Extension vs Conservatory

I don't know what the cost difference is but I personally prefer brick built extensions, we had one in the house I lived in growing up and you can still have big French doors if you want to let light in. I don't like conservatories, I think they're too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter and any extension that is predominantly glass-walled is going to be the same. I would also be concerned about very modern/unusual extensions/conservatories not being to everyone's taste, or possibly looking dated in the future and maybe making it more difficult to sell in the future, but if it's your forever home then it's not so much of an issue.

I would imagine brick built to be more expensive as would require a lot more ground work (foundations etc.)

Our house is fairly modern looking already, although built in the 50's. We have no plans to move!

I really like this style as opposed to traditional conservatories:

I think also with the advances in glass, the insulation should be quite good?

It's frustrating that none of the websites I have found give you any indication of pricing!!!

I haven't ever lived anywhere with a conservatory but I used to work for a glass manufacturer and there are lots of options with regards to glazing. They make a glass that is coated so it reflects heat in summer and reflects heat back into the room in winter. Even if you didn't go for something like that, different gasses between the two panes of glass or a thicker spacer bar can make an enormous difference to the thermal quality of the glass.

Those with conservatories, are they this type?

Is it the glass roof that causes the most issues?

Can't help at all clueless on this but this is so lovely!!

I would say extension. But I like the ones you've posted with the full French doors, you could really open the whole house up in summer.

It's the glass roof for me that I'm not keen on, especially if not cleaned regually, and yes extensions need all the proper foundations etc but a couple of people I know are having problems with their conservetories leaking at the moment..

My road is 1930s but very similar looking to yours, a few doors down have a similar extension to this an it cost them just under 20k. They dont have any issues with too hot or cold.

I'm also in this position. I want the space for kids to use as a playroom more than anything else so needs to be usable all year round. The kitchen is fairly new and the dining room small but I don't want to knock out and expand if that makes sense.

In my idealI would have brick extension accross the whole back of rje house with tiled roof and 2 skylights. However my uncle is a builder and said something about needing some very expensive foundations due to the type of land our house is built on and because there is a slight slope. i think some of the expense is to hire some special equipment?.

I have beenlooking at conservatories and different glass and allsotts. I can only half guess some prices but I reckon a top spec conservatory will still cost a similar amount to an extension.

Right now we don't have the money anyway so its slightly immaterial. I was hoping we could do it this year but seeing as we only moved in October I guess that was wishful thinking. Lol.

I will watch with interest to see what you do.

Also I fear we may have some hassle as next doors fence is attached to the back wall of our house. Not the side. So I can foresee a bit of hassle over that....

Ours won't be for at least another year, just starting to do some research so that if my shares do mature at the right level that we are ready to go with ideas!

Some good points to think about, I think I want a balance of the two really, lots of windows/glass on the back to let the light in, but not a totally glass structure.

I've been watching too much My Flat-Pack Home on the Home channel!!

My parents have a single-story brick-built extension across the back of their house. It was built by the previous owner as an artist's studio, so has big windows around the outside walls. It is accessed from our dining room and leads to the garden via sliding doors. The roof is flat and load-bearing but my parents have never developed it as a balcony space.

It feels like part of the house, rather than a separate structure (as conservatories do). It has served as a spare bedroom and a spare living room. It's fantastic when we have parties in the garden. I am currently trying to persuade them to knock through from the kitchen and create a giant L-shape around the side and back of the house. There has never been any problem heating it - it's just another room. It looks way better than a conservatory (but I'm not keen on conservatories in general).

I originally wanted a massive open plan space with kitchen island but I think the work involved to support the top helf of the house would be too much to I'm now envisioning taking out the dining room window and back door and having a big loop (iykwim!)

We would like to get a downstairs loo put in too, which would be best under the stairs so having the space to extend the kitchen backwards would be great.

I like the idea of the SIP panels - pre-fabricated walls which go up in a few days!

ETA: also love the idea of having a balcony on the roof!

Another vote for an extension by me. I think you will get a better return on your investment and more use out of it.

My oldest SIL recently moved into a new house and it has a massive conservatory which is gorgeous but it is so so cold at this time of year.

this is lovely!

Extension! We have a sun room, that we basically live in, has the tv, sofas and kitchen table… and is kind of attached to the kitchen, eventually hoping to open it all out and get an island too. It’s so versatile, we use it every day, and it so light and airy but snug if you’re still in there on a dark winter’s night.

We have a conservatory. It was built around 10 years ago and has heat reflective glass on the inside with self washing glass on the outside, and was built by a very good quality company. In short it cost the previous owners a fortune. It is still cold in the winter and hot in the summer.

An extension with the bifold doors seems like a perfect compromise and you can always hang curtains in the winter to keep the heat in!

My mum and dad had an extension put on the back of our house when were little to extend the dinning kitchen and make a sitting area and space for toys. when we were older we used to have a TV and bring our friends round. they also put a sofa bed in here for guests to use, and they had a downstairs cloakroom built on too. you'd not be able to this is it was a conservatory. her neighbours have a upvc conservatory and they need a heater on to make it warm enough to sit in the winter, she says wishes she'd had brick extension.

I would definitely always go with a brick built extension. I have a strong aversion to conservatories as I never think they are used as much as an extension would be. I think even with the best glazing etc the temperature is never right. I also think by the time you've paid for all the fancy glazing on a conservatory it will end up costing about the same as the brick built.

Also in the long run I think a brick built extension would give you a better return if you ever sold and there's less maintenance I think

We are trying to see about getting an extension, our current conservatory is just really pointless for most of the year due to temperature extremes, as everyone has said. We still want lots of light though so will go for something with big French windows, though will hopefully get a better shape. The roof has always caused us the main problems so we wouldn't recc conservatories in general. The ones on your pics are really gorgeous.

Some good points there ladies - think we will investigate brick or SIP extensions.

A posh friend of mine opted for an Orangery...its a sort of cross between an extension and a conservatory........He did though have to keep an eye on the builders who promised certain quality glass and wood although they tried to pass thinner stuff off on him.....fortunately he spotted this in time. He is though very happy with the final result......

Where are you living now btw???? Have you moved from WX?????

Peter

Moved to WA in May last year, can see the Abbey from upstairs window!

Ahh your spiritual home....wedding wise!!!!!!!

Absolutely! Can't believe it was nearly 3 years ago!!

Conservatories is the best choice for modern house rather than the extension. You can keep the same in the house and change the out areas to groudworks.

I would have gone for brick but now I have seen your picture I think I would choose that. Lovely!