At the end of last year a customer from Essex contacted us, interested in our blinds. They had one very large conservatory; which was in reality actually three conservatory shapes attached to each other. They were looking for blinds to go across the entire area. Alongside that they also had a greenhouse that needed new blinds to replace what was originally there.
This meant that the entire job essentially consisted of four different conservatory areas. All which needed their own blinds and would present their own challenges when it came to installation. While the shapes and styles of the conservatories themselves were very standard. It was the sheer amount of blinds needed that made this one of the largest and logistically challenging jobs we have ever done.
After the sales person had discussed the various options available across all of the different areas, the customers were happy to go with a combination of our own bespoke pure™ Pleated Blinds and Duette® Blinds, with a variety of different fabric colours to give each section its own feel. This meant the customer would have over hundred blinds in a single conservatory.
The Survey
Because of the size of the project, the survey itself was also larger than anything we normally do. In most cases we would only need a single surveyor to measure for every blind that would be needed. However, due to the scale of this project we had to use multiple surveyors, who each spent several hours measuring the conservatories to make sure we had every measurement correct. The survey is arguably the most important part of the process. Therefore, it was important to make sure that everything was accurate, especially on an installation the size of this one.
Alongside the survey we recorded the survey summary video for the customers. A normal survey video for most installations is usually between 2 and 5 minutes. However, because of the size of this job the survey video for this installation was over 15 minutes long! The video was a very useful asset, as the sales person visited the customers after the survey had been completed to go through it with them. They were able to use the video to explain some of the details of the installation to the customers.
The Installation
One of the main challenges during the installation was the various obstructions. As this meant working around them to fit the blinds. Normally we ask for a conservatory to be completely clear when we install blinds. This is because, it makes it much easier for us to access everything we need to, and reduces the risk of damage. However, as you can see from the photos, the conservatory contained a large amount of immovable plants and trees. Thankfully, the customer had someone on site who was able to assist with and manage the various different plants in the area. This made it a lot easier to fit the blinds without any disruption.
The First Conservatory Area
The first of the conservatory areas was fitted with our pure™ Pleated Blinds with crush buttermilk fabrics across both the roof and the sides. We took great care to make sure that we were able to fit the blinds right up to the top of the central roof boss. This is so there were no gaps at the top letting in light.
The Mid-Conservatory Area
The mid-conservatory area, which connects the other two, was fitted with Duette® fabric across both the roof and windows. The honeycomb structure of the Duette® fabric is different from the single-pleat fabric of the pure™ Pleated Blinds in that it creates an extra insulating layer of air which helps control the temperature of the room. While this does make it harder to manufacture and install the fabric into more complex shapes. We were still able to neatly fit the blinds into the roof of the conservatory with minimal gaps. And, only making allowances for the tie bars in the roof.
Rear Conservatory
For the third part of the conservatory, the customers wanted blinds that matched the colour scheme of the room. While the blinds themselves are pure™ Pleated Blinds, fitted in the same way as the first conservatory area, we used an alternating pattern of parchment and china blue fabric colours to make the blinds look like an extension of the existing colour scheme.
Greenhouse Area
We also used our pure™ Pleated Blinds in the greenhouse area, again using the parchment fabric colour. However, because the frame of the greenhouse was a slightly different colour to that of the conservatory we were able to use one of our 10 standard blind rail colours (In this case Cream). This was to make sure the hardware matched the colour of the frame.
We fitted over 100 blinds in a single conservatory, and over 10 blinds for the greenhouse. As well as, using three members of our installation team to fit the blinds over a three-day period.
Its larger installations with over hundred blinds in a single conservatory, which require the input of multiple people across the entire process to get right. This installation really highlights the benefits of the way we work. It’s only because the sales person, surveyors, installers and the team at our factory were able to work together and communicate with each other easily that we were able to get such a good result.
