Aibu to build a conservatory?

[BanginChoons]

Hi, could I ask about your conservatory? I know that pricing can vary greatly but I could do with some advice. How big is it, how much did it cost? If you build it, do you regret it and would you do it differently with hindsight? I have had so many mixed opinions!

Background information is that I have 3 children, teens and pre teen, we live in a small 3 bed semi and could do with some additional living space.
I have a limited budget (single parent). I would like the room to be usable year round as it will be used as a dining room and games room. I have concerns about it being to hot or too cold etc.
Please let me know if there are other things I should consider as I am somewhat a novice at this!

I think one reason ours works for us is that it is built on to the main entry door, so it does double duty as porch and sitting area. It also means it's not a no-go cul-de-sac in winter. It has stone walls up to normal window height.

I love mine. It's quite large stretched across the back of the house and is accessible from both the living room and kitchen. We use it as a dining room/ craft room for my daughter and I love sitting in there April onwards as it views the garden. Yes it can be cold in winter but we have an electric heater which works fine.

We have one and I love it. It is an open plan style, so runs straight on from the dining room without doors etc. It has doubled the space of the room. The dining room radiator keeps the whole space warm in winter and we had the energy efficient glass. No need for blinds etc. Its lovely.

We have an east-facing garden and I've pondered this. Mine would have to have solid full walls on the sides and a solid room with Velux windows. So, basically a single story extension with big patio doors. Being east facing it would need good heating and lighting for the winter months because we get lots of shade in the afternoon.

My in laws have recently had built a 'garden room'. Proper roof and low wall and rest is windows. Im not great with sizes but woulf guess its 2m square? Maybe 3m. It firs a decent sized 4 seat table and chairs comfortably and two garden lounger chairs. It cost them £13,000 i believe. They have only used it in the winter so not sure what its going to be like in the summer but it was warm enough during the winter.

Old plastic and polycarbonate conservatories are crap.

But a garden room with solid walls and roof, maybe velux windows or a roof lantern. Still cheaper than an extension but very usuable. Just add a radiator or underfloor heating and make sure it has good ventilation. I can't see a problem with this kind of room.

The last home I will buy, i will add a garden room onto the kitchen to have a dining and sitting space. Cheaper than a kitchen extension and I'm not keen on bi folds so this is a cheaper option.

I have a large conservatory which was here when I moved in and is one of the reasons I bought the house.
It has two radiators so not cold in winter and although it gets hot in summer we have fans and leave doors and windows open and are more likely to be outside than indoors in the sunny weather.
We use ours as a family/play room. All toys are in there, two sofas and a recliner chair and loads of floor space to crawl about and play (children under 5). Other than some dead flies in the hot summer we never get the dirt and bugs everyone is speaking about.
I'd recommend it OP. I love the natural light I get all year round.

I absolutely love ours!

Faces north east, so it never gets crazily hot in summer, the sun catches one end but goes round fairly quickly.

It has underfloor heating so always warm in winter.

We use it all the time.. It is quite big. At one end there is a dining table which can seat 12 at a push. At the other there is a sofa, two side tables with lamps, two armchairs and a coffee table. Plants growing all round the walls.

We had it built twenty years ago and it is as good as the day it was completed. Proper wood, no plastic. The firm who built it were brilliant.

I can’t imagine how we lived without it.

Don’t do it!!!!!!!

We filled the roof in on ours years ago and it’s the best money we ever spent. Now it’s a proper room we can use all year round. Before it was freezing in winter (even with 3 rads) and boiling in summer. I would have a proper extension, I wish we had now.

Mine is south facing with under floor heating, we use it all year round (especially for drying washing!!) but am looking at installing an insulated roof for next year.