster Conservatories our philosophy is honesty at all times without exception. We are committed to customer satisfaction and strive for perfection on every project we send out. In the event that a problem arises we will be in the forefront of finding a resolution.
The reason we do, what we do, is because we feel that you should have options
when it comes to your room addition. Design flexibility and unlimited color
options are very important aspects to you; therefore they are important to
us. With just a little more effort on our part we can help you get exactly
what you have been dreaming about for your addition.
Q: What is the difference between a Conservatory and a Sunroom?
A: Definitions vary depending on who you ask, but the Lancaster definition is simple.
Lancaster Conservatories are most common a 3-season room with a translucent roof system, primarily consisting of glass or polycarbonate. Conservatories are great for growing plants and small trees as they offer abundant sunlight throughout the year. We recommend separating a conservatory from the rest of the house by using an exterior door that can be closed when not using the room.
Lancaster Sunrooms are built as a 4-season room with a fully insulated roof
structure allowing for comfortable use throughout all 4 seasons. The insulated
roof structure cuts down on the solar heat gain that enters mostly through
the roof. With a sunroom, the wall separating the house from the room addition
can be left open for everyday enjoyment.
A: Contact us today at 1-800-963-8700 or info@lancasterconservatories.com and we will guide you through the necessary steps.
