Converting conservatory into extension

[Halcyon]

Hi,


Iwas wondering if anyone has ever converted their conservatory into an extension?


Our conservatory is way too cold in the winter and I'd really like a log burner in there which is impossible due to plastic roof.
Parts of the roof are also not in the best of ways.



This isn't going to happen any time soon, I just wanted an idea of the costs involved?


See photo attached. Conservatory is labelled as Garden room.


I'd like to remove the house back door and bring the conservatory doors slightly further. (As seen in the bit in blue).

So there would be two entrences to the conservatory.



Thankyou.

We had a "proper" roof fitted to ours, the difference was amazing.
It no longer overheats in the summer, and doesnt get cold in the winter.

We now use it as a second lounge, all year round.

Originally Posted by Paul

We had a "proper" roof fitted to ours, the difference was amazing.
It no longer overheats in the summer, and doesnt get cold in the winter.

We now use it as a second lounge, all year round.

I see lots of businesses advertising this service. It’s got to be a lot cheaper just doing the roof than pulling down and replacing the walls as well.

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by Paul

We had a "proper" roof fitted to ours, the difference was amazing.
It no longer overheats in the summer, and doesnt get cold in the winter.

We now use it as a second lounge, all year round.

Same here. We paid just short of £8k (in 2016). Money well spent - it's now become our main living room.

[daveeb]

Originally Posted by Halcyon

Hi,


Iwas wondering if anyone has ever converted their conservatory into an extension?


Our conservatory is way too cold in the winter and I'd really like a log burner in there which is impossible due to plastic roof.
Parts of the roof are also not in the best of ways.



This isn't going to happen any time soon, I just wanted an idea of the costs involved?


See photo attached. Conservatory is labelled as Garden room.


I'd like to remove the house back door and bring the conservatory doors slightly further. (As seen in the bit in blue).

So there would be two entrences to the conservatory.



Thankyou.

We have just (more or less) finished converting. However we went the expensive route and had the conservatory completely demolished then a total rebuild (been going on since last June). Also had a small extension to the kitchen and had half of the garage demolished to make room. It's a bad time to build as everything is really expensive and also in short supply, including the trades people to do the jobs. Not sure what a new roof only would cost, the main problem apart from the cost is finding someone available to do it.

Originally Posted by spiderplant

Same here. We paid just short of £8k (in 2016). Money well spent - it's now become our main living room.

We had ours done in 2020 (yep, in the middle of the pandemic).
It cost £14K, but it is a large room - at 12 x 16 ft its actually fractionally larger than our real living room (its basically like an extension on the back of the house).

They made a complete screw up at the time, removing the old roof.
Instead of just taking down the roof, they demolished the entire concervatory, so I got a brand new conservatory as well, for just the price of the roof.

It wasnt funny at the time, but looking back, I see the positive side.

[Halcyon]

Thankyou for all your replies.


The conservatory doesnt get too hot in the summer as it is not a see through roof, it is white.
It just gets a lot of condensation in the winter and very cold.


From what I've heard one of the main factors is knowing if I have good enough foundations. Walls run round the edge to about a metre high before a ledge and the windows kick in.


No plans for this year with the high building costs and supply issues. Just seeing for a few years time.

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by Halcyon

From what I've heard one of the main factors is knowing if I have good enough foundations. Walls run round the edge to about a metre high before a ledge and the windows kick in.

Yes, before they started work, they had to dig down to the foundations and get the building inspector in. We also have walls about 1m high. It was fine.

I think the building inspector also paid a cursory visit once the roof was completed.

Originally Posted by spiderplant

Yes, before they started work, they had to dig down to the foundations and get the building inspector in. We also have walls about 1m high. It was fine.

I think the building inspector also paid a cursory visit once the roof was completed.

He will have done. You don’t need planning permission to do this but you do need building control approval. If/when you eventually come to sell your house this is something the buyer’s solicitor will ask to see.

[GrimUpNorth]

As well as the foundations, make sure the frames are ok to take the weight of whatever roof you choose. In older conservatories (more than 10 years??) and/or those supplied by ultra cheap or less scrupulous companies the frames may not have reinforcement so a lightweight replacement (some type of plastic or polycarbonate) may be the only option unless you demolish and start again.

[Halcyon]

Thankyou.