Have you converted your conservatory into a more useful room?

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We have a hideous conservatory. It's old, the wood is rotting and it has a nasty plastic roof which is discoloured and flipping noisy when it rains. It's also too hot in summer and too cold in winter. It's off the dining room and I'd like to turn it into a garden room extension. The dining room is already knocked through into the kitchen so we could create a really big L-shaped living space that is useful as opposed to the current kitching/dining room with an ugly, useless eyesore on the side. It has patio doors through to it at the moment and I keep them closed and curtains drawn over them.

It's a good size, 3m x 4m so would add quite a lot of usable space to our downstairs.

Have you done it? Was it worth it? What sort of costs are we looking at? What are the best choices you made? Roof choice? Number of windows?

I want to get an architect round but want a clear idea of what I want before I do.

Not converted one...was an utter waste of time. Had it demolished and a proper extension out in. Conservatories are temporary structures that as you have pointed out are pretty unusable most of the year and soon leak.

I got my conservatory taken down and had an extension built it it's place. Best thing I ever did.
Keep the high ceiling and added a couple of velux windows plus glass folding doors out to garden. I absolutely love it!

I got my conservatory taken down and had an extension built it it's place. Best thing I ever did.
Keep the high ceiling and added a couple of velux windows plus glass folding doors out to garden. I absolutely love it!

Sorry... no idea why that posted twice!

We had a lovely conservatory that no one used so we had it knocked down and an extension put on instead .

Converted is the wrong word.

I mean demolish and replace it entirely with a proper extension!

So far, it's a resounding yes.

Did it add value to balance out the costs? How long did the work take? Rough costs?

We bought last year and the increased time at home has prompted us to look at our conservatory, with a dwarf wall, sooner rather than later.

We are in the process of a refurb. Replacing all windows/panels, replacing sliding door with french doors, new sliding internal door (between kitchen and conservatory), warm roof with two window panels, moving lighting around, taking down old plaster and replacing it, and putting down laminate flooring. We wanted to keep the light and feel of a conservatory but make it a room useable all year round.

We did look at an extension but the groundwork (taking up existing concrete base), needing to look at water pipes, and expense put us off. We are paying quite a bit (not going to say on public forum!) but we are having a lot of work done and it is still cheaper than a full extension. We also took our time to find a company - we didn’t end up going with the cheapest quote.

Some will argue an extension is better but we are happy with the decision to adapt/refurbish rather than knock down and build an extension.

Plus we don’t need to go via planning as you would with an extension.