Conservatory worth investing?

FTBDoom

We have a small 2-bedroom house, with a conservatory installed, it will increase the downstairs floorspace by about 50%, we have a friend lives on the same estate, and their conservatory was built back in 2018 and cost about £10k. initially we wanted to do the same and we have had few quotations they all came back with at least £24k. I know its all down to rise cost for the labour and building material, but £24k for a conservatory is it really worth the price?

DanDare999

FTBDoom said:

We have a small 2-bedroom house, with a conservatory installed, it will increase the downstairs floorspace by about 50%, we have a friend lives on the same estate, and their conservatory was built back in 2018 and cost about £10k. initially we wanted to do the same and we have had few quotations they all came back with at least £24k. I know its all down to rise cost for the labour and building material, but £24k for a conservatory is it really worth the price?

For a temporary structure it's not an investment. Probably be too cold in winter and too hot in the summer. If you want to invest in your home and need the extra floor space get a proper extension. 

FTBDoom

oh ok, i heard over the years the insulation had improved a lot, but yes I did heard they are too cold for winter and too hot for summer, wasn't sure if they are any better now

rob7475

You will never see a return on your investment. If it's something you want and will use, go for it though.

A proper extension will always be preferred by buyers, especially with the costs of heating a conservatory at the minute.

diystarter7

OP
It depends on the size and the quality but price does not always dictate quality/etc.

In the summer they can get very, very hot especially if a south-ish facing garden and very cold in the winter but keeps you living room warmer but less ligh goes into the main house where it is built. They can have leaks like anything - you need a rad and fan/s portables will do but if to use regular then fixed heat/etc.

In one property we have blueish glass  roof that is supposed to reduce heat but you'd hardly note it.

I think we paid about 25 k about 6/7 years ago 20 foot and 13 feets and we pulled down the old one but dwarf walls used for new. Floors/heating blinds cost more.


WARNING: Please ensure that the conservatory people are covered by a regulatory body if things go wrong EG leak/s ater fitted and leaks may not appear for a few days/weeks month or even a year or so but FENSA does not involved with this type of build.

FreeBear

FTBDoom said:

oh ok, i heard over the years the insulation had improved a lot, but yes I did heard they are too cold for winter and too hot for summer, wasn't sure if they are any better now

The thermal performance of the glazing has not improved by any appreciable amount over the last 4-6 years. Conservatories are regarded as an "out building" by the Planning Dept and Building Control. As a result, it does not need to conform to the standards required of a proper extension. So insulation levels can be at rock bottom or even nonexistent..

You will still need exterior grade doors/windows between the main house and conservatory, and any heating out there needs to be independent of the main central heating.

Bendy_House

FTB, it really comes down to what you will get for your money. If it's a lightweight connie with polycarb roof, then it won't be a year-round room, at least not an energy-efficient one.

However, if they put insulation in the floor - say 100mm Celotex type - and make the dwarf wall an insulated cavity, decent DG units with yay gap, AND an insulated roof with lightweight tiles on top (such as plastic formed types - very effective), then you will have a 'garden room and not a connie. And it should be easy to heat, not so subject to huge temp fluctuations, and even provide a useful amount of solar heating - on balance, it'll likely cost nothing extra to heat as it'll give as much as it takes.

So, a properly insulated room - great, go for it - but a polycarb connie, think carefully.

TELLIT01

Our conservatory, which has underfloor heating, has always been usable all year round, apart from the very hottest of days.  That said, we would rather sit outside on those days anyway.  A 'proper' extension will be more versatile and will probably require less heating.

twopenny

Neighbour has installed an external air conditioning unit to their conservatory. No doubt heating too as they are diy,ers.

As to an investment not necessarily so. I bought a house sans conservatory because I love the sunlight streaming into my living room winter and summer giving heat and cheer. When looking for a property I saw some with fabulous views but the room they attached to was dark year round.

diystarter7

In the hotter, warmer days in the evening soon cools down and you get a lot more daylight like you are sitting outside but not midges etc. The rear of our house was about 2 feet high than the front though the house/con was lvel the garden was not -  nice views but you don't always get your money back. In hindsight, we should have built a smaller extension with 3 roof windows I forget what you call them. The roof, though we had so-called easy clean, was a little dirty most of the time and as we kept windows clean it was a headache

One of our frirneds has a bigger one than we had and electonic roof/glas blinds not sure how much that cost

all in all, if you can afford it and done in a good way ie makes you hose appear better and functional, IMO it will add more value than a conservatory and won't be so hot or cold as a consv/...

TELLIT01

twopenny said:

Neighbour has installed an external air conditioning unit to their conservatory. No doubt heating too as they are diy,ers.

As to an investment not necessarily so. I bought a house sans conservatory because I love the sunlight streaming into my living room winter and summer giving heat and cheer. When looking for a property I saw some with fabulous views but the room they attached to was dark year round.

A conservatory doesn't necessarily make the room to which they are attached darker.  My neighbour had a conservatory with a pent roof using tinted polycarbonate sheeting and he regretted the roofing style and material from the very start.  He did need the light on in his dining room virtually all the time.  We learn from his mistake and had a pitched roof with double glazed glass panels.  We don't need the lights on in our dining room any more than we did before the conservatory was built.  The triangular glazed 'wall' section up to the ridge does make a huge difference.