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I will be tiling the floor of a conservatory and need some advice on how to proceed. The conservatory is new-build with a cement-based screed. No underfloor heating. Size 5.8 by 3.8 metres 600 x 300 porcelain tiles; 0.9mm thick. Flexible adhesive will be used. I would appreciate guidance on the following: Does this size and environment need an expansion joint? Is this environment suitable for tiling direct to the screed, or do I need decoupling mat? (I have received conflicting advice from tile shops: one saying mat is required, the other saying it is not required). How long do I need to allow the screed to dry before tiling? Should I use a 10mm half-round notched trowel for this, or would another profile do a better job? I have been advised to leave a 5mm gap between tiles and walls, with silicone across doorways (where there will be no skirting board). Does this sound reasonable? Anything else that your experience suggests I should consider/do (and my lack of experience means I haven't thought of)? The screed has not yet been laid, and the builder says depth can be set so that the tiled surface will end up level with the carpeted surface in the next room (so I need to know what I will be putting under the tiles ?).

Hi, I'm hoping for some advice. What problems might I encounter if I build a conservatory on top of an existing dwarf wall that is soaking wet and full of rainwater inside it's cavity? Should I wait until spring when it's completely dry, or can I build upon it now? The dwarf wall consists of red brick on the outer, insulation in the centre (but it has a 2cm gap open to the weather all the way round) and thermal blocks on the inside. Will I get damp problems or some other problem I have not thought about if I put the conservatory on top of it now, rather than wait for warmer dry weather? Thanks.

Hi, a real newbie here. We’ve just bought a house with a very decent 5x4.5m conservatory, double hipped, coming off two house walls. The problem is the polycarbonate roof, which we plan to have internally insulated with a multi foil (with air gap) and UPVC cladding. I wondered, as an extra waterproof and insulation method, whether we could also put some box profile roofing sheets over the top of the existing poly roof, with additional air gap and multi foil layer between. I know the best solution would be to replace the roof with a solid one, but hoped this might be an alternative. Would it work?

It has been suggested (see the other thread) that a traditional "lean to" might be a better option than a Garden Room (sigh). And I was ready to push the button. What we are talking about is an unheated lean to on the side area of a house against a blank wall with, perhaps, a roof of corrugated polycarbonate or 2/3 layer polycarb as is used on some conservatories. It will be dry but unheated. If you think of a car port with the walls enclosed you get the idea. There will be a door to the back, and probably will not be a door to the front. There may be a door leading into the house, which would be an external quality upvc door - I may need a door there later anyway, so that is not an issue. I can add the door later if that will simplify matters. The floor will probably be slabbed. Cladding (including the roof) could be transparent, translucent, or even opaque. I know that Planning will not apply, as the area under 15sqm, never mind 30sqm, it is on the side of the house behind the line of the principal elevation, and we are not "designated" in any way, and PD rights have not been removed. This is in England. Max height will be under whatever is the PD limit - 3m? Which leaves me stroking my non-existent whiskers about how Building Regulations would apply. The objective is probably that they should *not* apply for reasons of simplicity. I will call up the BCO tomorrow for a chat. In Building Regs terms is it a shed, an extension, a garage or a conservatory? And which are subject to building regs in that situation? In one sense it is almost like a small yard with a roof. I may even be able to make it into whichever I need by mixing my cladding. Although the lean to will be concealed behind a 2m attractive fence, I need to be able to defend my position if someone complains. Any comments are welcome. Ferdinand

Hi all. I know this is an old chestnut but thought I'd gauge up-to-date thinking on what to do about a polycarb conservatory roof to make it less thermally disastrous. It's my daughter and son-in-law's house and they inherited the situation.... Large add-on which is open-plan to the kitchen. Concerned me from the outset but of course looked and felt peachy when they bought on a nice Goldilocks spring day. A couple of (fortunately) pretty mild winters on, they are finding what those large temp swings are like in practice. And now they have a newborn to consider. As the room can't be sectioned off, and as it has a (pretty puny) rad working off the main CH system, I understand that it's classed as an extension rather than a conservatory. Whatever you call it, it takes turns being a fridge and oven. Not investigated what kind of foundations it's sitting on, which would clearly have implications for any remedial work. Ideally they want to keep it fully translucent (rather than replace with something more substantial and perhaps a rooflight or two). It's a big ask, as they say! Any new products on the market that would mitigate the worst of the temp fluctuations? All suggestions welcomed by me, the kids and my three-day-old granddaughter! Regards, Tim