Hello, Having a limited budget and a small house I need some extra space, but really can't afford an extension or new conservatory, so am thinking of getting a used conservatory from ebay and building it myself. My query is about possibly having to modify it. I want a glass roof, so that will fix my size dimensions 4x3m. I can have a proper concrete base built, as have a builder friend who would do that. Could I then just fill the sides with a my own design? I fancied French doors at the front and different sized windows at the side - maybe get my builder friend to put some bricks in where needed. Could this work? I've seen lots of good, used conservatories on ebay, but not one that exactly fit's my needs, so I thought, as they are quite cheap, get one with the right size glass roof and then use the sides and parts of others. The bit I'm not sure about is would they be able to fit together? Is it just a case of bolted upvc frames together or to brickwork and then sealing? how would a roof join to my sides? any help or advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
diy used ebay conservatory advice
- Thread starter seneca
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Everything is possible, depends how brave and how handy you're feeling. Trouble with your cunning plan is you may find that your 'get a cheapie conservatory from Ebay and bodge it together' actually ends up costing you about as much as just buying a designed for the job conservatory without the benefit of any sort of warranty.
Your first job is to set your TOTAL budget and get on the phone to local suppliers (NOT the 'As seen on TV' lot, who do you think pays for all that airtime) and see what they can do for you.
Your first job is to set your TOTAL budget and get on the phone to local suppliers (NOT the 'As seen on TV' lot, who do you think pays for all that airtime) and see what they can do for you.
Probably your best bet is to get a good quality newish conservatory on ebay that has been dismantled because the seller is having a new extension and adapt your extension design to try and suit. I've worked on jobs where clients have dismantled conservatories that are less than 2 years old and they get peanuts for them. If you try to find a conservatory that fits your design you could be looking for months and only find an old rubbish one.
To a point plastic conservatories are modular so they can be dismantled and re-erected and possibly reconfigured but you will probably have to replace some of the trims etc.
To a point plastic conservatories are modular so they can be dismantled and re-erected and possibly reconfigured but you will probably have to replace some of the trims etc.
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I would do a lot of research into their construction. Its the front edge of your 4m span will have an aluminium beam hidden in it, likewise the uprights of the door frame. These must be fixed accurately or the door and window panels will be out of square.
It seems that designers like to keep the width of the roof panels and the window panels the same, so I would look for one where you can whip off a roof panel and window panel to get back to 4m (or 3.5 ish?) even if this puts the doors off centre. Depend what you can live with. Doors in the centre mean you can't have a big table in it because you will have to walk around it to get out.
Frank
It seems that designers like to keep the width of the roof panels and the window panels the same, so I would look for one where you can whip off a roof panel and window panel to get back to 4m (or 3.5 ish?) even if this puts the doors off centre. Depend what you can live with. Doors in the centre mean you can't have a big table in it because you will have to walk around it to get out.
Frank
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my mate bought a really nice conservatory for £180 off ebay, already dismantled and with no idea how it went together, i used the sill as a template and put him a base down and dwarf cavity wall up.
while i did this he went town on the plastics cleaning them up like new.
it went together quite easily really considering how many bits it was in, and looked spot on, ended up costing about a grand and considering he was quoted 14k for the same thing new i think he did really well.
so my advice to you is go for it
if i was only going to use only the roof and build the sides myself id put the roof together on the floor, then take all the dimensions, then build the sides to suit the roof
while i did this he went town on the plastics cleaning them up like new.
it went together quite easily really considering how many bits it was in, and looked spot on, ended up costing about a grand and considering he was quoted 14k for the same thing new i think he did really well.
so my advice to you is go for it
if i was only going to use only the roof and build the sides myself id put the roof together on the floor, then take all the dimensions, then build the sides to suit the roof
Thanks for some really helpful advice everyone. My budget would be around the 2-2.5k limit, which would include getting a good base (like one for an extension with 900 footings- my builder friend is putting one down in a few weeks and would help me out and see if he can get a discount on the concrete etc.) I got a quote for a good one and it was over 15, but they drew me up a spec sheet with all the details, so I know what the pros use.
