FAQS

There is no difference whatsoever between the three.

UPVC stands for Un-plasticised Polyvinyl Chloride. Polyvinyl Chloride, which is used in the manufacture of bags, shoes, fake leather and countless other products. It is the widespread use of this material that has made us familiar with the abbreviation of PVC and it is sometimes used interchangeably with UPVC.

Pure PVC-U is not quite suitable for use in windows and doors. Some additives are required to provide longevity, high weather and UV resistance, and also to achieve a white colour making it ideal to use for the production of windows and doors.

A casement is the moving part of a window. Standard (sometimes called ‘lipped’) windows feature casements that sit outside of the frame.

Flush casement windows have become an increasingly popular choice. These feature casements that sit level with the frame for a cleaner, understated look. Side-by-side, the difference between these two types of casement windows is clear to see. Why not visit our showroom and see for yourself?

There are pros and cons to both options. We’d recommend speaking with a Mitchell Glass advisor who’ll be able to discuss your needs and advise accordingly.

The obvious difference between the two is the number of panes within the unit – two for double glazed and three for triple. Triple glazed windows are normally better at retaining the internal heat of your home. With the correct combination of air gaps and glass, the windows can aid with noise reduction. However, if you live on a busy road, there are other solutions that we can explore.

It should be noted that there is a difference in cost between double and triple glazed windows. Speak with a member of the team to determine which window is right for you.

Gone are the days when every window had to be white. Our windows are available in a huge range of colours and finishes to suit your style.

Thanks to modern manufacturing methods, we offer a variety of colours, shades and textures. If you would prefer something traditional, you could go for white or cream. If a modern look is important, you could pick any one of our ultra-stylish greys, greens and blacks. We also have a beautiful collection of wood grain finishes, ranging from the dark elegance of Rosewood to lighter Oak-look finishes.

Our windows are available in colour combinations, so you can have the inside one colour and the outside another.

The Window Energy Rating (WER) shows how energy efficient your windows are. All windows are assessed and rated on a scale from A+ to G. This traffic light system is easy to understand and very similar to the ratings you’ll see on household appliances and white goods.

A+ windows are the most efficient available, as defined by the BFRC Rating Scheme. This is a national system that is recognised within Building Regulations and is a method of proving compliance for your replacement window installation.
When getting new windows, always check their ratings so you can be assured they’ll keep your home warm.

The U-Value indicates how well your windows are at retaining internal heat. This value is measured in Watts per square metre, or W/m2K. The lower the number, the better the window is at keeping the heat in.

All new windows require a minimum U-Value of 1.6 W/m2K. To learn more about the performance of our windows, ask a member of our team – they’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Secured by Design (SBD) is a police backed initiative that looks to improve the security of buildings and their surroundings, making them safer and better places to live.

SBD’s product-based accreditation scheme (Police Preferred Specification) provides a recognised standard that covers domestic windows, doors and their internal components, such as locks and hinges.

Our manufacturing partner, Conservatory Outlet, is a registered member of Secured by Design. Thanks to our exclusive relationship with them, many of the products we provide have been tested to meet the high Secured by Design standard.

Our windows are manufactured by Conservatory Outlet. Based in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, Conservatory Outlet is the UK’s leading manufacturer of home improvement products and we work with them on an exclusive basis.

Having such a close relationship with Conservatory Outlet allows us to carefully manage our supply chain and continue to drive innovation.

Mitchell Glass is a member of FENSA (Registered No. 22655) – the leading body providing homeowner protection in the double glazing industry for windows and doors.

When replacing windows and doors, homeowners must comply with current thermal performance standards and ensure they get a certificate from FENSA or Local Authority Building Control. FENSA enables companies that install replacement windows and doors to self-certify compliance under these Building Regulations without the need for a separate assessment from Building Control.

There are different types of composite doors. Our exclusive range, Frontline, is 44mm deep and features a foam infill that helps protect your home and prevents heat loss.

Each door is finished with a GRP colour skin (commonly referred to as fibreglass) and is relatively lightweight. To find out more about our Frontline composite doors and what sets them apart, please speak with a member of the Mitchell Glass team.

Yes, you can. Most of our doors can be manufactured with different colours inside and out. For example, you could have red on the exterior and white internally to match your décor. To see the different colour combinations we can offer, look through our brochure.

You’ll get three keys with your door but you can request additional sets if needed. Just let us know when you’re placing your order.

Yes. If you’d like your keys to be suited, please let us know when you place your order and we’ll ensure your keys work in both doors.

Secured by Design (SBD) is a police backed initiative that looks to improve the security of buildings and their surroundings, making them safer and better places to live.

SBD’s product-based accreditation scheme (Police Preferred Specification) provides a recognised standard that covers domestic windows, doors and their internal components, such as locks and hinges.

Our manufacturing partner, Conservatory Outlet, is a registered member of Secured by Design. Thanks to our exclusive relationship with them, many of the products we provide have been tested to meet the high Secured by Design standard.

