Conservatories, Sunrooms - Your questions Answered
 Prices (8)

Please note: Most of the answers we feature here are from 1999 - early 2002. We endeavour to keep all links etc up to date, however if you spot any errors please let our webmaster know at It should also be noted that some replies may change in light of changes to legislation especially with regards to Planning Permission and Building Regulations. To submit a new question or to query an existing question visit http://www.ask-questions.com/yabbse/index.php.

This question is answered by Brendan Bermingham - I have difficulty undersanding why you would want to use materials with such high insulation value on a carport?  With regards to the "Ultralite" contractors quotation you should make your up your own mind as to whether you want to spent £10,000 on a carport.  Concerning your approach and the "diy" method you seem to have some fundamental items missing from your shopping list such as sheet end caps and microporous tape? Without these two items your sheets will fill with mould and dirt in a very short time. You may wish to look at the info contained in the following web pages http://www.diyplastics.com/conservatoryroofing.htm which is Brendans companies web site. It may also be worth noting that many "conservatory contractors" are not interested in this type of work. Contractors rarely in our experience wish to supply and fit roofs only. This may go some way to explaining the "fitted" price you received?

Ref:07
Question submitted by Anonymous

We are trying to decide whether to go for a sun room or a conservatory. We have obtained a quotation for a conservatory (10ft x 10ft internally) (gold spec with K glass etc) of Stg£15000. This is for a difficult site which has a steep drop and also requires a false dormer peak to be inserted. Is this a good price and in general are sunrooms cheaper or more expensive than conservatories. What are the pros and cons of each and are there any companies in Northern Ireland which specialise in building a sunroom?

This question answered with the help of Tom Lewis of Europass Conservatories 1. £15,000 STG would appear expensive for a 10' x 10' conservatory but it would be easier to comment after a visit to the site. It is possible a conservatory / sunroom on a difficult site could cost as much as this or more. 2. Sunrooms are more expensive than conservatories due to the complication of the roof and the weight of same which require steel supports. 3. Tom is contactable on (028) 276 41774 He will gladly give you the pros and cons or he could visit our website on www.europassconservatories.com. It should be noted that we define Sunrooms in this instance as solid roofed structures. They are also often referred to as sun lounges.

Ref:06
Question submitted by Richard

I was interested in your response on the indicative pricing for a 4x5m conservatory. We are looking at a similar size Georgian, dwarf walls, but with only two external walls (it's built against an L shaped house). We have gone for quality national suppliers (Anglian, Everest) as well as local to get prices and we are looking for PVC-U, K-glass, etc. The nationals are quoting more like 25,000 for this, which doesn't seem in line with your guides. Any thoughts on why we are getting such "high" prices?

This question answered by the Conservatories Online editorial team - You don't say it - but because of the layout of your property and the conservatory style (L Shaped and pitched roof on conservatory) we would assume that a box gutter is required. This "bespoke" feature can add to cost considerably - especially if you opt for a glass roof. While £25,000 would be towards the top end of the price range - it is not unheard of. Both of the companies you mention would be offering some of the highest specifications as standard and while other companies can often come close to matching the specification its likely we find that their "standard" spec may be lower. Items that may make a difference include "equal site lines" and glazing spec., With equal site lines every frame section looks like it has an opening window in it and all the glass levels are the same. For more info on equal site lines look at http://www.windowstoday.co.uk/top_tips.htm On glazing you will often find that some suppliers offer a 5-year guarantee on sealed units (although they will emphasis the 10 year guarantee on PVCu frames) while other suppliers offer a 10 year guarantee or longer on sealed units. The above are just two of the alternatives that can have an effect on the price you pay. Add in other variations such as building work specification (depth of foundations etc) and its fairly easy to see why there can be such variations in prices quoted. For these reasons we feel its essential that you compare quotations on a like for like basis. You should insist on a written specification so that you may make a fair decision on the supplier to use. You may also find these price guide pages of assistance: http://www.conservatoriesonline.com/priceguide.htm

Ref:05
Question submitted by Jonathan

Approximately how much does a well-built conservatory add to the value of your home?

This question answered by the Conservatories Online editorial team - We note that you say "a well built conservatory". This is certainly the key to getting any return. A poorly built/shoddy conservatory that's only suitable for occasional use will add very little if anything to the value of your home. It would off course be best to ask an estate agent this question. A reply depends on so many things - with location being of most importance. As a "rough guide" we would say that the larger and more grand a conservatory is - the more likely you are to recoup most or all of your costs. In London (were space is often a premium) its been reported that a well built conservatory/breakfast room/dinning room will actually add more in value than it costs. Elsewhere we would be suggesting you would be more likely to recoup 50% - 60% of cost. Certainly you should not consider that a conservatories cost would be recouped on sale. More likely it will help make a sale and you will off course be enjoying a very pleasant additional living space in the meantime.

Ref:04
Question submitted by Simon

I want to build a 3.4 by 4m Victorian conservatory and have had several companies quote for a full service i.e. base build, 25mm roof, a few power points and a radiator. There is level of infilling to do, as the garden is about 600 mm below the DPC. I am amazed at the cost variation 9200 -13300. This seems high to me. One said that having the boundary wall side as brick as opposed glass would increase the cost by 1000 pounds. How do you explain such a price difference?

