Glass rooms are getting popular these days as people add extensions or crave for more aesthetic focal points in the home. Others, though, are having second thoughts building it. The reason: these wrong impressions.
1. Glass Rooms Are Glorified Conservatories
It’s understandable why people confuse sunrooms, conservatories, and glass rooms. They sound and function similarly. For example, they’re all extensions of a house. All of them also use glass as walls and roofs.
By definition, conservatories are a place where you grow plants indoors. Some people use ‘sunrooms’ and “glass rooms” interchangeably. To be strict, sunrooms are areas that allow more light to come in. They are useful during mild weather and colder seasons. Glass rooms can be more flexible. They can be a conservatory, a sunroom, or an entertainment area.
2. They Need Planning Permission
Glass rooms don’t need planning permission as long as you follow the rules. One of these is the size. The size of the extension or the room should not more than 50% of the land area of the primary house. It must also not be taller than the highest roof. Your glass room should also not have any or be on a raised platform.
Conservatories can also be exempt from planning permission, but the rules are more stringent. If you want to avoid legal complexities, it’s best to hire an expert in glass room installation in Kent. These people are up-to-date with the changes in laws covering building extensions.
3. Glass Rooms Are Expensive
The cost of glass walls is a matter of perspective. Some people will find it reasonable; others, expensive. In buildings, brick is cheaper for low-rise. It also explains why many low structures have smaller windows.
Tall buildings, including skyscrapers, meanwhile, use a lot of glass. This is because brick can add more weight to the structure, the higher it rises. It means spending more on foundations, concrete, etc.
In a home, glass rooms cost more than brick per square foot. But it still depends on the land area. You can also save money by avoiding spending on foundations.
Glass rooms can also help you by increasing the market value of your property. Conservatories can boost the resale value by 5% as long as they’re made of glass. Glass rooms also provide a seamless transition from indoors to outdoors. It creates the illusion of more space, which many home buyers like.
4. Glass Rooms Are Weak
Glasses come in different types. One, you have annealed glass, which is regular glass. This is the cheapest of all, but it’s also the most prone to breakage. When it breaks, it also shatters into large shards. This is not the ideal glass for homes.
Your better options are tempered and laminated glass. Tempered glass is about four times stronger than regular glass. When it breaks, the glass turns into small pieces. Some of it can also remain on the frame. The strongest of the three is laminated glass. It is similar to the one you find in cars. It has two layers of tempered glass with a PVB or plastic film in between.
Not all homes benefit from glass rooms, but those that do need to consider them seriously. Not only does it increase home value, but it also provides a uniquely beautiful space for entertainment and relaxation.
