FAQs

There isn’t any difference between PVC, PVCU and UPVC as they all refer to the same base material: Unplasticised Polyvinyl Chloride.

UPVC is the most used acronym, though some people and business refer to it as ‘PVCU’. This is due to an attempt in the 1980s to create a universal standard. But when it comes to windows, PVC, PVCU and UPVC are all one and the same.

The difference between these two distinct types of windows is where the casement is located.

The casement is the part that moves to open and close the window. In standard casement windows, this part sits proud of the surrounding frame. As the name implies, the casement of a flush window sits level.

There are positive and negative points to both. Ultimately, it all depends on your budget and what you want from your glazing. We’d recommend speaking with a member of our team who’ll be able to advise and provide you with a personalised answer.

The obvious difference between double and triple glazing is the number of panes within the unit. Double features two and triple three. As a rule of thumb, triple glazing performs better and can achieve higher energy ratings. However, there is a difference in price between the two.

As noted, speak with a member of the Crystal Clear team and they’ll be able to advise accordingly.

Our replacement windows come in a wide range of colours!

Thankfully, we’re far removed from the days when windows had to be white. With advancements in design, technology and manufacture, we’re able to offer our windows in different colours, shades and woodgrains.

Whether you want a classic cream, a striking blue, a timeless grey or a natural-looking oak effect, we can provide the perfect colour for your home.

All windows receive a Window Energy Rating (WER), which details how energy efficient the window will be. This is shown via a consumer-friendly traffic light rating system that’s similar in nature to the one used for household electrical appliances and white goods.

Windows with higher (A and above) are the best performing on the market. The ratings are underpinned by the nationally recognised BFRC Rating Scheme, which forms a key part of Building Regulations.

When buying new or replacement windows, always look for those windows that offer higher ratings. That way you can be assured your windows are the best available and will help keep your home warm.

To find out more about our windows, please speak with a member of the Crystal Clear team.

A window’s U-value determines how well it retains heat. This is measured in Watts per square metre, of Wm²k. The lower the number, the better the window is at keeping heat in.

Secured by Design (SBD) in an official, police-backed initiative that looks to improve the security of buildings and neighbourhoods. This is done by working with manufacturers to check for and design out potential vulnerabilities. Products that carry SBD accreditation meet this incredibly high standard for security.

Our manufacturer partner, Conservatory Outlet, is a registered SBD member and as much, many of our windows and doors are SBD accredited.

Our windows are made by Conservatory Outlet, the UK’s leading manufacturer of UPVC and aluminium windows.

No, composite doors can vary.

We offer two types of composite door, and they vary in depth and composition.

The most common composite doors are generally 44mm deep and feature a foam inner. They are then finished with a coloured GRP skin.

We also supply the Extreme Solid Core Door. This is slightly thicker (48mm) and is made from numerous layers of laminated timber. They are then wrapped in a UPVC skin for added durability.

Speak to a member of the Crystal Clear team to find the right type of composite door for your needs.

Yes, with most doors you can choose different colours inside and out. For example, you could opt for white inside and green outside – whatever floats your boat.

As standard, we provide three sets of keys. If you require any more, please let us know at the point of order.

Yes, absolutely. Just let a member of our team know when ordering and we can ensure that both doors can be opened with the same key.

Secured by Design (SBD) in an official, police-backed initiative that looks to improve the security of buildings and neighbourhoods. This is done by working with manufacturers to check for and design out potential vulnerabilities. Products that carry SBD accreditation meet this incredibly high standard for security.

Our manufacturer partner, Conservatory Outlet, is a registered SBD member and as much, many of our windows and doors are SBD accredited.

A three-star rating is the highest rating that a door cylinder can achieve. This means the lock in question has been rigorously tested to provide maximum security in the event of a break-in.

Our door cylinders feature a unique snap-secure function that prevents the barrel from being compromised.

Yes, you can order your French doors with an egress hinge which allows you to fully fold back your doors for a beautiful view of the garden.

If you’re looking to open your home up to your garden and create a seamless entranceway between indoor and outdoor spaces, both options are great choices.

There are positives for both options and we’d recommend speaking with an advisor who’ll be able to help you further.

The big question!

Years ago, these three types of living spaces used to have clearly defined boundaries. However, thanks to technology and design trends advancing, those lines have blurred somewhat recently.

Traditionally, you would consider a conservatory to be a structure predominantly made of glass. Here, glass walls combine with a glass roof to create a unique extension to your home that offers stunning views of the garden and sky.

Today, however, you can easily design a conservatory with a solid roof and/or some dwarf walls to provide a little extra insulation.

The key feature of an orangery is its pillars, which are either brick or aluminium. With more brickwork than a conservatory, it offers more privacy than a conservatory and has a slightly more luxurious feel. For roofs, anything goes. You can design an orangery with any type of roof.

As for an extension, these tend to replicate the look of your existing property and will marry solid brickwork with a solid roof. Though, these days, your roof choice can be anything – glass, lantern, solid or even a hybrid!

This depends on how you want to use the room.

If you want plenty of natural light and to make the most of those beautiful sunsets and sunrises, then a glass roof is the way to go. And if you’re worried about your space being too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter, don’t be. We have several options of performance glass that can help keep your room at a comfortable temperature.

But for a year-round extension feel, then a tiled roof is a strong contender – especially if you value privacy.

