Aluminium verandas and patio covers

Types of veranda: from terrace roof to glazed veranda

The big advantage of an aluminium veranda is that it can be built in stages. You start with the roof and close one or more sides a year or two later. If you already know you'll want that, tell us at the site visit so we can plan the structure for it.

• Terrace roof – an open veranda fixed to the facade and standing on posts at the front. It protects from rain and sun without closing off the view.
• Freestanding aluminium canopy on its own posts – when the facade can't take fixings or you want a covered spot in the garden, for example over a table or a summer kitchen.
• Partly enclosed veranda – one or two sides are closed with sliding glass or ZIP screens to stop wind and driving rain.
• Glazed veranda – all sides with sliding glass. The result is a summer garden that opens up completely in the warm months.

Veranda, pergola or winter garden?

The three look alike but do different jobs. A veranda has a fixed, sloped roof that drains into a gutter. A pergola, especially a bioclimatic one, has louvres that open for air and light, so it suits places where you want to control the shade. The differences are explained in bioclimatic or standard pergola.

A winter garden is a closed, sealed room that can be heated. If you want to use the terrace as a room in winter too, not just as a covered spot, it's better to plan a winter garden from the start. For a comparison of roofing materials, see terrace roof: glass, polycarbonate or louvres.

How to choose the veranda roof

Choosing between glass, polycarbonate and panels isn't only about budget. The roof changes the light in the room behind the veranda, the noise when it rains and how often you'll clean it. Here's what to weigh up:

• Light in the house – the veranda also shades the windows behind it. In front of a living room or kitchen, people often choose a clear roof so it doesn't get dark inside.
• Orientation – facing south, glass brings lots of light but also heat; polycarbonate diffuses it and panels give full shade.
• Rain noise – under polycarbonate you hear the rain more; glass and sandwich panels are quieter.
• Depth – the deeper the veranda, the lower its front edge at the same slope. That's why the fixing height on the facade matters.
• Span and snow – wider spans without an intermediate post need stronger profiles. The structure is sized for the specific site.
• Cleaning – dust and leaves show on glass, but it's easy to wash; under trees, think about how often you'll clean it.

What the price of an aluminium veranda depends on

The price of a glazed veranda or terrace roof is set after measuring, but the factors are clear from the outset:

• Width and depth – the roof area and the number of posts.
• Roof material – glass, polycarbonate or panels.
• Fixed to the facade or freestanding – a freestanding veranda has more posts and beams.
• Side enclosure – sliding glass, ZIP screens or fixed panels, now or later.
• The base – whether the posts stand on an existing slab or need footings.
• Colour and details – profile colour, drainage, extra shading.
• Access – an upper floor, a narrow yard or a spot where materials have to be carried by hand.

Do you need a permit for a veranda?

It depends on the size, on whether the veranda is fixed to the building, on the distance to the neighbours and on the municipality's rules. A terrace roof on a detached house and a glazed veranda on a block of flats are different cases – in the second, the other owners' consent may also be needed.

Before you order, ask the municipality what applies to your property. At the visit we'll tell you what we have seen in practice, but the final answer comes from the municipality.

How an order works and how to look after the veranda

We start with a free site visit: we come to you, look at the facade and the base, measure and talk through the roof and any future enclosure. Then you get a quote with the chosen materials and time frame. The veranda is made to the measurements from the visit and installed on site. If you'd like to see how it could look before calling us, try the 3D configurator.

Care is simple: aluminium doesn't rust or need painting. Wash the roof and profiles with water and a mild cleaner, clean the gutter at least once a year, and remove any heavy snow carefully without scratching the roof.

Aluminium verandas in Ruse and North-East Bulgaria

Our showroom is in Ruse, at bul. Lipnik 135, where you can see profiles and roofing materials in person. Before starting out in Bulgaria, we spent more than 15 years working in Germany and the Netherlands.

We come for site visits all over Bulgaria – from Ruse we easily reach Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Shumen, Razgrad, Silistra and Dobrich, and further afield. If you'd like a terrace roof or a glazed veranda, ask for a free site visit and quote.