What’s best for your home? A conservatory or extension? As house prices continue to rise and admin costs get bigger, more of us are looking to stay in our homes.
But families are still growing, so we need more room. That means extending your property in some way.
So how do you choose between a conservatory or extension? To make it easier, here are some things you’ll need to consider.
How much room do you need?
Is your family expanding? Are you going to need extra bedrooms? If this is the case, it might be best to go for a full two-storey extension.
But if you just need extra living space rather than bedrooms, then a conservatory might be the answer. A conservatory will certainly be cheaper and you don’t need planning permission in most cases.
Think about your home’s character
What kind of style is your home? One thing that can go horribly wrong with extensions or conservatories is that they don’t match with the character of your home.
Although conservatories can add up to 5% onto your home’s value, if it’s ill-placed it could do the opposite.
Tip: To keep a conservatory or extension looking like it’s always been part of your home, consider laying the same flooring throughout the downstairs.
Consider light
If your home is light-deprived at the moment, a conservatory can be the perfect answer since the glass roof and large windows will let lots of light in.
Light will also create some heat in the winter, which helps as conservatories do get cold in the later months of the year. But if you don’t want to heat a conservatory in the winter, an extension could be a better option.
The cost of a conservatory
You don’t need planning permission to install a conservatory, so you make a saving there over an extension.
Expect to pay between £4-10,000 for a conservatory. You could add 5% to your home’s value, so could easily recoup the cost.
Extension costs
You’ll have to make a planning application with an extension, which can take between 12 and 16 weeks. It also costs money, whether you make the application yourself or your builder does it for you.
Expect to pay between £1,200 and £1,500 per m2 for a single storey extension. Then, for a two-storey extension, add 50% extra to the build cost. But you could add 20% to the value of your home, which is 4 times than a conservatory.
So, a conservatory or extension?
It’s your decision. You’ll know whether a conservatory or extension will suit your needs, but bear in mind that a conservatory is considerably cheaper than an extension.
If you don’t need extra bedrooms, a conservatory could be a perfect way to add living space without spending thousands.