Smaller extension or bigger conservatory?

[BekindStayhome]

The layout means these are the only two options:

1. We could add a small extension which would allow two existing rooms to be joined in one larger.
2. We could add a conservatory with twice the floor space.

The main downside to the extension is extra cost for less space. But it would make the existing spaces nicer. We have had a conservatory before and liked it though we didn't use it in the middle of winter. So difficult to know which will actually be better value /we'll enjoy living in.

A lot of people hate conservatories . Me included. Too hot in summer, too cold in winter. I think a proper extension is much better. I would never buy a house that had a conservatory.

A decent conservatory costs more than a bog standard extension. You need higher quality glass, insulation, and you will need the same foundations and it needs heating, preferably underfloor.

My orangery is my kitchen and I use it all year round! However it was expensive and a standard extension would have been cheaper. Don’t skimp on quality. You will regret it. Rooms that are too cold or hot are useless. So why waste your money on a room for 50% of the year? Build something you can use.

Why the difference? Is this a planning issue?

Also depends on the orientation of the building. I found a north facing conservatory was fine, but I can see that a south facing one might be a nightmare and unusable in the summer.

We just finished the work to convert the conservatory on our house (moved in last summer) into a proper extension with a normal roof. It was boiling in summer, freezing in winter. We had to keep the door to it shut not to heat up/freeze the rest of the downstairs. It was useable at best 4 months a year!

Extension !! We have had both and the conservatory whilst ok was either hot or cold and the bugs !!🙈🙈..
would an orangery style extension be cheaper ?

They are not cheaper. The roofs are more complicated due to roof construction and glass quality needed. However large rooflights in a standard roof can be a good alternative.

If planning permission is needed, it’s needed for both. A conservatory that is usable is never cheaper than an extension so you cannot get twice the size.

That's interesting thanks all.
The restriction is that the extension would involve knocking down walls and for the new room to be a sensible shape the size is restricted. The conservatory would go in a different spot.
We wouldn't expect to use a conservatory all year round. With the old one what I loved was it getting really warm and being a good place to grow chillies!

Can I ask roughly what the cost was of making the conservatory into a proper extension? Something we are keen to do I think to give us more usable space

I loved our conservatory at our old house... mostly for drying washing! I think I’d rather add a smaller extension though...

Please don't put a conservatory on if it is south facing. Can guarantee you'll regret it. We are looking to convert ours or knock it down to get a normal extension.

If you can afford a conservatory with a tiled insulated roof it will be as usable as any other part of the house. If you're looking at a standard conservatory with a poly or glass roof I would go with a smaller extention.

Have had conservatories on 2 houses, one we used for storage and the other we turned into a utility. Both were freezing in winter and boiling in summer and neither we could use as living space. My PIL have a conservatory which has a tiled insulated roof and it is the room they use the most.

I have a huge glass roof and two glass walls and ax it’s my kitchen o definitely use it all year round. You don’t need a solid roof. But you do need high quality double glazing and decent heating. I don’t see the point of rooms that are just for growing plants. Maybe get a greenhouse?

Extension every time.

We went for a massive conservatory instead, because of cost, and regretted it. Even with heating, cold in the winter. It was a wasted room.

We had full glass from roof to floor, so no walls apart from the bit of interior joining to the kitchen (french doors on dining part), which meant I couldn't furnish it without it looking a mess from the garden, wires on display etc.

@ProseccoSupernova
We had it done alongside other work but the conservatory part alone was about £11k.

It sounds a lot but that was aluminium bifolds across one entire side, a proper tiled and insulated roof (not a light one for conservatories which I think is a bit cheaper) with 2 large ish electric skylights, all new electrics, new radiator and decorating.

I love a room with lots of non-uk-native plants. It's what makes a conservatory feel like a different kind of space to me. I can't see the point of one without a glass roof though as the light and heat are the appeal for me. So, I think you are all convincing me that the extension is a safer bet.

Can’t you have both? I’d love a conservatory filled with plants, though I think a greenhouse would be practical for me....

herewegoagaintake20...

Thank you! Would love to see before/after photos if you don’t mind sharing! It sounds exactly like what we want to do. what do you use it for now?we were thinking to use it as a dining room and make the current dining room into a home office.

My kitchen orangery was £65,000.

@bubblesbuddy I assume that included the kitchen fit out? I bet it’s gorgeous... any pics?!

£65k? I bet that didn’t include the kitchen. A good quality orangery is very expensive.

What specific ally is an orangery that is not a normal room with a fancy light hole?

(genuine question btw) I'm in the market for an interesting extension.

Could you have a proper extension but in the place where a conservatory would have gone?bigger space but better usefulness than a normal conservatory.

Here we go, it's not quite finished in these! It's off the kitchen so we took the doors we used to have to keep shut out and put a big whole (think arch but without the arch shape!).

It's going to be a sitting room off the kitchen with a tv as whilst the kids are little we want to keep the table in the kitchen bit!

Sorry that was for:
@ProseccoSupernova!