Extension vs conservatory/orangery

[alwaystakethetrip]

Hi All

We would like to build an extension (4m x 8m) across the back of our house, but as we don't intend to stay here medium term, we are worried that we won't realise the cost of doing it before we move (an estate agent has confirmed this)

Does anyone have experience of a similar situation? Should we consider a conservatory or orangery type thing instead? Or does that sound like a bad idea.

Any views appreciated!

My thoughts would be do an extension or don't bother at all. Living with a conservatory now I wouldn't want another one. I'm sure the newer ones are better than what I currently have, but I'm not a fan of them. Too cold in winter too hot in summer

Extension
When are you thinking of moving? You could get plans drawn up and planning permission granted and that would be a selling point even if you don’t build it yourself

We had a conservatory added to our living room- it functions as an extension as we have no dividing door. We've had no issues with temperature: the newer glass is very good. It's made our previously small, dark living room into a big, light living and dining room.

Pointless adding a conservatory as the new owners would likely rip down and extend instead

We have just replaced our conservatory from the brick dwarf walls up. It used to hit 51°C in summer and 1°C in winter thanks to the polycarbonate roof. We now have a solid roof and better windows and have installed an air to air heat pump. It's now usable in winter and should be in summer. Unless you can afford some form of heating/cooling (ours is solar panel powered) I wouldn't bother.