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A much loved option, approximately 18% of homes in the UK have a conservatory. A conservatory can be an interesting way to add extra space to your house without planning permission, increase your connection to nature, and potentially increase the value of your home.
Before you take out a loan to finance your build, you need to be make sure that you are building for your own enjoyment first, and any potential buyer’s second. There are questions you can ask yourself before building to make sure that you are building for the right reason.
Estimates suggest that you can recoup between 50% and 133% of typical costs from building your conservatory. This is such a wide range that there is no guarantee that you will recoup your investment. Instead you should think about how this new space will impact your day-to-day life, and that you are adding it for the right reasons:
- The orientation of your garden – each direction has benefits and so you need to decide what is most important to you, warmth in the winter or coolness in the summer.
- Not shaded – although great in the summer, in the other seasons you will not get valuable sunlight to heat up the area.
- A large enough garden – you do not want to take up the entire footprint of your garden with a conservatory. Besides the aesthetics of filling up the garden, there are also issues with planning permission if you do so.
- It will increase the size of kitchen/dining area – it can make an excellent dining area if it is coming right out of the kitchen.
- What is the cost – you want to pay for a professional to install your conservatory because it is complicated, and a poor job will not last through the seasons.
Are conservatories expensive to run and maintain?
Due to their very nature, being made out of glass, there are a number of factors to consider:
- Hot in the summer – As they are basically greenhouses, you need to look at double glazing, or adding weather proof gloss paint to the glass to reflect heat and keep the area cool. Air conditioning is also a possibility.
- Cold in the winter – Adding underfloor heating is a more expensive option, or a coil heater can work just as well. Double glazing is also crucial to keep the heat in and not increase energy bills drastically.
- Maintenance – Conservatories need to be regularly looked after to avoid leaks, stopping growth of algae on roof panels, and generally keeping them look great. If you let any of these issues build up it could actually detract from the value of your home instead of increasing it.
What style of conservatory is best?
As with any type of home improvement what you decide to do to your property is based on cost, financing available, and the style of your property.
Adding a £50,000 conservatory to a £150,000 property will not add the equivalent value to the property, and could look out of place. Likewise, adding a £5,000 lean-to conservatory to a £1 million property could also have a detremential effect.
At the end of the day you should add a conservatory that you will enjoy – after all, you will be living with it for the near future, and your comfort is what counts in your home.
What are the different types of conservatory?
There are four main popular styles of conservatory:
- Victorian
- Edwardian
- Lean-to
- Gable
Victorian
Victorian conservatories fit well on a range of properties due to the option to have 3 to 5 facets that create their distinctive curved appearance. Due to the curved nature they are a good space saving option with victorian details with period effects that can add charm to any property. A Victorian conservatory, distinctive because of it’s rounded facets.
Edwardian
The cost of an Edwardian conservatory is very similar per square foot to that of a Victorian conservatory. It is a no-nonsense option because of it’s square footprint, and is really a blank canvas for a property in any style. It’s a perfect extension for a sun room, dining room, or living room where you want to be closer to your garden year round.
Lean to conservatory
Although the word ‘lean-to’ does not conjure images of a beautiful structure attached to your property, but done well it can add a light spacious living area that is a direct and seamless extension, and walkway, between your property and the garden. You can also choose to have part permanent structure, part conservatory glass to make sure the structure is in keeping with the rest of the property.
Gable conservatory
A gable conservatory adds a grand extension to a large house. It is distinctive because of its high peaked roof that allows plenty of light to flood in to the conservatory as well as the main house. The difference between a gable and an Edwardian is that the gable has a completely flat front that peaks in a triangle above the main doors.
No matter what style conservatory you choose you should make sure that the financing you choose reflects your budget and the amount you want to spend.
If you do want to spend a bit more on your conservatory you can look at custom designs, or even adding an orangery to an existing extension.
If you do decide to build your own conservatory than you can watch this guide below.