Planning a conservatory extension

[snowflakefallingonmynose]

As the title says. Tell me what to look out for, what to consider, costs etc. Where do I start? I have read a few threads and not many favour a conservatory but I really don’t have space and know of a few neighbors who have done this. So please be kind 🙏🏻

Ours is a new build and a very small downstairs. We’ve been here for over 5 years now and looking to move our massive dining table into the insulated conservatory.

How long does it normally take? I don’t think I need planning permission as I am not making a permanent structure. But tell me if otherwise? I know the area will be around 12ft long and 6ft wide. Just enough to fit in a 6 seat dining table. Since ours is extendable table my plan is to keep it fully extend it so I don’t have to put chairs on the wall side and put the table touching the wall. Let me know if that will be too small or awkward ?

Also, where do I get trusted people / materials from? I have seen some shops around who do this conservatory extension but they are all charging upwards of £20k.

Thank you

Oops sorry, just re read the original post. You are planning to put the table against the wall? Well yes, there would be more room, but who wants to sit looking at a wall?

I’m sure you won’t be able to use your neighbour’s wall as your wall in the conservatory. You won’t be able to drill into it or attach anything to it if you were planning that.

We had a conservatory already in place when we moved in - the roof leaked so all the roof and glass was removed, taking it back to brick. Replacement glass - 1.5 sides only (rest is brick) and a flat roof with a lantern cost £18k. Since then we’ve had 6 different leaks and a further 2 new roofs in less than 18months, one of which is me paying a different contractor to do it at a further cost of 4k. I wouldn’t have a flat roof again. Saying that, the room is now a useable office all year round.

Another vote for a proper roof. Have friends with a glass one and another with the plastic type, they get very hot/very cold.
We're lucky to have a normal roof thanks to precious owners. Means it can be used as a proper extra room with no limitations.

It cost us over 10k just to put an insulated tile roof on our existing conservatory. No way will you get a new one for 15k

You won't get trusted people to work with you with the current plan. Some people will do it but they won't be trustworthy if doing a good job is important to them.

It sounds like you would be better off with a small modular extension. We have a north facing conservatory (it was already on the house) and it's freezing cold outside of summer, even with the radiator on it's not usable in this weather.
You need some kind of foundations, if your neighbours really have just built over the patio, you don't want to copy them!

@snowflakefallingonmynose We have just built one off our kitchen and love it so much! We built it ourselves and I will say it wasn't easy. We started digging in June and finished just before Christmas, but that was fitting it around dhs work. We have a glass roof and those panels were really really heavy, especially above head height. Ours is north north west facing. Currently the sun is low so we get a bit through the day but come summer we will get a lot and will probably have to look at blinds or sails or something for a bit of shade.
It has cost us under £20k including all the groundwork's. Our garden is on an uphill slope so we had to dig into it, so digger hire etc The conservatory itself is 3m wide by 4.5m which is plenty of space for our dining table and a Welsh dresser and I am looking at getting a chair to sit in to bird watch, or just sit whilst dinner is cooking.
We got the best glass we could afford which is helping towards the insulation. Given how cold it has been recently, we can still sit out there. I've yet to do the final floor finish so we just have the self levelled floor with rugs on top so it's warmer underfoot. We have run an extension lead in there for a ceiling light and for a standard lamp, but in the future we will get it properly wired.

Which glass did you get please?

Wow that’s amazing. Please do let us know what type of glass is it that you have installed? Do you have an electric heater in there or some other way of heating that room? I think DH could potentially do some extent of DIY but not sure as we’ve both got zero experience/ knowledge.

Just looking at the site we bought it from and it's A rated argon filled doubled glazed. The roof has a tint on it to help with heat loss in the winter and block the sun in the summer. It's not the best best glass around, just what we could afford and so far seems ample for us

@snowflakefallingonmynose We have a small ceramic heater, £40 from Argos, which we turn up when eating dinner in there. If it was just dh and me we probably wouldn't do this, but our two dds have pain conditions and feel the cold far more so we will have it on for them.
We have zero experience of this sort of thing, but dh will try most things, especially if it saves money as we just couldn't afford to have someone else build this for us. The company we bought ours from was very good price wise, but their instructions were poor. Very poor. If we were to ever do this again I would buy the frame ourselves and hire a fitter to build it. The next quote we had was around £20k, not including any groundwork's or dwarf wall building.

