A number of the DIY conservatories that we are asked to manufacture are to replace existing timber or aluminium structures. For a company who buys in and sells on their conservatories, this would be almost impossible to do. Fortunately, for us this is easy as we do actually manufacture!
In our factory we have a team of highly skilled craftsmen who know the window, door and conservatory business backwards. To date, we have not had a problem with any DIY conservatory. This is because we are very thorough and get involved with our customers as much as possible. When planning the replacement conservatory we ask for very accurate measurements and encourage the customer to recheck every measurement that they make. This means that we know that the conservatory will fit the existing base or dwarf wall and the customer will not be left red faced and out of pocket
One of the most critical measurements is the height from damp proof course to the top of an existing dwarf wall. Our design team work the rest of the conservatory from this size so it is very important to get it right! Also, the existing wall would need to be checked for level, but this is rarely a problem. The other critical size is where the conservatory roof bolts onto the house. However, as there is already a conservatory it should not be too difficult to get it right.
If you are not confident to do the above, a builder would easily be able to assist you but unless they are a friend of the family, they are likely to charge you for this service. Obviously because we sell our conservatories right across England and Wales, we cannot offer a surveying service unless you live in our local area of South Warwickshire.