Template - Front page: Building Regulations for Conservatories and Extensions in Swansea

Adding a conservatory or extending your home is an excellent way to increase space and add value to your property. However, ensuring that your new addition complies with building regulations is essential for the safety, functionality, and legality of your project. At Securahome, we specialise in home improvements and are here to guide you through the process. Whether your goal is a home extension or a new conservatory, we offer comprehensive guidance and support throughout the development process.

Understanding Building Regulations

Building regulations are standards set by the government to ensure the health and safety of people in and around buildings. They cover various aspects, including structural integrity, fire safety, energy efficiency, and accessibility. In Swansea, these regulations apply to both conservatories and home extensions. Moreover, any updates or changes to your property should also consider building control requirements to ensure compliance.

Building Regulations for Conservatories in Swansea

While conservatories often enjoy some exemptions from building regulations, they must meet specific criteria to qualify:

• Size Restrictions: The conservatory must not exceed 30 square meters in floor area.
• Separation from the Main House: It should be separated from the main house by external walls, doors, or windows.
• Glazing and Electrical Safety: Any glazing used must comply with Part N of the building regulations, ensuring that it is safe and thermally efficient. Electrical installations must also meet Part P standards.

For more detailed information, visit the Planning Portal or consult directly with Swansea Council.

Building Regulations for Home Extensions in Swansea

Unlike conservatories, home extensions generally must comply with building regulations to ensure they are safe and efficient. Here are some key requirements you should be aware of during the application stages of your project development:

• Structural Integrity: The extension must be designed and constructed to ensure it can bear the weight of the structure and resist weather conditions.
• Insulation: Proper insulation is required to make the extension energy-efficient and comfortable throughout the year.
• Fire Safety: Adequate measures, such as smoke alarms and fire-resistant materials, must be incorporated to enhance safety.
• Ventilation: Sufficient ventilation must be provided to avoid issues like dampness and condensation.
• Accessibility: The extension must be accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities.

Planning Permission Considerations

In addition to building regulations, planning permission might also be necessary, depending on the specifics of your project. General guidelines include:

• Size and Scale: The extension should not exceed certain size limits relative to your property.
• Impact on Neighbours: The design should consider the impact on neighbouring properties, including privacy and light considerations.
• Design Aesthetics: The extension should complement the existing architecture of your home and the local area.

How Securahome Can Help

Navigating building regulations and planning permissions can be daunting. At Securahome, we offer comprehensive support to ensure your home improvement project complies with all necessary regulations. Our services include:

• Consultation and Design: We work with you to design a conservatory or extension that meets your needs and adheres to local regulations.
• Project Management: From initial planning to final construction, we manage every aspect of your project.
• Quality Assurance: Our team ensures that all building work meets the highest standards of safety and quality.

Ready to start your conservatory or extension project in Swansea? Contact us today for expert advice and a no-obligation quote.

Get in Touch

For more information or to get a quote, visit our website at Securahome or call us on 0800 808 3224. Let Securahome help you turn your home improvement dreams into reality!

By following these guidelines and working with trusted professionals like Securahome, you can ensure that your conservatory or extension project in Swansea is successful, compliant, and adds real value to your home.

Template - Front page: Securahome reopens

Everyone at Securahome is delighted to announce that we are re-opening our showroom following the Covid-19 lockdown.

If you’re looking to transform your home with one of our conservatories, orangeries, porches or by installing new windows and doors then we’re also delighted to say that our designers and fitters are now making house calls.

They have all been trained in the use of protective equipment and work within strict safety guidelines.

Managing Director of Securahome Jason Jenkins said: “We have all been through challenging and unprecedented times and although we continue to adhere to strict government guidelines I’m pleased to say there is a light on the horizon at last.

If you would like to arrange a visit to our showroom, you can contact Securahome on 0800 808 3224 or by emailing , if you prefer to just pop in we are open seven days a week see our opening time on this website. sales@securahome.co.uk.

Template - Front page: Bring light and space into your home

With more than a quarter of a century in the business Securahome’ dedicated designers know instinctively what a customer wants when it comes to home improvements.

When a customer says they want to create an airy and light room in their home we take them through the process every step of the way to turn their dreams into a reality.

No matter what the style or the period of your property, our design team will work alongside you to ensure your extension blends seamlessly with your home and creates a room that has the “wow” factor every time you step inside.

Glazed extensions not only maximise space, but they bring natural light into your property and dependant on where you live can also give you great vistas from the comfort of your favourite armchair.

The additional space, which does not need interconnecting doors with your property, means you can create a great new area to relax, entertain or just spend quality time surrounded by your family.

Whether you decide on one of our many different styles of conservatory, solid roof extension or orangery, our A+ rated windows and insulated roofs give you a room you can use all year round to relax or entertain your friends.

If you already have a conservatory, a solid or A+ rated glass roof replacement could make the days of closing the doors on your sunroom in winter, or finding it uncomfortably hot in mid-summer, a thing of the past.

Contact us today and discuss your options with a design team recognised for their professional expertise in providing the extension of your dreams.

