We’re extending our current home, which is currently a 3 bed detached with single storey side lean extension with huge conservatory on the back.
The extension will be a two storey side, wrapping around and building out from existing single storey, allow us to increase the kitchen footprint, we already have an open plan kitchen, dining family space that opens onto the conservatory. It will also add a larger utility downstairs and upstairs master suite.
The conservatory was built 20 yrs ago by previous owners, glass roofed and is massive, south facing so unusable for 6 months except at night. In winter it’s so cold, aside from a seating area which is rarely used, it is a gym space during winter or clothes drying in summer. It also tends to hold all the kids paraphernalia such as scooters, etc and I hate looking out to it from our dining table. (All of this will be accommodated in other areas with new layout)
We’ve got a quote of around £25k to extend out by 3x 3m to increase footprint of family dining space and remove conservatory or £2k to remove it completely and flatten.
Our garden is split level so the lower patio level has lost so much to the conservatory, we want to claim some of the space back.
So, to my question, what would you do?
Are there any other options other than knock it down, rebuild a proper extension or retain. Has anyone ever adapted an existing conservatory? It feels terribly wasteful to knock something down that isn’t broken but given age of it, we would probably have to remove in next 10 years. Replacement blinds would probably cost in excess of £1k, which would be required.