My Home Improvement Project: Part 5

It feels like it’s been a bit of a long wait to be able to bring you my latest update in this series charting my own home improvement project. But, I think the wait was worth it. Well, for me at least anyway!

Before we move on, you can catch up on the first four parts of the series here:

This is think is one of the most exciting updates. After the taking down of my old conservatory, the rotten old decking, the building of the Indian stone patio and the turf in place of the tired old flags, we were finally going to get to see our glazed Verandah!

So, this is the Prefix Systems Verandah up, fitted and looking splendid on the back of our home:

What do you think? I love it! Something on the back of my house that I can be proud of, instead that grotty old thing that was previously plonked on to the back of my house.

If you’re wondering why I chose a Prefix Verandah instead of a new glazed extensions then click here, I wrote a whole post about it. But I am very happy with the end result.

Our lads were on site for 9am and had a prepped wall ready to go, so they could crack on. They were done for around half past two. This was the first one they had ever done, so to have it up and fitted in five and a half hours on a very cold Saturday was not a bad result. In the future, after doing one, the rest should become quicker.

Once they figures out what went where, which didn’t take long, it was starting to take shape. However I had to leave halfway through as I had a friend’s drinks session to attend in Leeds, so Soph took over when she arrived home. So I really only got a proper look at it Sunday morning. I was not disappointed.

Here’s a before and after of the project up to now:

Before

After

My initial thoughts

I’ll be doing a full review once I have had a few weeks to get used to it and take a closer look. In fact this is the first time I have seen once since the FIT Show in April. It was upon seeing this that I changed my mind from having a new glazed extension to a Verandah.

I love the detailing on the columns and the brackets. It gives the whole structure an authentic, classic look. In the fact the whole thing is a mix between something Victorian yet with a hint of the modern. The finer details aren’t over the top either. Just enough to make it look old enough.

The columns are a good size too. Not too thick, but thicker than a modern equivalent. Which works well, as this isn’t trying to look modern. I love the overhang. I wasn’t too sure what it would look like, and if I’d like it, but I do. I think any more overhang than it already has might have been a bit too much.

I also love the powder coated textured black finish. A gloss finish would have been a modern touch that I don’t think would have suited the overall aesthetic aim of this product.

It’s also quite long. Those glass units are a good three metres long. It was going to be longer. I was going to extend the length of the patio area an extra bit, which meant the Verandah was going to be even longer. Thankfully my builder gave me other ideas and it turned out to be a good decision to keep the depth and therefore the Verandah within the footprint of the outer edge of the original decking. There is absolutely plenty of floor space under the glass. I have already positioned the table, chairs, bar and bar stools where I want them, and there is still bags of room for an outdoor Christmas tree and standing space for other people when we have guests round.

Things left to do

There’s just a few things left on the list that needs to be completed. Now the posts are fixed and the canopy is up, my builder can come back and lay the last of the flags around the feet. That will neaten the whole patio up.

Then it’s time to get rid of those bloody awful cement dots on the back wall where the old plaster used to be. After hours of further chipping away and brick acid, I failed. I considered a sandblaster but that’s not a clean job, especially now the canopy is up. So, I think we’re going to go down the route of a textured wall paint. I’m thinking a Cream, others have mentioned a light Grey, but I’m not sure if that will work with the stone patio. Either way, I think a nice contrasting colour will work quite well with the overall scheme. So long as I can get rid of those cement blobs I’ll be happy!

I’m having an outdoor double socket fitted so we can have electric for a Christmas tree and some outdoor lights that I’m going to wrap around the posts and ring beam. Should look very festive!

The really big stuff has been completed, for now. I’ll be getting my builder back to start on the path and steps which were very badly laid by the previous owner. They will also be in Indian stone to match the patio and will make the left hand side of our garden a ton neater and much more presentable.

There’s that knackered old fence on the right hand side of the images above you might have seen. That needs doing fairly quickly, but looks like will be a job for Spring next year. Then finally we have some decking at the very back which I am still pondering over. Composite decking still seems far too expensive for what it is. I am considering more stone patio, but I’m not sure if the existing structure could take it.

Lastly but not least is the railings around that decking at the back. If I’m going to get that done, I do fancy the idea of replacing the iron railings with sandblasted glass balustrading and steel posts. It would look stunning down there and would create a more private area for us to laze about in the sun on some new sun beds I’ve got my eye on.

One thing at a time though. We’re saving up for a wedding in the midst of all this!

I want to thank Prefix Systems for a very high quality product, delivered in good time and in perfect working order and condition. We intend to start selling these at our place and I cannot see it being long before we start putting our first orders in. I’ll be doing a full product review in the coming weeks as I take a closer look at it and hopefully have guests round to use it for the first time. I’ll also be doing a further review in Summer 2017 as the seasons change and this product comes into it’s own.

In the growing outdoor living market, which I think is going to be a really strong growth sector within the wider fenestration industry, this Prefix Verandah is going to be the product that drives a path forward.