Conservatories........

LandyAndy

TBH I wouldn't pay to have a conservatory put up but if a house had one it wouldn't put me off buying. The mistake is to think that the average, UPVC greenhouse type, conservatory adds anything to a property's value.

alleycat`

emsywoo123 wrote: »

I've done more thinking. Sorry. What do you (this is aimed at anyone kind enough to read my drivel) think about a garage conversion?

If the garage is integral and relatively modern it shouldn't cost a huge amount to convert as it should be reasonably well insulated anyway.

You could even "cut a corner" by not removing the existing garage door and building a "fake" stud wall against it.

Obviously the garage door could not be opened.

If you did that then the Biggest cost (assuming you are DIY competent) would be an internal house to garage door (as it has to be a 30 minute fire check type).

Rest is some plasterboard/Plastering work, decorating and electrics.

Down sides are loss of natural light (no windows), it might be a slightly odd shape and where you store the c4rp from the garage

Tropez

If you're after extra space to actually be used the you'd probably be better off looking at an orangery rather than a conservatory as orangeries, although very similar, are much easier to keep air conditioned so that they don't suffer with the temperature problems that conservatories have.

Worth bearing in mind as well, unless you get some special material fitted, rain on a conservatory roof is like a monkey with a drumkit.

As for a garage conversion, I know plenty of people who have had them done. The downside from what I can tell is depending on the size of the house and the type of area it could negatively effect the value of the house as most people will look for the right type of garage to accommodate their car(s).

alleycat`

LandyAndy wrote: »

My parents spend most of their time in theirs, summer and winter.:)

When we had one we hardly used it.:(

So that proves that 50% of people with conservatories think they are great.:D

My parents are exactly the same.
Always in it all year around.

We hardly ever used ours other than as a giant "toy storage area" and Greenhouse.

sassyblue

We put one on 3 years ago, it was a self build although it's half brick wall and we got our local builder to do that for us. £2,200 for brickie, £2,700 for conservatory. So less than £5k and it's excellent quality. Hubby (with a little help from me) put the top on, it took a few weeks just doing that evenings and weekends until it was finished.

It's large 4mtr x 4mtr and we wouldn't be without it. The company was in Bournemouth and we had no troubles, it was this one. http://www.tradepriceconservatories.com/

Just had a look it's £2,900 for that one now:
http://www.tradepriceconservatories.com/conservatory/edwardian/dwarf-wall/

We're south facing and can sit in it even when snow's outside if it's sunny - without heating on! :beer:

The blinds were another £700 :eek: but it was a local company and we've had some of their blinds for 15 years and they're still as good as new, so good value. In the summer if we lower the blinds and leave a couple of small windows open it's not blistering hot when we come home.

HTH

lostinrates

Person_one wrote: »

However much it is its a waste of money. Too cold in winter, too hot in summer, not as comfortable as your actual lounge, hardly anybody with a conservatory ever actually spends any time in there!

Our last house had a large conservatory, about a third of the house. It had a door at both ends and all the windows opened, it also had two ceiling fans, and three wall heaters. We lived in there. It was light enough in winter to stop one feeling blue from lack of light. And the creatable through draught kept it comfortable for summer in the main. It made that house, really...it was totally a different place to l
Ive with that thing. The fining room and a living room area were both in there and it was used almost every day.

Spendless

We paid £10k 5 years ago (yorkshire) for a consevatory which runs most of the width of my house (3 bed semi) and included building work in the main house including making a downstairs loo and knocking a wall to make a door between living and dining room. I think the conservatory bit was around £7.5k but mine is large. A smaller one would have cost less. We used a local builder who was recommended not a chain. Mine is East facing, so mid morning it can be very warm, but nothing that can't be sorted by opening doors and windows. Summer evenings are gorgeous in there as the sun is setting on the opposite side of the house. My garden is in shade from 6pm. As for all year round use, mine has a radiator and several years we have moved our dining table in there and had Xmas Dinner. In very cold years it's been out of use probably for a month in Jan, otherwise it is used all year round. I'd ask some neighbours who are on the same side of the road as you their advantages/disadvantages of their conservatory and see if you can get any recommendations from them and idea of cost.

LandyAndy

alleycat` wrote: »

My parents are exactly the same.
Always in it all year around.

We hardly ever used ours other than as a giant "toy storage area" and Greenhouse.

:rotfl:That's what we used ours for, too.

mehak_327

We paid close to £10k when we got it done last year. It is roughly 3m x 3m

sunnyone

Person_one wrote: »

However much it is its a waste of money. Too cold in winter, too hot in summer, not as comfortable as your actual lounge, hardly anybody with a conservatory ever actually spends any time in there!

We love our conservatory, our house had one on when we bought it and we replaced it about five years ago, it cost £8k because we have a weird wall but its money well spent.

A lot depends on heating etc. to wether you use it year round, it makes sence to put it on the central heating system to keep it warm during the winter.