Conservatories and how to get rid of them.

ben_m_g

Personally, I don't like conservatories, I think they give limited extra space (with the doors in the way), are often too cold or too hot, and some of them look like nothing more than a see through shed.

I also have a very hard time paying more for a property because of the "value" one of these is supposed to add.
(Especially when it will probably end up in a skip.)

But it seems like i am in a minority, In my house search I have seen several examples that could be far, far better used as an extension, or themselves extended and knocked through to create a much bigger living space.

The thing is, when is it better just to knock the whole thing down and start again?

DRP

ben_m_g wrote: »

Personally, I don't like conservatories, I think they give limited extra space (with the doors in the way), are often too cold or too hot, and some of them look like nothing more than a see through shed.

I also have a very hard time paying more for a property because of the "value" one of these is supposed to add.
(Especially when it will probably end up in a skip.)

But it seems like i am in a minority, In my house search I have seen several examples that could be far, far better used as an extension, or themselves extended and knocked through to create a much bigger living space.

The thing is, when is it better just to knock the whole thing down and start again?

A conserv will always be the inferior, cheaper option. So if you can afford to get an extension, then do so.

ben_m_g

To give an example, I saw a cracking property for sale with an (admittedly) very nicely done dwarf wall conservatory, the large glass windows gave a great view of the garden.

Unfortunately you had to go through the dining room then the kitchen, making it largely unusable.

If I could extend the dwarf wall across the back of the property, meaning most of the back wall would be window then knocking through. I would turn the narrow dining room into a much larger family room.

The kitchen could in turn be opened out adding to this space.


I imagine by the time you salvage anything from the conservatory (not to mention any foundation issues) it would be far cheaper to find a house without and start from scratch?

ben_m_g

DRP wrote: »

A conserv will always be the inferior, cheaper option. So if you can afford to get an extension, then do so.

You're too quick for me , please see my post above, talking more about purchasing houses with existing conservatories

lovinituk

I agree with you, can't stand them myself. Unfortunately my wife has the opposite view and we are due to start house hunting soon (don't have a conservatory at the moment). As long as I get the double garage I want I'm just going to turn a blind eye to any PVC monstrosity attached to the back of the house!

bsms1147

ben_m_g wrote: »

The thing is, when is it better just to knock the whole thing down and start again?

When you have the money to do so.

Dan-Dan

When its timber framed and rotting

arbrighton

Dan-Dan wrote: »

When its timber framed and rotting

THIS.

Exactly.

Just add in major leaking and that's the reason ours has gone, and is being replaced with a sunroom (i.e. a room with lots of windows and a proper roof!) along with a million other jobs not limited to an extension and new windows throughout

pinkteapot

I have to say, I always felt the same as an OP, until we moved in February to a house with a conservatory.

We didn't buy the house for the conservatory. We pretty much bought it in spite of the conservatory, as we weren't previously keen on them.

You can probably tell where this is going... We now spend SO much time in the conservatory. There's only two of us in a five bed, four reception room house, and a good proportion of our time at home is in the conservatory, one of the smaller rooms. :eek:

The natural light is what makes them wonderful. It really is something in between being indoors and out, and that's not something you'd get with an extension. It's also fab to sit in when it's raining or there's a storm. It seems to come into its own on days when it's too cool to sit in the garden, but still warm enough in the conservatory.

If you've never had one, give it a chance. I know we're unlikely to use ours in winter, but just for the rest of the year it's lovely.

I don't know what ours cost but it does appear to be a good quality one. I still hate the look of those straight-edged lean-to types ones and would probably still knock one of those down, despite my new-found appreciation...

I wouldn't want a house that's open plan to the conservatory. Our house still has the original patio door, and the conservatory is through that. My mum once rented a house with a massive hole in the wall, open to the conservatory, and her winter heating bill was just horrendous.

OP - if you can afford to knock the conservatory down and build an extension then go for it, if that's what you'd prefer. I'm with you in that I still wouldn't pay much more for a house with a conservatory compared to an identical one without.

ben_m_g

Maybe, it is true I have never tried living one.

But I think I would rather have a bi-fold door or supersize the windows, still loads of light without the very separate space.

ben_m_g

Despite the leaks, cold wind and the tendency of turning into a junk room, I think having to pay for something you don't want, need or likely will use, is what really bugs me.

I recall seeing a conservatory with an internal space of 2m by 1m.
You could either open the door or be in the room, I have no idea what the owner was using it for (and as it was a vacant building couldn't find out.)

But it was proudly advertised with conservatory and was 5 k over a similar house in the next street.

It is the same for kitchens and bathrooms, as soon as I see "refurbished" it turns me right off. Chances are I don't share the owners taste and don't really want to pay more for the property for something that I will have to pay to remove then pay to get fitted.