Conservatory kitchen- is it a thing?

[dottypencilcase]

Exactly that. We were thinking of having the back of the house extended (1.5m x 2.9m) to square off the kitchen/diner and have had quotes in excess of £20k!!! That's not doable right now especially as we'd like a loft conversion done at a later date that'd bring us to the ceiling price of the houses on our street but would give us the room we need for a growing family. Would it be worth getting a conservatory fitted at the back of the house instead?

I would get more quotes rather than go down the conservatory route. We inherited one in the last house, freezing in winter, too hot in summer, it was a nightmare. I would never have another.

Personally I think £20k for that sized extension is stupidly high and I think I would be costing up materials, there are lots of things online to help calculate things like number of bricks, foundation blocks etc and lots of youtube videos of people doing their own self build extensions so you can see what is involved. Materials and supplies vary from area to area so I would do that as a starting point to divide the materials cost from the labour cost.

£20k is reasonable, a bit bigger won't be much more though because some of the costs are for whatever size within reason

What, they need to lay the foundations, knock down an external wall, roof it. Floor it. And do all manner of other things to make it safe and habitable. If you think 20k is high, then you’ve not had building work done for a very long time.

impressed though you’d build it yourself. 😂

Get rid of the breakfast bar?

20k sounds cheap for an extension!

What's this red bit?

Could you take it out which would make the room feel bigger. Obviously not ideal having the loo off the kitchen but could be a much cheaper option and get you a bit more usable space.

£20k for 4.3m2 of single story extension and you think that is cheap ? 🙄

I can't imagine cooking in my conservatory during the summer. Way too hot.

Be aware that the majority of conservatives do not meet building regulations as habitable rooms.

This means fire regs and thermal performance.

That's very cheap for an extension!

I wouldn't get a conservatory, they're either boiling or freezing. We used to have one and I hated it, never went in there.

@Getthethrowonthesofa It isn't open heart surgery or some secret knowledge, there are literally websites that can work things out for you like what the pitch of the roof would be so you can order the right tiles.

A MNetter has built their own extension and documented it. You can attend short courses to learn to build walls. Yes a whole house would be best in the hands of a professional but a single storey extension? If I was younger and in better health I would build my own.

Depending on the size you could even use SIPs, all ready done for you, instant extension. In fact, OP here is a link to a SIP extension site (Structured Insulated Panels) might start you on a journey.

And yes, I have had an extension and other building work done so have knowledge of the building trade, I paid the builder's merchants directly, all the sub contractors too so I know exactly how much the labour and materials cost.
https://annexebyfuturerooms.co.uk/product/home-extension-kits/

I agree that £20k is cheap for the extension- I guess it depends on where you live.

£20 k sounds on the low side to be honest. But what you have to consider is heat in summer and cold in the winter. Plus building regs.

I agree 20k for an extension is very cheap. Our neighbour replaced their large conservatory with a single story extension ( new foundations and across the whole of the house). It was £60k in the end 😬.
We've just replaced the glazing (window, doors and roof) on our old conservatory. Same brickwork. It was £17k. It is lovely though and much warmer than our old conservatory. Glass units are so much better these days.

Almost 5 grand per m2 is not cheap anywhere … unless you live in zone one.
most cars are bigger inside that the extension the op is looking at.

You literally wont be allowed to do that unless you install significant eco measures elsewhere. There is no thermal break so it will be classed by building control as an overglazed extension. It isn’t building regs compliant

It will be if the glass meets u values.

I beg to differ having just been through this process and we had very good argon filled glazing. Ours was considered over glazed and we installed solar to offset it

I had a small extension of 3m x 2m to fill in a corner about 13 years ago, cost just under 10k finished. So £20k now doesn't sound horrific, but I'd get at least 3 quotes to see how they compare.

I’m referring to something like the photos the op has posted.

ours is less glazed than that (windows, bifolds and a roof lantern) and was considered over glazed.

Then how do you explain houses like this get buit in the uk ? Would you say this was over glazed?

https://www.huf-haus.com/en-uk/europa/london/

You can offset the glazing against other eco measures if done at the same time. Ours was offset against the solar panels and a new more efficient boiler plus loads of extra insulation. I’m not trying to start an argument just explaining current building regs.

I am actually hoping to do this in the coming year....not quite the same but having the conservatory as a diner and nothing separating the conservatory but a peninsula. I've explained what I'm after to the same tradesman who did all our windows and he's running it all by building regs before quoting. Hoping it will be possible, but also aware of all the too hot/too cold issues I read about on here. He's recommended flat roof with lantern and higher walls, he also recommended underfloor heating but, I think I'd just stick an electric radiator in there. I would also have to insulate my shed to make this work as it's a single brick room. Would become home office/snug