Hello everyone,
Since this is about being "outside," this seemed like the most appropriate subforum.
We have been living in the house for 3.5 years now and are currently looking into the topic of patio roofing. I have already had initial on-site discussions with two local companies. Unfortunately, these talks raised more questions than answers.
The area to be covered is about 26 sqm (280 sq ft). Width 7.30 m (24 ft) and depth 4.00 m (13 ft), with the special feature that part of the patio narrows diagonally, so the depth on the left side is not 4.00 m but 2.00 m (7 ft). This means that part of the roof and drainage must slope diagonally and be adjusted on-site; a roof of a standard size x by y meters won’t work for us.
What we originally wanted and were offered:
- Powder-coated aluminum construction
- 10 mm (0.4 inch) laminated safety glass (VSG) roofing
- LED spots integrated into the rafters
- Under-roof shading with a wireless sensor
- Both sides (left with 2.00 m (7 ft) depth and right with 4.00 m (13 ft) depth) closable with frameless glass sliding doors
This option costs 19,000 EUR. Shading on top of the roof with a weather station was even more expensive. Shading adapted to the sloping area was even pricier. The affordable under-roof shading would not cover the sloped section of about 3 sqm (32 sq ft).
What the second company proposed:
- Powder-coated aluminum construction
- White milky polycarbonate twin-wall panels roofing *
- LED spots integrated into the rafters
- No shading
- Only one side (right 4.00 m (13 ft) depth) closable with frameless glass sliding doors
This option costs "only" 8,000 EUR.
* This company specializes in polycarbonate twin-wall panels. Apparently, this roofing has many advantages. A double UV filter protects against the sun, while an integrated prism structure is said to concentrate sunlight and direct it downward, resulting in only 7% light loss. Supposedly, no shading is needed. The climate under it should always feel as if you are sitting in the shade. Polycarbonate is said to be self-cleaning.
I am mainly skeptical now. Of course, I would prefer the cheaper option, but I find it hard to fully believe all these benefits, especially the claim that no shading is necessary. Do you have any experience with this? The main argument against twin-wall panels seems to be noise during rain, but that doesn’t matter to us, so that argument is irrelevant.
Overall, it is very difficult to find a suitable company and to assess the prices. How did you solve this?
Thanks and best regards!
Since this is about being "outside," this seemed like the most appropriate subforum.
We have been living in the house for 3.5 years now and are currently looking into the topic of patio roofing. I have already had initial on-site discussions with two local companies. Unfortunately, these talks raised more questions than answers.
The area to be covered is about 26 sqm (280 sq ft). Width 7.30 m (24 ft) and depth 4.00 m (13 ft), with the special feature that part of the patio narrows diagonally, so the depth on the left side is not 4.00 m but 2.00 m (7 ft). This means that part of the roof and drainage must slope diagonally and be adjusted on-site; a roof of a standard size x by y meters won’t work for us.
What we originally wanted and were offered:
- Powder-coated aluminum construction
- 10 mm (0.4 inch) laminated safety glass (VSG) roofing
- LED spots integrated into the rafters
- Under-roof shading with a wireless sensor
- Both sides (left with 2.00 m (7 ft) depth and right with 4.00 m (13 ft) depth) closable with frameless glass sliding doors
This option costs 19,000 EUR. Shading on top of the roof with a weather station was even more expensive. Shading adapted to the sloping area was even pricier. The affordable under-roof shading would not cover the sloped section of about 3 sqm (32 sq ft).
What the second company proposed:
- Powder-coated aluminum construction
- White milky polycarbonate twin-wall panels roofing *
- LED spots integrated into the rafters
- No shading
- Only one side (right 4.00 m (13 ft) depth) closable with frameless glass sliding doors
This option costs "only" 8,000 EUR.
* This company specializes in polycarbonate twin-wall panels. Apparently, this roofing has many advantages. A double UV filter protects against the sun, while an integrated prism structure is said to concentrate sunlight and direct it downward, resulting in only 7% light loss. Supposedly, no shading is needed. The climate under it should always feel as if you are sitting in the shade. Polycarbonate is said to be self-cleaning.
I am mainly skeptical now. Of course, I would prefer the cheaper option, but I find it hard to fully believe all these benefits, especially the claim that no shading is necessary. Do you have any experience with this? The main argument against twin-wall panels seems to be noise during rain, but that doesn’t matter to us, so that argument is irrelevant.
Overall, it is very difficult to find a suitable company and to assess the prices. How did you solve this?
Thanks and best regards!
O
Osnabruecker8 Jan 2021 16:02We ruled out plastic and frosted glass because they would block the sunlight in front of the living room.
