For 20 years now, Les Vérandas du Trégor have been masters in the art of designing and installing verandas. Based in Brittany, the company is far from the preconceived ideas on the construction and design of these luminous living spaces. Indeed, in line with the times, it has modernised and now uses new technologies to help customers project themselves. The company uses 3D modeling software that offers customers a computer simulation of its future sunroom. This customization is the core business of Les Vérandas du Trégor. These professionals propose personalized projects that combine technical and aesthetic aspects that are beyond reproach. Thanks to this 3D modeling technique, clients can directly project themselves into their project. The company can also provide free estimates. Finally, for the construction of its sunrooms, it only uses quality materials and their techniques combine masonry, panelling and glued stones. However, in their house, there are no predefined models, the customers are king and they are the designers of their sunroom. The professionals are only there to accompany them in their project.
As a true expert, Les Vérandas du Trégor offers you some important advice to keep in mind before starting to build a veranda. Indeed, it is essential to take this project seriously because a veranda completely changes the appearance of a home. Although it has many advantages, such as providing a real living space that is open to the garden and nature, it is important to plan the installation and not to forget anything when meeting with the professionals in charge of the project. Therefore, here are a few tips to consider before starting to build a veranda.
7 tips to follow when building a sunroom
Any project to expand a home should not be taken lightly, both practically and legally. Here are a few tips to make sure you don’t make a mistake when planning your veranda.
The question of comfort
A veranda is an additional room with generally glazed walls that can be used as a living room or winter garden, although it is quite possible to use it for other purposes. A veranda is a real extension of an existing house, a veranda is a porch or a light gallery that is established on the façade of a house. It can be covered (solid, semi-glazed or glazed roof) or open. Most often the frame is made of wood or aluminum, sometimes it can be made of PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride), wrought iron or steel.
The construction of a veranda has many advantages. First of all, it provides a new room of character for the house or adds value to the property. Then, it gives the inhabitants the opportunity to enjoy an exceptional luminous space that allows them to enjoy nature and its garden. Therefore, to make the most of this room, the emphasis should be on comfort. This is where the opinion of the Verandas du Trégor comes into play. Indeed, to optimize the comfort of the veranda, it is advisable to call upon professionals because the installation of this space requires insulation work. Moreover, their opinion is important for the choice of the location and the construction itself.
Respecting the law
Before starting any veranda construction project, it is advisable to find out about the legal rules of town planning and neighbourhood regulations beforehand. Indeed, the local urban plan of each municipality sets out the building rules for a veranda. Therefore, the maximum surface area of extension to be planned is defined by the Coefficient of Land Use (COS) and the safety rules to be respected are defined by the Natural Risk Prevention Plan.
Furthermore, it is important to know that to build a veranda in compliance with the law, a declaration of works must be filed if the surface area is less than or equal to 20 m². On the other hand, if the surface area is greater, a building permit must be applied for at the town hall.
It is important to note that these rules do not apply in the same way in all municipalities. Indeed, some of them can ask for a building permit for a veranda of less than 20 m².
Legal obligations in terms of energy performance
In addition to meeting building regulations, verandas must also provide requirements in terms of energy performance. This translates into the following: if the additional surface area added to the dwelling by the veranda exceeds 30% of the living area, the rules of the RT 2012 must be applied. The Thermal Regulations aim to improve the efficiency and energy consumption of the sunroom, such as good insulation, perfect waterproofing and limiting thermal bridges.
Choose your model
Once the customer has the above issues in mind, it is time to choose the model of his veranda. This task can quickly become complex. Indeed, there are multiple materials available, various colours, shapes and finishes. Therefore, before starting your veranda construction project, it is necessary to already have a precise idea of the general and aesthetic aspect of your veranda. For example, for a classic and authentic design, it is interesting to turn to wood, and for a more modern and contemporary construction, aluminium and PVC are choice allies. Finally, for a veranda with a Victorian style, materials such as steel and wrought iron are the best options.
Choosing your openings
In addition to the overall style of the veranda, it is important to consider the question of the openings to be provided. A veranda is meant to be a bright space. For this reason, large bay windows are often preferred. However, that is not all, it is also possible to make openings in the roof or to install windows or skylights.
In addition, the construction of a veranda can also require a modification of the existing, i.e. the house itself.
Orienting your veranda
In order to take advantage of perfect light and to optimise the bioclimatic performance of this room bathed in light, the choice of the orientation of the veranda should not be taken lightly.
All professionals will say it: as a general rule, you should install your veranda so that it faces south in rather cold regions and east in very sunny regions. If it faces north, you should install glass with reinforced thermal insulation to keep the temperature cool during the summer. Finally, a veranda facing west can be very pleasant if it is well ventilated.
Which rooms should be installed?
Even if, as mentioned above, a living room or conservatory is often installed, it is perfectly possible to install any room in a veranda, provided, of course, that the layout is properly planned. Therefore, the opinion of a professional such as Les Vérandas du Trégor is essential. This choice is made during the design of the veranda to provide accordingly a solar protection, insulation or heating that will be adapted to the room that will take place in the veranda.
It is therefore quite possible to put a kitchen, a living room or even a bedroom in a veranda. However, it is not thought of in the same way. It is also important to consider to which room the veranda will be attached. If it is attached to a bedroom, you may have to think about moving that room for more comfort. In addition, it is entirely possible to install a spa or sauna in a veranda to enjoy moments of relaxation in communion with nature.
Decorating your veranda
The decoration of his sunroom depends, of course, on everyone’s taste. However, there are a few tricks to make this step a success. Firstly, the new room must fit perfectly into the overall decoration of the home. Therefore, it is advisable to choose the same floor covering and the same colours for the furniture. It is quite possible to make reminders to the decoration of the house by placing, in the veranda, cushions, carpets or curtains in the same colour as the decoration of the house. Finally, plants and flowers can also vary the architecture of the place and make a reminder with the outside.
Starting a veranda construction project can therefore be quite complex. Indeed, as a private individual it is necessary to find out about various aspects (legal rules, decoration, orientation, etc.) and to seek the advice of a professional such as the Verandas du Trégor.
