New Conservatory Cost
Everyone wants more living space and adding to your home with an extension or conservatory can give you that much needed room. However, the difference between a simple extension and a conservatory is that conservatories give you more space to live in, but they also bring the outside in.
Conservatories are becoming more popular as they have become more affordable, can add more living space instead of having to move to a new house whilst adding value to your home when you come to sell. If you’re looking to add a conservatory to your home, then read on for a breakdown of all of the costs associated when installing a new conservatory.
How much does it cost to install a new conservatory?
A conservatory can be a great addition to any home, but it can be quite a costly project. The cost of a conservatory can vary depending on the type of conservatory you choose, the size, materials, and the complexity of the conservatory design. Most basic conservatories can start at around £7000 especially for lean to or Victorian style conservatories. P shaped conservatories are the most expensive option and can cost up to £15000 for a conservatory.
The table below details the average costs of installing a conservatory including different conservatory designs and materials.
|
CONSERVATORY TYPE
|
AVERAGE COST |
|
Lean to (uPVC) |
£9500 to £11500 |
|
Lean to (Glass) |
£8000 to £10000 |
|
Lean to (Polycarbonate) |
£7500 to £9500 |
|
Victorian (uPVC) |
£12000 to £13500 |
|
Victorian (Glass) |
£7250 to £9000 |
|
Victorian (Polycarbonate) |
£6250 to £8000 |
|
Edwardian (uPVC) |
£10000 to £12000 |
|
Edwardian (Glass) |
£7500 to £10000 |
|
Edwardian (Polycarbonate) |
£8000 to £12000 |
|
P Shaped Design (Glass) |
£13000 to £15000 |
|
P Shaped Design (Polycarbonate) |
£13500 to £15500 |
Labour Costs and Time Scales
As installing a conservatory is a big project, labour costs take up a large proportion of the overall costs. To get the best finished product, it is best to gather a few quotes from different local tradespeople to not only get the best price but also the best quality. The typical daily rate for a tradesperson to install a conservatory is around £150 to £200. Depending on how long the conservatory takes to install, labour costs can range between £1500 to £5000.
When installing a conservatory, the service of other tradespeople may be needed. These can include:
- Roofer: Some conservatory roofs may require the services of a roofer. Roofers typically charge between £15 to £25 per hour (£150 to £200 per day).
- Window Fitter: If you opt for double glazing for your conservatory windows, then you will need to hire a window fitter to install the double glazing. Window fitters usually charge between £10 to £20 per hour to install double glazing.
- Painter and Decorator: Although you can decorate the interior of your conservatory yourself, you may want to hire a painter and decorator to do this for you. The daily rate for a painter and decorator costs between £150 to £300.
- Electricians: For any electrical installations, lighting or heating you may require an electrician. For an electrician, you will have to factor in between £30 to £60 per hour.
- The average conservatory takes around a week to install but this time can vary depending on the size of your conservatory. A lean to or glass room conservatory takes 1 to 2 weeks to install, an Edwardian or sunroom takes between 2 to 3 weeks, and a Victorian or P shaped conservatory takes between 3 to 4 weeks to install.
Additional Costs of Installing a New Conservatory
Alongside the labour costs and materials, there are additional costs associated with installing a new conservatory. These include:
Groundworks
The most important thing to consider before building a conservatory is if the ground is suitable to support the conservatory. The ground may need to be prepared to adequately support the new build through excavation which involves digging up the ground and then levelling it to make it secure. Groundworks cost between £30 to £50 per cubic metre to ensure the ground is fully prepared for the conservatory.
Planning Permission
Before adding a conservatory, it is wise to speak to your local council to see if you may need planning permission as over 60% of conservatories require planning permission. Contacting your local council and planning office can ease your mind and give you any advice you may need when planning a conservatory.
Generally, if your conservatory is extended to no more than 115% of your house’s total volume, the conservatory edges out from the house by less than 3m and the conservatory does not cover over half of the garden area then you do not need planning permission.
However, if your property is in a conservation area, does not meet the government criteria, or is classed as a grade II listed building, then there are restrictions and rules on what materials can be used for your conservatory and you will need to get planning permission. Typically planning permission applications costs around £200.
Conservatory Guttering
Conservatories, like your home, may require guttering to prevent water and debris from damaging your conservatory’s foundation. Conservatory guttering costs between £12 to £16 per metre plus any labour costs.
Conservatory Blinds
As most conservatories contain many windows, you may want to install blinds for privacy and to provide shade in your conservatory. There are three main types of blinds for a conservatory: roman blinds cost between £20 to £60, venetian blinds £10 to £30 and vertical blinds £16 to £100. The cost of blinds will depend on the size of your conservatory, material and how many windows you have. Also, you will need to factor in labour costs when installing blinds in your conservatory. This can range between £20 to £50 per hour.
Conservatory Heaters
Although there are many positives to a conservatory, the one downside is that they can get cold quite easily, especially during winter. Installing an electric radiator can solve this problem. An electric radiator usually costs between £100 to £150 and can be easy to install yourself. Another type of conservatory heating is underfloor heating. This is a more expensive alternative to electric radiators as underfloor heating costs between £60 to £100 per square metre (including installation costs).
Cost Factors
Although we have detailed the average cost of building a new conservatory, there are many factors that can affect the total cost of a new conservatory.
Frame Materials
There are three main types of conservatory frame materials: uPVC, wood, and aluminium. uPVC is the most common conservatory frame material as it is affordable, easy to clean and maintain and is available in many different colours. Next are wooden frames which are slightly more expensive than uPVC frames.
Wooden frames are great if you are looking for a welcoming, attractive, and rustic feel to your conservatory. If you do choose a wooden frame, make sure that you select a hardwood material over softwood as hardwood tends to last longer. The only downside to wooden frames is that they are prone to rotting and require more maintenance than uPVC.
Aluminium is the most expensive material for conservatory frames, but they are more durable than uPVC and wooden frames. Although aluminium frames are quite expensive, they are easy to work with and shape which allows you to make the frames quite thin if you want to have more window than frame in your conservatory.
Glazing
The type of glazing you choose can affect the cost. The most common options are polycarbonate and glass with both having their own pros and cons.
Polycarbonate is very durable, easy to install, weather resistant and is lightweight. Also, it can reduce your energy bills as polycarbonate glazing is great at insulating, so it keeps your conservatory cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Glass is also a great insulator and is said to retain more heat than polycarbonate. Although more difficult to install than polycarbonate, it is both scratch and weather resistant.
The main difference between the two is the pricing as polycarbonate is slightly cheaper than glass, so the cost will be dependent on the glazing you choose.
Roofing Type
As each roof design varies in complexity and amount of glazing, your choice will affect the price of the end product. Most conservatory roofs tend to be gable fronted or hip styles except lean to conservatories which has a flat lean to roof, but there are many other styles of conservatory roofs to choose from. These include cross-hipped roofs which would look great on a P-shaped conservatory for example.
Ventilation
Ventilation is important when building a conservatory. Without ventilation, a conservatory windows will be full of condensation which can cause issues to your conservatory’s interior. There are ventilation options for all kinds of budgets from high tech solutions such as thermostatically controlled roof vents with built in rain sensors, to cheaper low tech roof venting or include openable windows in your conservatory design.