Why not visit our showroom to see some different options?

All of our living space products are designed with year-round comfort in mind. Gone are the days of the old polycarbonate roofs and the problems that they cause!

We can provide solar controlled glazing that actively regulates the amount of heat that enters your property from outside sources.

Our roofs are manufactured by our partner, Conservatory Outlet.

Having such a close relationship with a leading name in the UK ensures that we retain close control over our supply chain. Plus, we can guarantee the quality of every install.

Absolutely. We have several shingles, slate and flat roof options that you can choose from.

Solar control glazing is a special type of glass that works to prevent excessive heat from transferring into your property. We have different options available, each with unique traits such as light transmission, U-value and colour.

Speak with a Crystal Clear advisor for more details about our range of performance glass.

Our Crystal Clear team will obtain the closest brick match to your property and check this with you before any work begins.

Please note that there may be some differences due to changes in manufacture and the weathering process.

Most property extensions required Building Regulation approval, though some are exempt. Don’t worry as our experienced team will guide you through the process and advise you on which route to take.

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 really difficult to estimate how long a hypothetical build will take. It’s all dependent on planning requirements and the complexity of the project.

Please speak with a Crystal Clear advisor for more.

A test dig is a preparatory excavation that enables our building teams to learn about site conditions.

A cavity tray is a type of damp-proof course that runs between the inner and outer leaves of a cavity wall. This helps prevent moisture from penetrating the walls of your new extension or living space.

This depends on how you want to use the room.

If you want plenty of natural light and to make the most of those beautiful sunsets and sunrises, then a glass roof is the way to go. And if you’re worried about your space being too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter, don’t be. We have several options of performance glass that can help keep your room at a comfortable temperature.

But for a year-round extension feel, then a tiled roof is a strong contender – especially if you value privacy.

Why not visit our showroom to see some different options?

If you are going to the trouble of replacing your old conservatory roof, it makes sense to upgrade your frames and windows too. Why improve the thermally efficiency of your space through modern glazing or a solid roof yet keep old, outdated and draughty windows and frames?

Create a brand-new lease of life for your beautiful conservatory. Speak with a member of the Crystal Clear team and together, we’ll be able to work out an excellent deal for you.

Replacement solid roof systems are prefabricated structures. Each is made to measure and manufactured in a way so that they can be installed quickly and safely.

The system itself is compromised of a pre-engineered, lightweight frame, insulation panels, fire-grade plasterboard, exterior-grade plywood and an impenetrable membrane. The roof is then finished with either tiles or solid panels.

A clad over roof is an alternative and potentially dangerous type of roof system that other companies offer. It can take many different forms but the installation of a clad over roof will never involve the removal of your existing roof structure.

Issues with clad over roofs include:

• Weight: A clad over roof can be far 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, and certainly requires any existing roof replacing before a new one is fitted.

Tip: Always ask your installer for the total unit weight of the roof per square metre Lightweight replacement roofs weight around 31kg/m²

• Fire Safety: By their nature, clad over roofs do not meet current fire safety regulations. As it’s placed on top of an existing roof, the clad over roof cannot be tested as part of a complete structure – only individual components are test. All solid roofs must be receive an A-rating, per BS476-3.

Tip: Ask to see the fire safety certificate of the entire roof system before committing to a project.

• Building Regulations: Clad over systems typically do not get approval via Building Regulations due to their poor thermal performance and structural integrity. This shouldn’t be confused with planning permission, which often isn’t required. When replacing a conservatory roof, you are required to notify Building Control.

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.

All of our roofs are specifically chosen for their year-round performance. Gone are the days of polycarbonate roofs being the norm, which turns a space into either a freezer or a greenhouse.

Whether you prefer a glass roof or a tiled one, we have plenty of options that can transform your living space.

Prices vary but you should expect to be quoted anywhere between £5,000 and £12,000.

As ever, this depends on the size of the structure, design and whether you want to incorporate features such as lanterns of Velux windows. To give some sort of estimate, replacement roofs can cost anywhere from £5,000 upwards.

Crystal Clear has a useful finance calculator which can help you work out an easy-to-afford payment plan that fits your budget.

A tiled roof replacement can be installed in a few days, with minimal disruption to your home.

Planning permission isn’t required when changing a roof structure, though you do need to notify Building Regulation Control.

Yes, you may need to obtain approval through Building Regulations. Gaining this from your local authority ensures that the system installed has been rigorously checked by a government-approved building control inspector to ensure the roof is installed correctly and is structurally safe and thermally efficient.

You will also have peace of mind that should you come to sell the property in future, there won’t be any issues with unauthorised works that may hold up the process.

Yes. To make things easier for you, Crystal Clear can arrange several affordable and convenient payment options (subject to application and status).

Applying for finance through us is simple. The application process can be sorted out either at our showroom in Hamilton or from the comfort of your own home.

If you are applying for finance through us, we’ll be informed directly. As soon as we get the go ahead, we will get the ball rolling with your project.

If you are sorting things out independently, just let us know as soon as you get the green light.

Finance companies can turn down applications for a variety of reasons. It could be due to you moving house recently.

In these circumstances, we’ll do our best to help but it’s worth speaking with another provider, especially if they have an existing relationship with you.

Sometimes, we’ll get an answer almost immediately. Other times it can take a couple of days. The delay can be for any number of reasons and you shouldn’t in anyway be concerned.