Conservatories/extra room

[gazdkw82]

We are desperate for some extra room in our house. We have had a quote for a 3mx3m conservatory and are really considering it.

However I am concerned about the real life negatives of having a conservatory, plus they are expensive.

Speaking with our neighbour he has given us the idea of converting the loft into a semi usable study room for a fraction of the cost.

It's really put the cat amongst the pigeons and we are unsure if we are being silly paying such a large amount for a conservatory when other options may exist.

What's people's appinions/experience on this?

Thanks

 

[snowhead]

I don't have a Conservatory, but all the houses I've been in with them have less natural daylight in the adjoining room after having one.

 

[The Ghost]

Freezing in winter, oven in summer is what they say. We had a 3m x 3.5m conservatory and in retrospect it was an expensive mistake. The firm who did it were very poor on responding to problems we had. Turned up for work with glass that was broken and we had to wait ages for replacements. Did the side of it wrong, very wrong! and had to rebuild it. After it was finally done the glazing bars of the roof leaked and they just came along with mastic. In the end I just gave up!
They promise shiny happy things and deliver nothing like it. As well you have to ensure you are not building within three meters of drainage pipes. Apart from that it is a permitted development and easy planning and BC wise.
Now a loft room, with or without building control? Anyway even a boarded room and proper stairs is very viable and much less prone to things going wrong if planned well. However the conservatory serves a purpose in that it does give us an extra room. I put a curtain heater off of the boiler and it warms the room in winter and cools it in summer. We tried to get into the loft and fell foul of contentious neighbours who wanted to almost project manage our loft conversion! So as you may be going on to a party wall you have to be very careful what you are doing as it can and will cost thousands, and I do mean thousands if you get into any litigation with your neighbours.

 

[The Ghost]

less natural daylight in the adjoining room

We have several more times light in ours I must say.

 

[Squid]

Conservatories are for old people in bungalows........

Whats your budget as a proper built extension is a lot nicer/better and increases the share footage of the property a conservator is basically a "lean to".

9M2 isn't much to be honest the one I am planning is 30M2.

 

[gazdkw82]

The issue I have is for a little extra money we could have a small extension. For alot less money we could have a mini loft conversion without building control.

I dunno, we are just really stuck on what to do.

My partner starts her last year at uni in September so private study space is a must (difficult in our house with 2 kids). I also will start my last year of my apprenticeship and will need the same. The conservatory option seems easy as it can be done before end of August.

 

[Octopus]

The issue I have is for a little extra money we could have a small extension. For alot less money we could have a mini loft conversion without building control.

I dunno, we are just really stuck on what to do.

My partner starts her last year at uni in September so private study space is a must (difficult in our house with 2 kids). I also will start my last year of my apprenticeship and will need the same. The conservatory option seems easy as it can be done before end of August.

Sure about that?

I would investigate a proper loft conversion ... rather than a conservatory.........

 

[gazdkw82]

A proper loft conversion is double the cost of the conservatory and out of our budget. I'm talking about insulating boarding and making a room good enough for study. Not to be slept in

 

[Octopus]

If you want space to study then the loft has to be the way ......

 

[gazdkw82]

That's all it will be used for really. The loft hatch would have to be moved.

The conservatory we were looking at is 10k. We can easily do a decent loft conversion for half of that

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

often for less than the cost of a conservatory you can get a prefab extension from one of the many online suppliers, they come and measure up, then deliver the panels ready for you or your carpenter to put together, all you need do is put the slab down. works well, the panels are stuck together and you then clad the outside, fitting doors or windows where needed. in your case at 3m by 3m you would only need several panels to go on the concrete base and a couple for the roof. looking at less than £1200 for them. I reckon you could do a 3 by 3 'extension' with doors, windows, roof tiles? and simple wiring/lights for around £6k or less.
SIPs Panels | SuperSIPs | Structural Insulated Panels UK Manufacturer - http://www.supersips.uk.com/structural-insulated-panels-prices.htm
i once did the wiring for one, they can even do it with the cables in-situ in the panels for connection, but in this case it was drylined inside so cables and capping were the theme of the day.
I am hoping to get a job i quoted for in september wiring a prefab sip building in a garden that is a home office.

 

[gazdkw82]

That link don't work.

Looks an interesting option. What's the longevity of these types of constructions?

Simple enough to build with some general skills? Or would a carpenter be needed to build?

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

That link don't work.

Looks an interesting option. What's the longevity of these types of constructions?

Simple enough to build with some general skills? Or would a carpenter be needed to build?

if you are able bodied and got soem mates with decent general building skills and can use a hammer/impact driver then easy enough. But given the size of what you want doing its a days work for a carpenter to put the building together, he might need a hand to manoeuvre the roof panels into place but otherwise quite easy. then you get somebody to do the window and door, then its really easy putting membrane and cladding on. roof can even be grass!

In terms of longevity, its only really taken off the last decade or so, i haven't heard of leaks and draughts with them, especially if you use decent membrane on the outside. but they are going up all over place around here, its cost effective, super insulated and they are building houses, offices and even a huge extension at the ruh hospital was built with them, the dyson neo natal centre was built out of the,.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

this video really shows the ease with which they can be put up!

 

[gazdkw82]

So if I was to have the same design as the conservatory (3mx3m attached to house) keeping the existing patio doors we have so it still kind of acts like a cosnevatory, would I need any planning?

What if I wanted to go larger?

 

[gazdkw82]

So if I was to have the same design as the conservatory (3mx3m attached to house) keeping the existing patio doors we have so it still kind of acts like a cosnevatory, would I need any planning?

What if I wanted to go larger?

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

So if I was to have the same design as the conservatory (3mx3m attached to house) keeping the existing patio doors we have so it still kind of acts like a cosnevatory, would I need any planning?

What if I wanted to go larger?

its all down to permitted developments, if its out the back then its now upto 6 metres away from house wall and the width is the same as existing house, so you could say go width of current house minus a little on each side and upto 6 metres into your garden! all adds to cost though but if you went say 6 wide by 4m then you would have a decent space. this runs until 2019 as part of some government policy. you dont need planning permission but would still need to comply with building control. https://ecab.planningportal.co.uk/uploads/miniguides/extensions/extensions.pdf

 

[gazdkw82]

And how do I prove I've complied with building control?

Tbh we don't want to go much bigger than what we originally thought. We don't want to loose the light in our kitchen so only really want to extend of the back of the living room which is 3.5m wide

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

building control will ask for the plans and then give you a fee to inspect it and give the building control cert showing compliance with regs., likely ask who is doing the electrical work if notifiable but you could just join it on to existing circuits and minor cert it, in your last year of an apprenticeship you should have no probs with the electrics.
give your local building control a call and they will give you the local prices.