Template - Front page: Transform your conservatory into a thermally efficient solid roof extension

If you’re thinking of enhancing your property with a solid roof extension, remember the benefits aren’t only creating a light and airy new room.

Built as a new extension or addition to an existing conservatory, Securahome’s solid conservatory roofs are also thermally efficient.

The combination of two major components means Securahome can upgrade your current conservatory into a room that can be used all year round.

First, if needed, we can replace older-style double glazing with modern and efficient A+ rated windows.

Second, you can choose from a variety of insulated roofs. These are far more thermally efficient than polycarbonate roofs.

Remember that heat in any room rises and if the roof isn’t well-insulated, then not only is it difficult to keep warm but energy bills get higher.

The added thermal efficiency of these hybrid rooms means you can remove interconnecting doors to maximise space.

The lightweight tiled warm roof works well with more traditional properties and is created using super-insulated panels, that achieve a u value of 0.13 – which is 15 times more thermally efficient than a polycarbonate roof or old glass roof without solar control.

Inside, the ceiling is plastered and can include down-lighters, and there is even an option to add roof windows.

Securahome also offers the ultra-modern LivinRoof which is a hybrid solid and glass roof which can be tailored to insert glass panels wherever you like, maximising the light entering into the room.

For more information or to speak to one of the Securahome design team by calling 0800 808 3224.

Template - Front page: Securahome Coronavirus Statement

As we face the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Securahome would like to reassure its customers and staff that their health and safety is our highest priority.

Securahome is staying well informed of the developing COVID-19 situation and we are following advice from the UK and Welsh governments and Public Health Wales.

As the situation changes on an almost daily basis, we are also maintaining a flexible working approach to ensure we adhere to the messages being issued from each body.

If you have appointments booked with Securahome for a home visit, then we want to reassure that we are taking every precaution possible to minimise the spread of the virus.

When we visit your property to either plan the design or undertake work on your home improvement, we will have strict cleansing and hygiene processes in place.

• To limit physical contact, our staff will not be shaking your hand on arrival or departure.
• They will also request the opportunity to wash their hands with soap and water.
• If you have any worries about proximity, then our teams will stay at least two metres away while visiting your home.

We have contingency plans to ensure that our showroom remains open and that telephone, emails and Internet enquiries are dealt with.

We are in regular dialogue with manufacturers, and can report that our supply chain is confident it has the necessary measures in place to ensure production continues during this period.

At Securahome we are working tirelessly to ensure we continue to provide you with the high level of service and quality you expect from us during these challenging times.

Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to helping you with your next home improvement project.

Template - Front page: Christmas opening hours 2019

Securahome would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our valued customers for another successful year. We have been very busy since the launch of our new showroom.

We are looking forward to a busy 2020 and to helping more and more customers with their home improvement requirements.  Below are our opening hours over Christmas and the New Year.

Securahome closes on 20th December 2019

Showroom opens on:

Friday 27^th of December   9.00 to 5.00 pm

Saturday 28^th December     10.00 to 4.00 pm

Sunday 29^th   December      10.00 to 3.30 pm

Monday 30th December     9.00 to 5.00 pm

Closed     31^st December

Closed      1^st January

Thursday 2^nd January            9.00 to 5.00 pm

Friday      3^rd January             9.00  to 5.00 pm

Saturday 4^th January             10.00 to 3.00 pm

Sunday   5^th January              10.00 to 3.00 pm

 

Monday 6^th of January 2020  Business opens as normal

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For any emergency call outs please email us at sales@securahome.co.uk

Template - Front page: Your essential checklist for choosing the perfect windows and doors

Windows and doors make a huge difference to the look and feel of your home. With such a plethora of styles and finishes available, it’s important to think about exactly what you want to make the right choice.

Before you make a change to your windows and doors, consider our six tips to make sure they are the perfect fit!

1) Energy efficiency: With older styles, up to 30 per cent of your home’s heat loss could be through your windows, so it’s important that your windows – and doors – offer good insulation properties as well as looking good. We’ve moved design and technology on a long way, and energy efficiency is now better than ever, so you can expect A+ rated windows fitted as standard from Securahome.

2) Colour: Anyone who has noticed the current trend for anthracite grey windows or even simply painted a front door will know colour alone can transform the appearance of your home. From Cotswold biscuit, classic creams through to a striking red and modern greys, colour makes a huge difference to your home’s kerb appeal.

3) Inside and out: It’s also really important to consider the interior of your windows and doors, after all that’s the part you will look at most!

4) Material: At Securahome, we supply aluminium, UPVC and timber windows and doors as they all give a different look, feel and quality to your home. Think sleek aluminium with their slim frames, timber with its distinctive grain, sash windows with their period appeal or UPVC with its low maintenance and variety of styles, and you can see how the material itself impacts the character of your home.

5) Style: When you are changing your windows and doors, consider if you want maximum light in the room, a traditional look or a very modern feel, all of which will make a difference to the type of window or door that will work best for you.

