Conservatory Prices Checklist
What does a new conservatory cost to build?
So, you have thought about it for a long while, and now you have finally decided to build that long awaited conservatory. Congratulations, but what does a new conservatory cost to build these days?
Conservatories are one of the most cost effective way of gaining floor space for your property, and because they are so popular there is a massive range of options when it comes to fully fitted conservatory prices available to consumers in the UK.
Depending on the quality of the conservatory that you are aiming for, you can review & refer to our checklist when considering different aspects, so that you can avoid compromising too much on quality whilst chasing low prices.
Conservatory Prices Guide
Our conservatory checklist – things to think about.
Do you need planning permission? – In most case you should be OK, as long as you don’t go to big. But in any event, you should confirm with your local council planning department before starting work.
If you get this wrong, you could have an illegal structure and be ordered by the local authority to demolish your new room and start all over again – which would be a total waste of time & money for sure.
- Get the best material available within your budget – you are building this room to last for many years so saving a penny at the beginning could cost you a pound later. The better the standard of materials the less likely to encounter problems in the future and your room should last longer.
- Take a look at Polycarbonate for roofing – high grade polycarbonate roofing panels are a lower cost alternative to fully glazed roofs, its lighter and cheaper than glass with shatterproof qualities. Discuss the thermal energy efficiency of the Poly-carb with your contactor to see if the insulation properties are adequate. Be sure to use high grade products.
- What about a Solid Roof – options for composite panels are in the market allowing for design options that can give part glazed / part solid conservatory roofs – excellent thermal efficiency and allows you to manage natural light elements.
There are also fully tiled options for conservatory roofing.
However there are 2 points to note:
The first point is that having a solid / tiled roof on your conservatory (even if you are converting from glass or polycarbonate) could mean the need for new planning consent.
The second is if you are replacing an existing glass roof with a tiled roof. You must check that the supporting frame can cope with the extra weight of the tiles etcetera, before you start. Solid conservatory roofs can be quite a bit heavier than polycarbonate roofs.
- Ensure Locks are up to British Standards – security measures are useless if they are not secure. Sound obvious, but a cheap lock can be broken in no time at all. Sliding doors should have anti-lift tracks, internal beading and all doors should have multi-point locks
- Glazing that reaches floor level – UK building regulations mandate that it should be safety glass & that means toughened or laminated. Do not fit glass that is not safe it could kill or maim your family.
- Foundations – make sure what you are doing is adequate, a really high quality conservatory on top of poor foundations will distort, warp & crack costing you a lot of cash to remedy the situation.
- Ex-display rooms – some larger dealers may be updating their showrooms and offer the display unit for sale at a large discount. As long as they are not damaged and dismantled with care you could save a small fortune (or go for a larger room). Investigate your local dealers for any offers like this.
Final thought – a major UK building society has estimated that a good quality conservatory can add as much as 10% to the value of an average house. This is really good news, as it goes to show that your money (as long as you don’t go crazy!) is going to be well invested and log term you will enjoy the financial rewards of a well-built, fully fitted conservatory as well as a getting a welcome “lifestyle upgrade”.