I've seen a couple listed recently that I could live with, albeit not the latest type. One has a glass roof, but I think it's the early variety, so none of the anti-glare, tinted, self cleaning features, but still it is glass and has decent sides. It's a square Edwardian type with very close to my dimensions (3.5m width across the house and projecting out 3.8m) and French doors at the front. Only problems are it's been dismantled, no pictures, diagrams or plan. No dwarf wall to copy and very few measurements. I like the idea of using sills as a template, but they've been thrown away. Where does the dwarf wall sit in relation to the frame or roof outline? What if I managed to reassemble it in my garden and then measure and make a wooden batten template by tracing around the outer edge of the floorprint. Would the outer edge of the frame sit in the middle or right on the outer edge of the wall? Where did the sills sit in relation to the wall? I imagine the sill needed to hang over the wall?
Thanks again folks.
I've seen a couple listed recently that I could live with, albeit not the latest type. One has a glass roof, but I think it's the early variety, so none of the anti-glare, tinted, self cleaning features, but still it is glass and has decent sides. It's a square Edwardian type with very close to my dimensions (3.5m width across the house and projecting out 3.8m) and French doors at the front. Only problems are it's been dismantled, no pictures, diagrams or plan. No dwarf wall to copy and very few measurements. I like the idea of using sills as a template, but they've been thrown away. Where does the dwarf wall sit in relation to the frame or roof outline? What if I managed to reassemble it in my garden and then measure and make a wooden batten template by tracing around the outer edge of the floorprint. Would the outer edge of the frame sit in the middle or right on the outer edge of the wall? Where did the sills sit in relation to the wall? I imagine the sill needed to hang over the wall?
Thanks again folks.
they sit like a normal window sits, just set back from the outside edge with the sill overhanging.
we did a fairly deep footing, block work to just below ground level then a nice brick outer and thermalite inner, cavity insulation, concrete then screed floor and finally plastered the inside, we mixed the concrete ourselves on site to keep costs down
he only paid for materials as i did the work for free so thats why it only cost him about a grand
without the sills makes it more difficult but with it being square it should be easier to work out, the one i did was Victorian so the sill was a big help
it might be a good idea to put it together on the ground first, you'll get accurate measurements and it will be easier to work on while you're figuring out what goes where, just dont put the glass in on the dry run, who knows you might even be able to lift it onto the wall in larger sections
it was actually a lot easier than id expected it to be and id do another anytime.
we did a fairly deep footing, block work to just below ground level then a nice brick outer and thermalite inner, cavity insulation, concrete then screed floor and finally plastered the inside, we mixed the concrete ourselves on site to keep costs down
he only paid for materials as i did the work for free so thats why it only cost him about a grand
without the sills makes it more difficult but with it being square it should be easier to work out, the one i did was Victorian so the sill was a big help
it might be a good idea to put it together on the ground first, you'll get accurate measurements and it will be easier to work on while you're figuring out what goes where, just dont put the glass in on the dry run, who knows you might even be able to lift it onto the wall in larger sections
it was actually a lot easier than id expected it to be and id do another anytime.
Bit of a development - I've seen 2 conservatories for sale. One has nice sides and front and measures 3.5m wide across the house and projection is 3.7m - only downside is it has an old glass roof with a few misted units. The other is a roof only that measures 4m wide across the house and projects out 3.5m into the garden. The measurements are slightly off and the roof only will have to be turned 90 degrees. This should be ok because both conservatories are Edwardian style and both roofs are kind of pyramid, hipped shape.
Here's what I mean
What I'll need to do is make a 4m roof length fit a 3.75m side length, so extend the length by 25cm. Make a 3.5m width into a 3.3m width, so reduce the width by 20cm. I thought a could add a pillar of bricks on the dwarf wall as it touches the house, so the wall is pushed out an extra 25cm, but the roof overhangs by 25cm. I would also need to cut 20 off the upvc frame front width, so maybe use an angle grinder to remove some edges of the frames, so they are not so wide. What would you good folk suggest? Any other, and hopefully better ideas of ways of extending and reducing?