This question answered by Tina Dunlop - Price differences of the order, which you describe, are not unusual. With so many different types of companies in the market - from your national/regional organisations to building contractors to smaller local outfits perhaps "run" by a couple of ex-fitters it would appear as though almost everybody is having a go at supplying conservatories. Yes having a brick wall built instead of using glass framing will usually be more expensive. In practice the conservatory itself will cost less but by the time you add on the additional building work costs the overall cost is greater. I think there is also an element of the Conservatory Companies preferring to sell the conservatory frames and glass instead of bricks and mortar involved here. My advice is to hardly ever go with the either the cheapest or most expensive price. There is usually a happy medium to be found. Beware of the cheapest price especially if the supporting company infrastructure is not that evident. In particular only order from companies with "proper" offices / showrooms and clerical staff. Recently I had one web site visitor contact us because she could never manage to get in-contact with her supplier. It turns out that all she ever had from him was a mobile phone No and some "vague" home address. It also turned out he actually worked for a company during the week and did "private" work at the weekend. Very rarely when comparing such large price differences are you comparing like with like. I'm sure his price was appealing - but the after-sales service was not. I would not advise anybody against going with the larger companies - but you should remember with them that there will be an element of "big company" overheads and to pay for. (although I'm sure they would claim economies of scale!) My best advice is to look at all your quotes and if at all possible ignore the price for a moment. Now ask yourself which company you feel most comfortable with? Who do you feel would be most reliable should there be any problems? When you have answered these questions you will I believe be closer to making a "good" decision.

This Question answered by Conservatories Online Editorial Team - Here is the "rough" guide. Do not take it too literally - there are such a lot of things (site conditions, material, spec.) that effect price. However this should help. Assuming PVCu you would be looking at approx., £6000 - £7000 with normal double glazing and 16 mm polycarbonate - supply only. With a glass roof and Pilkington K glass all over it would be more like £8500 - £10000 - supply only. Building costs including base, walling and conservatory erection would be in the region of £4000 - £6000 As with most things there will be variations on this - some higher and some lower - depending on quality of products used. Please note that optional extras such as roof vents, equal site lines, dentil moulding, special glass designs etc can have a considerable effect on price - sometimes producing overall selling prices of £20,000 - £25,000 - especially if you use the larger national brands. Please visit our Price Guide pages at http://www.conservatoriesonline.com/price.htm for more info.

Ref:02
Question submitted by Jacqui

In your experience what is the average cost of a hardwood conservatory of approx 30 square metres without the basework included, what would it cost in red ceder? A recent magazine article gave average prices for the whole range of available types but the quotes we are getting seem almost double, are suppliers trying it on or is the average price about £40,000?

This Question answered by Tina Dunlop - Prices vary greatly - but it does not surprise me to see you have been quoted up to £40,000. As a guide most bespoke - top of the range hardwood conservatory companies charge £1,200 - £1,500 per square metre inclusive of ground works and fitting. As an example using the £1,200 per square metre rate that would mean a cost of £36,000 inclusive. To supply the conservatory only would cost about £25,000 - £28,000 depending on how bespoke it is. I consulted Oakleigh Conservatories and David Salisbury Conservatories for theses rates. There are links to both these companies in our "find a supplier" sections. Red Cedar would, I am told, cost similar to hardwood. I hope this helps.

Ref:01
Question submitted by Charles

I have found the conservatory I want - but all the quotes I get for doing the base/brickwork and installation  seem to vary greatly. Is there a "rough guide" to the rates one should pay for this?

This Question answered by Tina Dunlop - What you will pay will vary from region to region. I can only give a guide - but here goes. Concrete base inclusive of materials, labour and fitting a damp proof membrane - £94.00 per metre squared. Dwarf cavity walling inclusive - £105 per metre squared. So as an example a conservatory base measuring 4 metres by 4 metres with a 600 mm dwarf wall will cost £2,260.00. Most builders will charge you for the complete run of walling even though you will almost certainly have an opening for a door somewhere in the run. Also please be aware that most builders will have a minimum charge and smaller works will have higher rates. NOTE - this is only a guide - it is a fair guide to what a reputable / bona fide building contractor (who will guarantee their work) would charge. There will be many builders who will charge less - but like-wise there will be some who will charge more. The above rates should include VAT in most instances. As a further guide I have seen rates as low as £70 per metre squared for bases and £75 per metre squared for walling. As always - best to shop around. Note most builders will charge the same for both brick work or plastered/rendered walls inside. However with plastered walling you will probably want to also plaster the existing house wall - and this will cost extra. There will be extra charges if your ground level needs to be built up to match internal house floor levels or if you have a particularly unusual brick to match. Also not included in above guide is moving drains or building soakaways. Rates for actually installing conservatories and sunrooms also vary - so here is another guide. A 3600 mm by 3600 mm Victorian style PVCu conservatory will cost approximately £800 to erect with a polycarbonate roof and £1050 to erect with a glass roof. A simple leanto - 4000 mm by 2700 mm will cost about £450 - £550 to install. Rates are generally higher for Hardwood conservatories. SPECIAL NOTE - Whilst most building contractors will be more than capable of doing your base etc - please be careful to employ an experienced conservatory and sunroom installer for the erection. Few builders have regular experience of installing conservatories and unless they have I would always opt for using a specialist installer. Most manufacturers and suppliers can recommend somebody for this. Best of the lot is if you can find a conservatory installer who will also do your base and walling. Remember all of the above is only a guide. I do however hope it helps.