Conservatories and how to get rid of them.

pinkteapot

I do think it's the roof letting in light that makes it different, and having glass walls on three sides (well, ours is a circular shaped one, but same effect!). It still feels quite different to a simple room with a lot of glass on one side.

I do think it depends what you want to use the space for. Ours is a second lounge. We have a sofa suite and coffee table in it. When people come round, we've been sitting out there chatting, instead of in the lounge, as it's so much nicer an environment. However, that means we're using it as a nice-to-have space and in the depths of winter will be sitting in the lounge instead.

If, say, you want to use it as a dining room because your house doesn't have one, that doesn't work as well unless it's one that is usable year-round.

Dan-Dan

Though , be aware of knocking it down because you do suddenly realise what storage space you just lost!

macca1974

each to their own i suppose. I put up our conservatory (well I did the unskilled things and a friend who fits them for a living did the proper bits along with bricky/plasterer/tiler for the floor etc) 5 years ago and it has been fantastic. We use it as a family dining room and playroom. Good size and great light in the evening.

We don't use it so much in the height of summer as it gets to hot, but at the point we can sit outside and eat anyway. At this time of year it is lovely as it is nice and warm and great light, in the winter it can be a bit chilly but if we put the heater on low it warms it up really quickly and I haven't noticed any massive costs.

I think size does make a difference, ours comfortably fits a good sized dining table and and my electronic piano and some of the kids toys...

Would have loved to get an extension when we did it, but....it cost all in about £3.5K rather than 20 or 30 for an extension. So you pay your money and make your choice...

arbrighton

Ours was set up as a dining room when we viewed and once we moved in, we did wonder how they'd ever managed if it was raining (and having walked through two rooms with food from the kitchen!) We'd never buy a house without trying to view in rainy weather as well.

Our new 'sunroom' is having roof lights, will have a sofa suite etc but will be useable year round. The other certainly wasn't useable for more than about 2 weeks per year.

We are missing the vast storage space it provided (mostly for junk admittedly) and the outhouse which got demolished

Davesnave

Why pick on conservatories?

Previous owners usually have unrealistic expectations of the 'improvements' they've made, because the vast majority cost more than the value they add, and many are also personal statements(!)

With conservatories as with everything, like bad layout, unseemly black kitchens, wasted garage space, or whatever, you factor in what it costs to change it when you offer.

If that means you don't get it, then ça ne fait rien.

onomatopoeia99

I have a timber framed conservatory, it's used as a store room and for drying laundry. Can't use it for anything else.

It will go eventually, but I'll need to convert the small garage to habitable space first to make up for the lost storage.

andrewf75

Mostly agree with the OP. We've just replaced our useless conservatory with an extension and it has transformed the usable space of the house and obviously added a lot of value.

But it depends on the house. My parents have a conservatory which they use a lot. It has high tech glass so is usable most of the year and the layout works.

Arfa__

If you've got the cash to stick a proper extension or orangery on, then go for it! I'm sure 90% of those who put a conservatory on their house would have done the same, had they had the cash.

Ultimately a decent 3x4m conservatory is going to cost you between £12-£18k odd. A similar sized extension will probably start at about double that.

Besides, if you're looking to buy somewhere which you can redesign, knock through and extend with a beautiful extra open plan living space, why on earth are you worrying about a bit of uPVC that's in the way? Sounds like you've got plenty enough cash to clear it first anyway...

pelirocco

Arfa__ wrote: »

If you've got the cash to stick a proper extension or orangery on, then go for it! I'm sure 90% of those who put a conservatory on their house would have done the same, had they had the cash.

Ultimately a decent 3x4m conservatory is going to cost you between £12-£18k odd. A similar sized extension will probably start at about double that.

Besides, if you're looking to buy somewhere which you can redesign, knock through and extend with a beautiful extra open plan living space, why on earth are you worrying about a bit of uPVC that's in the way? Sounds like you've got plenty enough cash to clear it first anyway...

Ha I wish !! try another £5k , we are just having one built and knocked through to dining room .........although i do wonder if we should have gone for a 'proper extension ' . .......i do like lots of glass tho .

Its nearly finished i cant see any reason why it wont feel and be used as a normal room , i suppose my worry is what lifetime it will have

tizerbelle

I don't have an issue with conservatories per se more the location of some of them. In my rightmove browsing (I'm addicted) I frequently see them disjointed from the usual living areas of the house and in my mind, isolated.

But the worst I've seen are located off a boiler/utility room or a ground floor bedroom and there was even one accessed through the downstairs bathroom! :eek: