Open conservatory question

boxfreshchris

Howdy folks,

We're looking at moving house soon, and the one linked below has caught our eye.

Our only concern is that as shown in photos 2 & 3 the conservatory is actually open to the rest of the house, they've removed the doors. Now from my parents conservatory I know these can get quite cold in the winter. Also, the EPC rating is a low 52. I'm guessing this is likely due to the conservatory being open.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-52872778.html

In people's experience, with a layout like that where it's all open plan is the conservatory likely to cause a problem with regards to heating the house?

Thank you for any help.

stukno

Nice house but you are right to be cautious. I doubt that the present arrangement is practical, too cold in winter and too hot in summer. Trying to achieve a live-able balance with heating / air con will be very expensive

G_M

It's a large conservatory which considerably extends the living accomodation.

You could budget to add folding doors or something to close it off which should not be too expensive, but then the conservatory area would either be too cold to use much in winter, or cost a lot to heat.

ognum

boxfreshchris wrote: »

Howdy folks,

We're looking at moving house soon, and the one linked below has caught our eye.

Our only concern is that as shown in photos 2 & 3 the conservatory is actually open to the rest of the house, they've removed the doors. Now from my parents conservatory I know these can get quite cold in the winter. Also, the EPC rating is a low 52. I'm guessing this is likely due to the conservatory being open.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-52872778.html

In people's experience, with a layout like that where it's all open plan is the conservatory likely to cause a problem with regards to heating the house?

Thank you for any help.

Does that meet building regs?

AnotherJoe

In people's experience, with a layout like that where it's all open plan is the conservatory likely to cause a problem with regards to heating the house?
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Not a problem as such, but certainly an extra cost I'd have thought.

Ours is very similar but sliding glass door. When I opened the door on it yesterday there was a massive chorus from those in the living room of "close the door its freezing". So you'll end up paying a more to heat that whole area of the house and the conservatory will act as a heat sink. This is a newish conservatory with the latest efficient glass and a glass roof and one end wall is brick. We do have heating in it but only switch it on when we are in there.

FWIW in a really hot summer it might well make the attached room uncomfortably warm as well.

With closed door the conservatory acts as a sort of heat buffer in each direction. We have one big fixed "door" and one that slides both glass. Each half the width of the opening which is about 3/4 of the end wall. V similar to your picture.

We had this replaced when the conservatory was put i, n from memory it was somewhere between £1,000 - £1500 for that. I can see the occupants treat it as a big room which would work with a bigger family. Less so perhaps with a smaller one. You've also got the kitchen as well. I wonder if you get a lot of condensation from that? That looks harder to wall off I'm sure it could be done though.

So thats an expense I'd definitely consider unless you treat the whole thing as one much bigger room and then its the heating expense. Never having done that I've no idea how much it would add though, and theres also the issue of keeping cool in heatwaves I suppose the curtains woudl help but then it would be dark.

kinger101

A newish house like that doesn't get an energy rating of 52 for no reason. But you'll have no problem heating the house in the summer.

boxfreshchris

I'm wondering if swapping the glass roof for one of these newer insulated tiled roofs would help? Although given its size I'm guessing that would come at a considerable expense.

It's a shame they didn't just go for a standard extension really, as that extra space makes a huge difference and the house in general ticks all our boxes.

Davesnave

boxfreshchris wrote: »

I'm wondering if swapping the glass roof for one of these newer insulated tiled roofs would help? Although given its size I'm guessing that would come at a considerable expense.

It's a shame they didn't just go for a standard extension really, as that extra space makes a huge difference and the house in general ticks all our boxes.

A fake tiled roof would just make the interior of the kitchen & living room very dark.

Conservatories are a cheap way of gaining space, being half the cost of building a standard extension, which would also come with problems of gaining sufficient light into the rest of the house. These problems can often be overcome, but at a cost which may make them unattractive.

Here, the owners have ignored good building practice, so this conservatory, which looks pretty new, does not appear to meet building regs. It's what I'd call an "all fur coat & no knickers" job. Something smaller and conventionally-built would have been much more appropriate, less wasteful of energy, and would have added more value.

beanandbean

boxfreshchris wrote: »

I'm wondering if swapping the glass roof for one of these newer insulated tiled roofs would help? Although given its size I'm guessing that would come at a considerable expense.

It's a shame they didn't just go for a standard extension really, as that extra space makes a huge difference and the house in general ticks all our boxes.

If the house is really that ideal have you thought of insulating the roof with an additional layer, something like http://insulated-conservatory-roofs.ie/
Have no idea how something like that would affect amount of light in room, though

seven-day-weekend

We have a conservatory (with doors!) off our kitchen and we heat it at a constant 15 c throughout the winter with an electric convector heater with a thermostat. We haven't had it during the summer yet, but it has certainly been comfortable during the winter.

However, for this level of comfort you do have to expect a raised electricity bill.

The Conservatory is half brick and has a thermally efficient glass roof, also an insulated floor.

I also agree with the person who says it may not comply with building regs.

iantojones40

I looked at a refurbed house with a newly built open plan conservatory with a poly roof (not glass) the vendor and the EA swore blind it didn't need to comply with building regs... I didn't pursue any further interest in the property, if they were prepared to lie and try and bull***t me about this there's no saying what else they were covering up.