Here's what I mean
What I'll need to do is make a 4m roof length fit a 3.75m side length, so extend the length by 25cm. Make a 3.5m width into a 3.3m width, so reduce the width by 20cm. I thought a could add a pillar of bricks on the dwarf wall as it touches the house, so the wall is pushed out an extra 25cm, but the roof overhangs by 25cm. I would also need to cut 20 off the upvc frame front width, so maybe use an angle grinder to remove some edges of the frames, so they are not so wide. What would you good folk suggest? Any other, and hopefully better ideas of ways of extending and reducing?
yea i would suggest dont rush in and buy something just because your eager, looks like its going to cause you a lot of head-scratching and no guarantees it will look right, keep looking, be patient and one more suitable will turn, my mate watched em on eBay for months in fact he did everyone's head in lol but he found one that was just right in the end.
Wise advice, and it did originally run through my mind once I had the idea. Quiet time at work, so I'm dreaming up all kinds of crazy plans of things to do around the house. I can "vent" and use this board as a place I'm less likely to get my head kicked in........ unlike home where I daren't mention them! Still, roof is no longer for sale, so maybe a close shave and just as well. Sides are though! and I'm now thinking the opposite, do those first, fit the old glass roof and get an idea as to how these things are put together. Eventually something will turn up, but I'll build this at the back of the garden, or maybe the allotment! Both are places no one else goes.
I built my conservatory two summers ago and used a DURABASE steel frame. No need for trench foundations. Works well on simple sites and shapes. The base cost me approx £1300, and was ready for a three sided Full height conservatory. I ordered plastic panels for the sides rather than glazed (as one side faces my neighbours wall, and the other side my other neighbours fence - glazed would not of allowed any light on anyway)
I drywalled the panels after so it looks like a brick built extension. I also had a glass roof, although this added over £1000 on my costs, it looks great, but gets very warm, even this week.
If I had gone with a poly carb roof the project would have come in around £4-4500 mark, most of the work myself, but i employed fitters for the bolt together of the upvc.
Mine measures 3.6x2.9m.
Just some food for thought for you, especially the base
GL
I drywalled the panels after so it looks like a brick built extension. I also had a glass roof, although this added over £1000 on my costs, it looks great, but gets very warm, even this week.
If I had gone with a poly carb roof the project would have come in around £4-4500 mark, most of the work myself, but i employed fitters for the bolt together of the upvc.
Mine measures 3.6x2.9m.
Just some food for thought for you, especially the base
GL
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I am not sure that you are aware of the amount of work there would be to resize a free standing Edwardian style conservatory to a lean to type. You need a box gutter and beam to hold the back edge to the house wall and stand it of so you have room for a gutter. The fact that you have to put vertical pillar like supports under the edge of the original side beams, it they do not extend to your full wanted width. I would personally steer clear of this type and go for a simple flat roofed lean to type. Some one I know has an attached Edwardian style absolutely huge, 10m X 5m ?. Its really nice except for the pillars about 2' away from the house wall, four of them from memory, they really affect the usefulness of this area. Also these box gutters need annually maintenance because they fill with leaves - I have three of them.
Frank
Frank
Got hold of a cheap one from ebay that is roughly spot on regarding size. It is an Edwardian and has box gutter and an old type, glass "pointy" roof. Bit of a nightmare trying to piece the roof back together as it was dismantled ages ago by a builder, who yanked at a few spots and threw/lost some of the fixings. Anyone help me with identifying and locating a few each of these: (The middle one is stainless steel and looks to be upvc window related, the first one slides in a roof channel that holds small beams and the smallest looks aluminium bolt type.)
Here's the damn thing in one piece (wish I had dismantled!)
Here's the damn thing in one piece (wish I had dismantled!)
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