Door barrels (also called cylinders) carry a rating, with three stars being the highest. To achieve this, the barrels need to pass a series of standardised tests, including an anti-lock snapping test that stops the cylinder and lock from being compromised.

Yes, they can. You can specify your French doors to come with an egress hinge which allows you to fold back your doors for an even better view of your garden.

If you have – or want to have – a large opening at the rear of your property, then either patio or bi-folding doors would be a great choice.

In our experience, the main difference between the two is the view that they offer. Bi-folds allow for a full opening that allows you to maximise that outdoor view. Sliding patio doors have slimmer frames which, when close, give you a beautiful and uninterrupted view of the outside world.

Of course, the right type of door for your property will likely be depending on several factors. Speak with a member of the Mitchell Glass team who’ll help choose the right option for your home.

The big question!

These days, the lines that separate these different types of new living spaces are blurred.

Traditionally, conservatories are predominantly glass structures. The combination of a glass roof and glass walls create a perfect place for you to relax and enjoy the stunning views of your garden and the sky. These days, you can opt for a tiled roof conservatory and even add is some dwarf walls to insulate the space.

Similar to a conservatory, an orangery is more defined by its pillars and use of either brick or aluminium. These columns add a little extra privacy and warmth to your living space. An orangery normally features a pelmet around the roof. This also adds a little extra insulation and prevent convection currents. As for the roof? Anything goes. You could opt for a glass lantern, a solid roof or anything in between – the choice is yours!

A sunroom is a hybrid between a conservatory and a full extension. It’s airy and has large glass windows and panels to allow plenty of natural sunlight in. It also has a solid tiled roof for privacy and heat retention.

Extensions are exactly that: a natural-looking and feeling extension of your existing property. Many incorporate solid brickwork and often feature a solid tiled roof of some kind. These days though, you can effectively design a hybrid roof by including full-length glass panels and/or Velux windows.

But who needs labels? Your new living space is yours! Speak to an advisor to discuss the best solution to your needs.

All our living spaces are designed and manufactured with year-round comfort in mind. Thankfully, we’re far removed from the days when polycarbonate roofs were the norm.

Solar control glazing makes a real difference to any new living space and helps to regulate internal temperatures. But if you’re concerned about achieving a year-round extension, then a tiled roof will probably be the best option for you.

All our living spaces are designed and manufactured with year-round comfort in mind. Thankfully, we’re far removed from the days when polycarbonate roofs were the norm.

Solar control glazing makes a real difference to any new living space and helps to regulate internal temperatures. But if you’re concerned about achieving a year-round extension, then a tiled roof will probably be the best option for you.

Our roofs come from our manufacturing partner, Conservatory Outlet. All items are fabricated at their state-of-the-art facility in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.

Thanks to our long and successful relationship with our key manufacturer mean that we can have complete control over our supply chain – ensuring that everything is of the quality your home deserves.

Absolutely! We have a range of different shingle and slate tile options available and we can match your existing roof tiles if required.
Speak with a Mitchell Glass representative to find out more.

Solar control glazing (or glass) is a development by the glass industry that allows natural sunlight through a pane of glass whilst blocking and reflecting away a large portion of the sun’s heat. It’s fantastic for use in conservatories as it helps ensure the room doesn’t become overbearing, which was an issue with old polycarbonate panelling.

We have different options of solar control glazing available, speak with an advisor to learn more and find the right glass for your project.

Some classes of extension don’t require approval under Building Regulations, but the majority do. Don’t worry as our experienced team will advise you of the options and requirements needed to get your project the green light and speak with the local authority on your behalf.

Most extensions of properties require approval under Building Regulations.  There are a number of classes of extensions that don’t – but fear not.  Mitchell Glass will send a surveyor experienced in planning and building regulations to advise you of the options and requirements needed for your extension.  Mitchell Glass will also arrange Building Regulations for you by approaching the relevant local authority.

Extensions & Conservatories

You don’t require planning permission if the extension meets certain rules. This is called ‘permitted development’.

If your extension will have one storey, you don’t need planning permission as long as:

• it’s located at the back of the house
• it doesn’t go back further than 3 metres if it’s a terraced house, or 4 metres
• if it isn’t the height of the eaves (where the wall meets the roof) is no higher than 3 metres
• it’s not higher than 4 metres, including sloping roofs
• it doesn’t cover more floor area than your house does
• it doesn’t take up half the ‘curtilage’ – the grounds behind your home
• it isn’t within a conservation area

If you want to add a porch to a front door, back door or side door on your house,
different rules apply.

Porches

You won’t need planning permission to add a porch to a front door, back door or side door on your house as long as:

• its footprint (the total floor area it takes up) is no greater than 3 square metres
• there’s at least 2 metres between the edge of the porch and any boundary facing a road
• it isn’t taller than 3 metres
• it isn’t within a conservation area

It is difficult to estimate how long each build will take. Each house and design is unique and as such, the timeframe to get the necessary planning requirements and the construction itself will vary.

