Room For Aluminium

Aluminium still offers exciting growth opportunities despite the current challenging economic climate. And, with the conservatory market also still relatively buoyant, Nigel Yates, Managing Director of Beaufort Secure Design, explores the advantages of adding an aluminium conservatory option for PVC-U fabricators and installers.

To capitalise on the conservatory boom, it’s not surprising that more and more PVC-U window companies have diversified their operation into this potentially lucrative market either by adding conservatories as a new product or expanding their existing conservatory offering.

However, in this now highly competitive environment there is another option that can help achieve that that all-important point of differentiation – aluminium conservatories. And, given the number of enquiries from PVC-U suppliers that we’ve been receiving recently at Beaufort, many companies are already recognising the advantages of adding aluminium to their sales offering.

Key benefits of aluminium for conservatories – in terms of inherent qualities and aesthetic appeal – include the fact that being naturally stronger than other framing materials, it provides an excellent conservatory walling system requiring no reinforcement.

Panels can be delivered to site already glazed, and the structure can be assembled without having to remove the glass, saving installation time and cost. The wide range of posts, poles and couplings available for aluminium conservatories provide simple solutions for the increasingly popular bespoke designs, which in turn lead to higher margins and a premium price.

Also, aluminium’s slim sightlines, contoured profiles and highly durable colour options often provide a more aesthetically acceptable solution for certain property styles or conservation areas. For example, a cream finish aluminium conservatory blends perfectly with the honey- coloured stone of the Cotswolds or the architectural style of historic towns such as Bath or Harrogate.

An aluminium conservatory will also complement what is invariably an aluminium roof system, and the section size is perfectly matched to the eaves and ring beams of all leading roof products. Modern aluminium systems like Beaufort’s offer full compliance with all the latest standards for building regulations, security and weather performance.

Aluminium offers a distinctive alternative to the look of standard PVC-U Victorian and Edwardian conservatories. But as this difference comes with a slightly higher price tag that may not suit everyone’s pocket, offering both PVC-U and aluminium provides the opportunity to ‘switch sell’ and still secure a sale. Starting with a higher specification, higher value product, the switch to a lower specified alternative can be made without losing credibility or integrity. From a business perspective, many PVC-U fabricators may still have concerns about the practical and cost implications of taking on aluminium. Both systems can certainly co-exist within the factory and use very similar skills and production techniques. However, we’d probably recommend that a company new to aluminium manufacture buys in an aluminium conservatory range until the necessary volume is reached to make it a truly cost-effective proposition. Beaufort can provide a quality fabricator in all parts of the UK through its network of approved fabricators.

If manufacturing is the preferred option, then there’s the question of which system to choose. If you are a fabricator, it’s vital to check not only the range of products and service to support you but also any accreditation claims. Quite a few systems companies will quote their product as capable of achieving BS 7950 for security and BS 6375 for weather performance, and as being PAS 23/24 approved. The system may well have been tested to these standards, but this may not have been through an independent UKAS test laboratory. Increasingly we are seeing requests from specifiers for certificates only from these test laboratories. So beware and check the details thoroughly.

The selected conservatory system should also offer a broad product range, including a wide choice of colours and options such as contoured vents, to satisfy a wide variety of design demands from traditional to contemporary. Similarly, any installer who may be considering offering aluminium conservatories should make sure the systems company has an experienced fabricator network, and that assistance is available with showroom displays and marketing support to help them promote their new venture successfully.

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About The Author:

Sunny Glazier is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.replacement-windows-n-shutters.com. Everything you need for replacement windows; sizing, purchasing, installing and maintaining.