6) Warranty: It really is important that windows are fitted by a reputable firm that offers a warranty. A window or door can only perform to its potential energy rating if it’s fitted properly. Gaps and cracks let in cold air and damaging rainwater, so it’s essential to safeguard your investment and for your own peace of mind.

When you book an appointment for windows or doors with Securahome, our designer will guide you through all of the options available to get the look, style and finish for your home.

Template - Front page: Fall in love with your conservatory again with a Securahome solid roof

A solid roof can truly transform your conservatory from a ‘sometimes space’ to an all-year-round room.

It’s one of our most requested home improvements, and from the pictures here it’s easy to see why.

With the same thermal efficiency of a standard, traditionally-constructed house roof, these roofs help keep your conservatory warmer in winter and cooler in summer.

And while most people consider a replacement solid conservatory roof for their thermal properties, the finished result is more akin to a brand-new room – if it’s done correctly – with a real designer feel.

However, like any construction work, alterations to your conservatory must be done correctly to avoid problems. Older conservatories weren’t originally designed for solid roofs and that’s why it is very important that any replacement roof is fit for purpose.

There are people who will ‘clad over’ your roof promising it will give you a warmer room and less glare. Either they will clad the inside using wooden batons and cladding or externally with batons and tiles. Both options will add significant weight to the roof.

Original conservatory roofs themselves were designed for polycarbonate or glass and clad over or clad under systems can affect the structural integrity. They are simply not designed for the extra weight or rigidity of cladding or tiles.

A quality, specially designed solid conservatory roof will mean completely removing the structure of your existing glass or polycarbonate roof. 

Designed to be both strong, highly insulated and light enough for a conservatory, Securahome’s solid conservatory roofs are built to last.

Once fitted, your conservatory will be transformed internally and externally. We can add glazing panels to the roofs, which help to bring light into the room wherever you want it. We can also add downlighters to brighten your room at night.

Like many well-engineered products, a solid conservatory roof is an investment and will cost more than a clad over, but it is significantly less costly than having to pick up the pieces when a clad over goes wrong or facing a complete rebuild.

At Securahome we offer a number of ways to help spread the cost of your home improvements.

Please go to the dedicated page full details.  

Template - Front page: Bara Brith: A Heart-Warming Welsh Treat

There are two types of Bara Brith (speckled bread) – yeasted and un-yeasted.

The second is more like a tea bread, and the kind of heart-warming treat that is made for autumn and winter months – with a cup of tea of course!

This one involves soaking dried fruit in tea overnight and is an easy recipe that delivers a mouth-watering, moist and juicy bara brith – just like Mamgu used to make!

Ingredients

• 300g dried mixed fruit
• 350ml boiling water
• 3 tea bags
• 180g soft brown sugar
• 230g self-raising flour
• 1 medium egg
• 1/2 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Method
1. Place the tea bags into a jug and add the boiling water. Leave to brew for 5 minutes.
2. Put the dried mixed fruit into a mixing bowl, pour over the tea and throw away the tea bags. Leave overnight.
3. Add the sugar to the mixture and stir until dissolved. Next add the whole egg, the flour and finally the mixed spice and ground cinnamon. Mix until the mixture resembles a thick cake-like batter.
4. Grease a loaf tin and pour in the cake mixture. It should come up no higher than half way, as the cake will rise in the oven.
5. Place on the middle shelf of a preheated oven at 150 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
6. Once done, remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes or so until the cake comes away from the sides of the tin.
7. Leave to cool on a cooling rack. Serve with butter and a freshly-brewed paned / cuppa!

Template - Front page: The perfect extension is all in the design

When you need a little more space at home, the options for a perfect extension are greater than ever.

What is a perfect extension? For many people, a light and airy kitchen / family room is top of the home improvement list. Others on the other hand may may want a quiet, bright space to relax and enjoy the garden views.

When you consider the costs, time and upheaval of moving, extending your home can be an attractive alternative. After all it has the added advantage that you can personalise your space, and create it to suit your taste and lifestyle.

At Securahome, our extension projects include conservatories, orangeries, solid roof extensions and sunrooms, giving you a range of options to choose from when you’re looking to create more space.  We aim to provide the perfect extension for your home.

If you’ve had building work before? you’ll know that there’s a lot to consider: From planning to building control through to heating and electrics. This is in addition to all the different trades that carry out each of those tasks.

As the foundations will involve excavation, you may have to consider retaining walls and check that sewer works remain unaffected. A knock-through will mean a structural engineers report and building control inspections at important stages of the process.

At Securahome, we treat extensions as we treat any of our projects and offer a complete end-to-end service.

From creating the design and submitting plans, dealing with building control and any water board consents to those final, but very important, finishing touches such as flooring, lighting and even door handles. We oversee every aspect of the build.

We carry out perfect extension every week, so are very familiar with the different consents and permissions needed.  Furthermore, our design team have a treasure trove of ideas and suggestions to help you plan your perfect new space.

In the year that we celebrate our 25th anniversary, we are also a one-stop shop for you to call, with guarantees that really are worth more than the paper they’re written on.