June 5, 2017

Lean to Conservatory Ideas

Options & Ideas for Lean to Conservatories

lean-to conservatories cost A lean-to conservatory is a highly popular home addition, primarily because of its flexibility in terms of size, design, and purpose.

Since it is attached to your house, a lean-to extension is easily accessible, which also increases the likelihood of it actually being used.

The following guide below should give you an idea of what a lean-to conservatory could be used for, and how to choose one that will fit your home extension needs.

Contents:

Design & Structure
Lean-to conservatory ideas
Lean-to conservatory kitchens, Living & Dining

What exactly is a lean-to Conservatory?

A lean-to conservatory is generally a room-sized, single-story structure that is built in such a way that its’ roof “leans” onto your main building, with one of the 4 sides being the outer wall of your home (onto which the roof “leans”).

The “standard lean-to style” of conservatories also very often have large window / glazed areas, which allow loads of light to enter the room. You can opt for partial brick walls, which will create a cosy and intimate space.

Ground-level lean-to extensions can be a great solution for those whose home is a single-story structure, such as a bungalow or for other home owners who are struggling with limited space without wanting to pack up and move house altogether.

Suited to its’ Purpose

Any lean-to extension can be used for a variety of things.

Small Conservatories Cost First of all, many people enjoy these conservatories simply as a way to create more living space. You can use a home extension as an addition to your kitchen / diner (moving storage space or a dining table out of the way?). This, can

It will definitely be more peaceful and relaxing to eat somewhere away from cooking smells and messes.

In addition to this, some people are simply looking for an additional living space. Some living rooms can become a bit too noisy, and a home extension will allow you to literally step out of this and into a quiet place to unwind.

On the other hand, you can also use it just to be with friends or family as a place for conversation on your favourite furniture (also for a quick nap in the sun on a soft couch).

Lean to design and structure

There are various design options available for lean-to conservatories: the regular lean-to has a roof that slopes down from a point on the main house outer wall, and the Edwardian as well as Victorian conservatories have higher vaulted roofing.

You can’t do much about styling for Victorian or Edwardian roofing, but with a lean-to roof you could slope it away from the house, toward the house, from left to right & or from right to left.

As mentioned before, they can be made entirely out of glass or out of bricks and glass, and while the latter is generally considered to be more sturdy and offers some privacy, it also tends to be costlier.

Prices may also depend on the type of equipment you’ll want to have set up in the extension.

Favourite Lean-to Conservatory Ideas

New or extended Kitchen or dining room
Additional Living Room / lounge area
Childrens’ recreation area
A home office or study
For use with a bungalow

Lean-to conservatory ideas:

Kitchen conservatories

As one of the prime family “focal points” the family kitchen is also one of the most desired home improvements.

Unlike using a lean-to for a living room, study or dining room, which are simple conversions, building a lean-to kitchen conservatory extension will require a bit of forethought & planning.

Firstly, it’s unlikely that you could use a floor to ceiling “full glass wall” design. Because if you are having worktops & cabinets, you can’t fix them to the glass. So you will need some solid walling somewhere.

Secondly, you are going to need lots of power outlets which could mean considerable amounts of electrical wiring and, if you are moving the kitchen sink, you are also going to need drains & plumbing.

Thirdly, Kitchens get warm when there is lot of cooking going on, so you need to consider ventilation as well.

Having a higher budget for building a kitchen conservatory as opposed to a lounge / diner is something you should think about well in advance, because there are 2 clear costs here:

The cost of the conservatory itself
The cost of the kitchen

Lean-to conservatory prices for a room in the region on 3000 mm x 2500 mm can cost anything from £6,500 to £8,500 (see more about conservatories cost here). But on top of that you could find a new fitted kitchen costing anything from under £1,000 for a self-installed example from Homebase, to £10,000 + for a truly magnificent hand built version.

The average cost of a new fitted kitchen would be around £7,000.

There are also considerations for building regulations & planning permission to think about.

Lean to conservatories as Living, Dining or Home office

Even though they would be less complex or costly than a kitchen conservatory, to use a lean-to as living, dining or home office space still means you have to consider personal comfort.

What I mean here, is heat, light & power.

Conservatories can get hot & cold, so maybe you need to think about how best to address this area. Underfloor heating or radiators can provide warmth, but don’t forget ventilation for those sunny days (albeit rare in the UK!).

What type of lighting and power will you need? For a home office, you may need more plug-sockets and more lights than for a simple dining room extension.

To summarise

Although we have made a few suggestions here, you can literally use a lean-to conservatory extension for anything you like – even just to keep your junk!