I think your estimate of 19,000 is pretty reasonable if that’s really all-inclusive (are foundations included? What about electrical work?).
The main cost drivers are the recessed lights, on-site adjustments, and additional features like glass walls and shading. If none of these can be omitted, try to negotiate the 19,000 price or ask for a discount before committing.
I think your estimate of 19,000 is pretty reasonable if that’s really all-inclusive (are foundations included? What about electrical work?).
The main cost drivers are the recessed lights, on-site adjustments, and additional features like glass walls and shading. If none of these can be omitted, try to negotiate the 19,000 price or ask for a discount before committing.
P
pagoni20208 Jan 2021 17:25Osnabruecker schrieb:
The main cost drivers are the spotlights, on-site adjustments, and additional features like glass walls and shading. If none of these can be omitted, try negotiating the 19k or a discount and then go for it. That's true, it definitely makes it more expensive.
Personally, I don’t really like artificial lighting outdoors; I prefer a fire pit on the lawn nearby or candles, which I guess is a bit old-fashioned 😀. When I do need lighting, I want something that illuminates the whole space, like one or two stylish wall lamps—spotlights don’t provide that kind of light.
The same goes for the all-around glazing. Here, I see the risk (and I’ve seen it happen with friends) that heat can build up inside. That’s why I prefer it to be open on the sides or have a more personalized privacy screen instead. Often, there’s a grill or something similar standing there anyway.
So... if these features are desired as they are, then the price seems reasonable.
H
hampshire8 Jan 2021 17:52I think 19k does not sound too expensive, and the solution seems solid. For a conservatory, I would always recommend an overhead shading system, while an under-roof shading is perfectly fine for the terrace. Switch glass is interesting but not a cost saver.
The polycarbonate panels were installed over my parents’ terrace. That was acceptable since the transparency of the roof was not important for the brightness inside the house. However, if the terrace roof needs to be transparent in winter to allow light into the house, do not use polycarbonate. Under a polycarbonate terrace roof, it was noticeably cooler than outside—but these panels did not provide the same level of shade as a parasol or even the shadow of a tree.
The polycarbonate panels were installed over my parents’ terrace. That was acceptable since the transparency of the roof was not important for the brightness inside the house. However, if the terrace roof needs to be transparent in winter to allow light into the house, do not use polycarbonate. Under a polycarbonate terrace roof, it was noticeably cooler than outside—but these panels did not provide the same level of shade as a parasol or even the shadow of a tree.
On the 2m (6.5 ft) deep side, you can skip the shading—it probably won’t make much difference anyway. There are many online simulators that show shadow casting depending on orientation and sun position. With a depth of 2m (6.5 ft), the shadow will be practically nonexistent.
So if in the end you decide on a square canopy rather than one with a sloping side adapted to the roof pitch, I can recommend the KD canopy. For our new build project, we chose a canopy measuring 3.5 meters deep and 5 meters wide (about 11.5 feet deep and 16.5 feet wide), not in RAL 7016 but in DB703. The roof is laminated safety glass (VSG) and has 10 LEDs (one row in the middle and one row at the front). Below it, there is an under-roof awning and on one side a side awning (since it is the west side).
Both awnings and the LED strips (which are controlled separately) operate via a single multi-channel remote control. However, we installed the LED control ourselves, or rather a friend did it for us. It only took about an hour.
I’m not sure whether these can be connected to a wind/sun sensor, but since all components are from Somfy and operate on the iO wireless standard, I assume there are definitely compatible options.
We are very happy with this solution, and in the end, it wasn’t much more expensive than your polycarbonate option. Neighbors of ours chose polycarbonate because of the price and later regretted it greatly after installation, as their living room became noticeably darker.
The structure is also made of powder-coated aluminum.
We had requested similar solutions from local craftsmen and other companies and found prices often well over 20,000 EUR.
Hope this helps, even if it’s not a perfect match for your needs.
Both awnings and the LED strips (which are controlled separately) operate via a single multi-channel remote control. However, we installed the LED control ourselves, or rather a friend did it for us. It only took about an hour.
I’m not sure whether these can be connected to a wind/sun sensor, but since all components are from Somfy and operate on the iO wireless standard, I assume there are definitely compatible options.
We are very happy with this solution, and in the end, it wasn’t much more expensive than your polycarbonate option. Neighbors of ours chose polycarbonate because of the price and later regretted it greatly after installation, as their living room became noticeably darker.
The structure is also made of powder-coated aluminum.
We had requested similar solutions from local craftsmen and other companies and found prices often well over 20,000 EUR.
Hope this helps, even if it’s not a perfect match for your needs.
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