Our team of advisors will be able to help and will talk through any expected timescales.

A test dig is a small excavation of ground used to determine what conditions are on site. This can be done to see what form of foundation would be best for the property, either a traditional concrete foundation, a specialist pile foundation or a concrete raft.

A cavity tray crosses the inner cavity of a wall and dispels moisture away from the inner wall and out through weep vents in the external wall.

This depends on you want to use your room, which direction it faces and your budget.

If you want to maximise the amount of natural light within your space, then a glass roof is the obvious way to go. With the advancements made in glazing in recent years, there are plenty of options that can help regulate the amount of UV and external heat that enters your property.

For more of a homely feel, then a solid tiled roof is a strong contender. This could even be personalised with the addition of some full-length glass panels or Velux windows.

If you’re going to the trouble and expense of upgrading your old conservatory roof for a new and better performing one, it makes sense to replace your frames too. Modern roofs are far more thermally efficient and securer and failing to change your frames could compromise the warmth and comfort of your living space.

Speak to a Mitchell Glass advisor and we’ll work out an excellent deal for you incorporating more energy-efficient and safer frames, paired with glazing options that will make a difference to your home.

For a quick and efficient installation, replacement solid roof systems tend to be prefabricated. This means that there’s a minimum amount of disruption to your home as your project is completed. Each roof is made to the exact measurements of your existing conservatory.

The roof system itself comprises a pre-engineered and lightweight frame, insulating panels, insulated fire-grade plasterboard, exterior grade plywood and impenetrable membrane. The roof is finished with your choice of tiles or solid panels.

A clad over roof can take many forms. Their installation never involves removing the old structure. Instead, it is ‘clad over’. This is not good practice and can cause homeowners numerous problems as and when things go wrong with the installation.

• Clad over roofs can be too heavy for the existing conservatory frames as they use heavy timber, insulation and tiles. Any old conservatory needs to have a roof that is lightweight – the lightest solid roof systems weight around 31KG/M²

Tip: Always ask your installer for the total weight of the new roof in Sq.M

• Clad over roofs do not meet current fire safety regulations. The systems are never effectively fire tested as a complete structure – only individual components can be as existing structures vary from job to job. Per BS476-3, solid roofs must be AC, AB or AA rated.

Tip: Always ask to see the fire certificate of your entire roof system before committing to the project.

• Clad over systems tend to be denied Building Regulations approval due to their low thermal rating and weak structural integrity. This isn’t the same as planning permission which often isn’t required when undertaking this type of work. You must notify Building Control if you are making any change to a structure, including replacing a glass or polycarbonate conservatory roof. The approval ensures that your new roof is structurally sound.

Tip: Check that local Building Control has been informed before the conversion starts. Obtain a Building Regulations ‘Final’ Certificate and file it in a safe place.

Our roofs are designed and manufactured with year-round comfort in mind. Thankfully, we’re far removed from the days when polycarbonate roofs were the norm.
Solar control glazing makes a real difference to any new living space and helps to regulate internal temperatures. But if you’re concerned about achieving a year-round extension, then a tiled roof will probably be the best option for you.

Prices vary on a project-by-project basis. As a guideline, you should expect to spend anything upwards of £5,000 for a small conservatory roof and £12,000 for a larger one. There are plenty of different ways to spread the cost of your new roof. We have a simple finance calculator that can help you work out an easy payment plan that suits your budget.

A tiled solid roof replacement can be installed within a few days with minimum disruption to your home.

You don’t need planning permission to change the roof on an existing structure but Buildings Regulation Control is. A property sale cannot be completed without this.

Getting Building Regulations approval from your local authority ensures that your new roof has been rigorously checked by a government-approved inspector. The inspector will check that the system has been installed correctly, is structurally safe and is thermally efficient.

With Building Regulations approval, you can show that your roof was fitted properly. This is crucial if you come to sell the property as it removes any doubt over any authorised work potentially being carried out.

We want people to realise and live in their dream homes. To help, we’re able to arrange different easy payment finance options (subject to application and status) for our customers.

Applying for finance is simple and we promise a speedy decision.

If you have arranged finance independently of Mitchell Glass, just let us know as soon as you’ve got the go-ahead. If you’re taking up one of our offers, then the company will inform us both directly.

Finance companies reject people’s applications for varying reasons. It could be something as simple as you’ve moved to a new house recently. In these circumstances, we do our best to help. It’s always worth trying a different provider, especially if you have a history with them – e.g., your mortgage provider.

Sometimes our finance company will say yes almost immediately. At other times, it might take a couple of days for them to come to a decision. This can be for any number of reasons and you shouldn’t be unduly concerned.

If you have any other questions about financing your home improvements project through Mitchell Glass, please speak with one of our advisors.