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Original poster

Would you knock down a £40k conservatory?

59 replies

Killerqueen2244 · 07/02/2018 23:12

Got a big ole do-er upper, which needs a lot of more important work doing to it first however in the back of my mind the conservatory is bugging me. It’s large and feels like a

OP posts:
Ofthread · 07/02/2018 23:13

Prison?

Ofthread · 07/02/2018 23:13

Jellyfish?

Iamagreyhoundhearmeroar · 07/02/2018 23:15

What does it matter how much it cost if you don't want it? Irrelevant whether the previous owners spent forty grand or ten pence, really.
How do you know the cost, btw? It must be bloody big...

Original poster
Killerqueen2244 · 07/02/2018 23:16

Sorry pressed send trying to dismiss an advert!

It feels like a wasted space. Its hardwood, properly glazed roof & windows and has underfloor heating however no door to the lounge (so recently lounge has been 15 degrees in the morning)

In the future I’d love to knock it down to make an orangery style extension so we could extend the kitchen into the area and use it as an informal dining set up/family room.

Would you consider it? We don’t have loads of money to throw at the house but it is a forever home. Husband thinks it’s a total waste of money (pipe dream) however so far it’s not a well used space?!

OP posts:
4yearsnosleep · 07/02/2018 23:16

I bloody hate ours. Not £40k worth, but about £16k and I cannot wait to get rid this summer!!!

Oliversmumsarmy · 07/02/2018 23:17

Could you eBay it

Original poster
Killerqueen2244 · 07/02/2018 23:18

Haha jellyfish!!

The previous owners recently posted all the old receipts through our door. Seeing how much it cost just brought me down from the clouds a bit!

OP posts:
Original poster
Killerqueen2244 · 07/02/2018 23:20

I did wonder about eBay, I know the cost of these things are in the glass.

I just feel with building regs needing doors between the conservatory and house, will it ever be a useful room?

OP posts:
NoSquirrels · 07/02/2018 23:21

Could you get bifold doors?

Original poster
Killerqueen2244 · 07/02/2018 23:21

Maybe I should have worded it....have any of you made a useful extension to your house by using a conservatory?

OP posts:
whinetasting · 07/02/2018 23:23

Killerqueen- I've just checked that you're not my husband! We have exactly the same situation. However we are united in our dislike of the conservatory (freezing in winter, boiling in summer) and is it will be going. I'm looking forward to more useable family living space!

Lifechallenges · 07/02/2018 23:24

So how do you access it?

blaaake · 07/02/2018 23:24

I knocked a 10 year old one down on my previous house; I can't stand them. Built a proper extension with velux windows and bifold doors to create an open plan kitchen diner and it was lovely!!

Klobuchar · 07/02/2018 23:25

If you don’t like it, get rid of it.

ozymandiusking · 07/02/2018 23:26

Why do you think you need building regs to have a door from a conservatory in to a lounge. I wouldn't have thought so, but don't mind being corrected.
It could be lovely with furniture and plants. I'd love one but i know it will never happen!

BreakfastAtSquiffanys · 07/02/2018 23:27

Could you replace the glazed roof with a solid one?

And yes to multifold doors

BreakfastAtSquiffanys · 07/02/2018 23:28

I think when the OP says No door to lounge she means there is only an arch, therefore cold lounge

WicketWoo · 07/02/2018 23:28

Absolutely get rid of it if you won't use it. We have a massive conservatory that the previous owners decided to move the kitchen into. Whatever you do don't do that. It is the coldest kitchen in the world. Ever.

Original poster
Killerqueen2244 · 07/02/2018 23:30

It’s south facing and we haven’t had a summer in it yet- I’m dreading it! It’s got a 500mm wall that have 3 large windows that open out from the bottom (I’m slightly worried about the possibility of my toddler doing the high jump if these are open!) and has small patio doors. Bi-folds would definitely improve it for summer but I suppose in the back of my head I’m thinking of the cost of putting in doors between it and the lounge (to comply with building regs), blinds and bi-folds only for me still to hate it!!! Wink

It’s such a crazy amount of money to spend when surely a proper extension wouldn’t have cost much more!?!

OP posts:
Original poster
Killerqueen2244 · 07/02/2018 23:35

I’ve been looking on t’internet and I think to pass building regs we do need doors. I’m not quite sure why except for the heating implications? Would love to know for definite (we have an indemnity insurance from the previous sellers)

Our lounge is small for the size of the house so having doors won’t help! I know I said forever home but I always think of the resale value and if we did have to sell we’d have the PITA of sorting out indemnity insurance

OP posts:
Original poster
Killerqueen2244 · 07/02/2018 23:35

@wicketwoo do you have underfloor heating in there?

OP posts:
DryHeave · 07/02/2018 23:46

I suspect the doors may also be to do with fire safety?

fruitpastille · 07/02/2018 23:53

I love mine - we use it as a playroom/extra sitting room. It goes across the back of our kitchen and living room - door to kitchen and window to living room. It is cold in winter but has heating so it's useable in the day time. It's lovely in the summer with doors open to the back garden and very rarely too hot.

Terramirabilis · 08/02/2018 00:04

Are conservatories dying? I know it could be confirmation bias but I feel like I keep hearing from people online and IRL that they're getting rid of/want to get rid of their conservatory.

johnd2 · 08/02/2018 00:33

The doors thing is because your habitable space has to comply with all sorts of building regulations including insulation, air tightness, foundations, fire spread, even security for new builds.
The conservatory is basically part of outside,a glorified enclosed patio from the point of view of building regs. As such your external door must be between the house and conservatory.

The indemnity is completely useless and doesn't change the fact that it doesn't comply, it's just in case the council turn up and ask it to be knocked down, it pays the difference in value back to the mortgage company. Whoever lives there still have to put up with the cold and high bills etc.

Anyway to answer the original question, it's a shame it was so expensive. We demolished ours for the same reason but it was a cheap and nasty leaky plastic with corrugated plastic roof. That meant we could do it forgilt free, but it was the right idea. Don't think about the sunk cost, they won't have got their money back on selling the house anyway so it's their cost not yours