Have you looked at factory built extensions? Once footings are done, the whole thing is just craned into place. Usually done and dusted in a few days. With MMC, it's a far cry from the old days of 'pre-fab'.

If it is a new build, call or email the council to check the planning history in case there is a condition attached to the planning permisison removing permitted development rights. If so, this would mean that you would need planning permisison. If now, see the size limitations set out under Part 1, Class A of the General Permitted Development Order which is on Google.

Why are you wanting a conservatory not just another room? That is not a criticism at all, I'm just curious because you appear to want a room you can use all round with proper insulation, which will presumably be expensive to do for a mainly glass building. It looks like you may need planning permission for the size and position of the structure whatever it's construction so would a room not suit you better?

We bought our conservatory second hand. We dug out all of the floor area in order to put in extra insulation. I think it was something like Recticel?

We paid a builder to do the footings and brick work and then erected the conservatory ourselves. The best quality glass will give more liveable result.

Good luck

@snowflakefallingonmynoseMy kitchen is an oak framed orangery - big glass roof and 2 glass walls within an oak frame. 15 years ago it was very expensive with deep foundations to support it.

It has underfloor heating (we have heat pumps and solar panels), the highest quality glass back then (argon filled double glazing) and mostly it’s warm. A bit nippy at -5! Gets a bit too hot via direct sun in the summer but 2 sets of doors really help with air and we have a fan.

I don’t think cheap buildings like this work and ours cost more than standard construction but it looks great and we have a lovely garden around it. It’s a fantastic space but I’d never have a conservatory in place of a standard room in many situations.

A proper room requires planning permission. Which I believe is difficult to get around here. As none of my neighbors who’ve build their conservatory/ extension have done it either.

what I know is if it’s not a “permanent” structure then it doesn’t need PP.

We do have a “shed” store nearby. Which do readymade sheds for the garden. And have huge sheds like proper room. But we need to check with them if they’ll do a conservatory style ones.

I like your idea and honestly need minimal hassle. And a structure where we can sit with electric heaters on.

It still to meet the building regs requirements. If you don't you can be fined or asked to dismantle, your house will also lose value without it as who wants to buy a house with a bodged conservatory and no building regs.

With regards to not being a permanent structure, that will be very true in the literal sense if you don't put proper foundations in.

A 'proper room' won't necessarily need planning permission if it can be done under permitted development rules.

It sounds like your neighbours have taken shortcuts and done bodges. This will be problematic when they want to sell their properties.

I suggest you speak to the planning department and get clarification on what you can build under permitted development - small extension or conservatory - and then decide what it is you really want once you have that information.

Don't skimp on getting it done properly. Putting laminate over a patio, or even worse, over grass, is a stupid thing to do and it won't last. Get proper foundations and proper flooring.

A conservatory can work well. We have a lovely one that we use year round. It has a double glazed and tinted glass roof to reduce heat in summer and maintain heat in winter, and underfloor heating.

On the pre fab extensions/modular builds or lean tos we looked into it previously and there were implications if you have a mortgage as once you attach it to the main structure of your home you may find it's classed as novel construction. As per any structural work you need to inform your current lender of the work in advance and it makes it difficult to find lenders willing to lend in future when your mortgage term ends and you need to refinance (meaning difficulties for buyers too if you ever need to move). I can't remember the details but if you have a mortgage something to research as it made things quite complicated.

Conservatories can need planning permission. It will be treated just like any other extension to the property. Unless you are intending to remove it after 28 days, it is a permanent structure.

Forget what your neighbours have done - check the regulations yourself. If it's a new-build property you need to check with the OCuncil to see whether permitted development rights have been removed. If they have you will definitely require planning permission. If they haven't, then the conservatory will need to meet all the requirements to meet the permitted development requirements.

If you are planning to attach t to the neighbouring property, you will need planning permission, as permitted development rights only apply to development within your own property boundaries. You will also need the neighbours permission.

Permitted development rights for householders: technical guidance - GOV.UK

You need to look at Class A restrictions (assuming you are in England)

Agree that’s too narrow.our extension is about 9ft wide, nobody explained how thick walls have to be now due to insulation regs. It’s a bit narrow and we’d have gone out a couple of foot if we had known.