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Conservatories nowadays aren’t at all like their energy-guzzling counterparts from the 1980s. Modern conservatories are actually very energy efficient. Just how energy efficient are they though, and why?

What is energy efficiency?

Energy efficiency is the term used to describe reducing energy consumption around the home and saving money.

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Windows, doors and conservatories that were created in the late 20th century were designed at a time when energy was relatively cheap and not much was known about the effects of global warming. This meant that, although they may have kept your property relatively warm, they would have needed a surprisingly large amount of heat, and thus energy, to do so.

Home improvement products nowadays are designed to maximise the effects of the energy you use by utilising complex thermal profile structures, better insulation and better glazing. Energy efficient conservatories will slow the escape of heat from your home, thus keeping it warmer for longer. This means you can use a smaller amount of energy to produce the same effects, potentially saving you money on your heating bills.

Things that influence the energy efficiency of conservatories

The overall energy efficiency of a conservatory is obviously dependent on a variety of design, build and environmental factors, as well as the ways in which you and your family use energy. Here are a few of them:

1. The quality of glazing used

High quality double glazing is supplied as standard with all of our conservatories, so that you can be sure your new structure will use energy efficiently and save you money on your heating bills.

Helping to enhance the thermal performance of a conservatory, double glazing uses the insulating space between two panes of glass to slow the escape of heat from a structure.

A good conservatory installer will be able to offer you a variety of glazing options to help you add to the energy efficiency of your new conservatory. Conservatories from Win-Dor for instance are supplied with high performance double glazing as standard. We also offer a range of additional glazing, such as triple glazing and solar control so that you can customise your conservatory to meet the energy efficiency needs of your home.

2. How much energy you use already

An energy efficient conservatory will save you money on your heating bills, unquestionably. But if you keep every single light constantly on in your property, use portable heaters and fans all the time and wash on scaldingly high temperatures the saving is likely to be offset by the rest of your energy use.

In order to feel the benefit of energy efficiency across your whole property you will probably need to change the way your household thinks about using energy.

Simple measures you can take to reduce you energy consumption include turning off excess lights when not needed, washing on a lower temperature and not using appliances that ‘guzzle’ energy, like portable heaters and fans. Energy efficiency isn’t hard, and it doesn’t reduce your comfort levels if you do it right. It’s simply just a matter of using common sense to save money and help the environment.

3. The profile design of your conservatory

At the risk of getting slightly technical, the energy efficiency of a conservatory also depends in part on the inner profile structure of your conservatory.

A profile is simply a length of uPVC that makes up the ‘frame’ of your conservatory. uPVC profile lengths are hollow to provide better energy efficiency. They feature complex compartments (known as thermal breaks) that help to trap heat in a home, thus making it warmer for longer, reducing your energy consumption and saving you money in the process.

uPVC conservatories will feature different break designs, depending on the particular manufacturer who created the profile length. Here at Win-Dor, we only use the most thermally efficient profile lengths so that you can make sure your conservatory is completely energy efficient.

Energy efficient conservatories from Win-Dor

The overall energy efficiency of a conservatory then is dependent on a variety of different factors. Here at Win-Dor we pride ourselves on paying attention to these factors to make your conservatory as energy efficient as possible.

Find out more about our Victorian, Edwardian, Gable, Lean to, Reverse Lean to, P-Shaped and T-Shaped conservatories by requesting a quote or calling us on 01908 233 433.

How much is a conservatory? What style of conservatories are available? When you’re choosing a conservatory for your home, there are different styles, frames, roofs, flooring, and more that you can choose from to make it your own.

If you’re actively looking to fit a conservatory to your home and you want all the information you need to decide the right conservatory for you and what budget you should be setting yourself, welcome to our thoroughly researched guide on getting the very best conservatory for your money.

Experts agree that the way to get the most conservatory for your budget is to get quotes from 3-4 qualified installers. With an installer by your side, you can find out:

• what’s possible,
• which options are available to you,
• whether you can spread the payments, and so much more.

Conservatory quote

Fill in the form below to get quotes from 3-4 vetted installers. There’s no charge for the service, the quotes are free, and you don’t have to accept any quote you’re given.

Conservatory Prices

We’ll look at a range of conservatory costs for different styles of conservatory later on in this article but, as a ballpark figure, what are homeowners looking at for fully fitted conservatory prices with a polycarbonate roof and no dwarf wall?

3×3 conservatories are not generally thought of as large conservatories by most installers and most of their new conservatory installations tend to be, like this, on the smaller side.

You shouldn’t think of this table or any other table in the article as being a kind of conservatory price list. They’re there to give you a rough idea of the type of budget you should put aside for a project of this size. It’s always best to meet with a few installers to get an idea of the price you’ll pay for a conservatory in your area.

Conservatory costs – what influences the final price?

Conservatory cost per m² varies because of many different factors:

• the size of the conservatory,
• the style of the conservatory,
• the amount of ground preparation work,
• the type of roof you choose,
• the type of glazing you choose,
• whether you have underfloor heating,
• the material the frame is constructed from,
• whether you have a small brick wall as the base of your conservatory, and
• many more factors.

In this article, we’ll look at all the choices you have available to you and we’ll finish off by giving you our very best advice on getting the most conservatory possible for your money.

Conservatory wall and base

There are two types of wall you can choose for your conservatory – either a dwarf wall with the framing placed on top or you can choose having your conservatory walls entirely made of double-glazing panes.

Dwarf wall

Having a dwarf wall adds to the cost of your conservatory but, for a variety of different reasons, it’s the most popular choice for homeowners.

A dwarf wall provides really strong support for the frame of your conservatory – that’s important if you choose a heavier glass or standard-tiled roof. Generally, dwarf walls extend generally to about a metre in height from the ground.

Glazed wall (top to bottom)

Fully-glazed conservatory walls which reach from the base right to the roof are certainly more in fashion at the moment. Open many home improvement magazines and you can see some beautiful and elegant glass wall conservatories.

They’re cheaper than having a dwarf wall but there are extra considerations you’ll have to take into account, including:

• security – will the all-glazed walls be strong enough to resist intruders? If that’s a concern, make sure you ask your installer about toughened glass (more on that later) and if they offer stronger security frames to resist someone trying to prize the panes apart.
• strength – you may be constrained on your desired choice of roof with a glazed wall because the frame will have to be strong enough to support the roof.
• insulation – the dwarf wall on a conservatory will insulate it more than a glazed wall. Ask your installer to give you an educated assessment for your particular situation on whether having a fully glazed wall will require a more expensive type of glass to keep the cold out and the warmth in.

Conservatory frames

Installers will generally offer you three choices on the frame of your conservatory – that’s the bit between either the ground or the top of the dwarf wall and the roof.

uPVC conservatories

Still the most popular choice for homeowners, uPVC technology has come on a long way in the last 30 years. It’s not prone to fading any more, fit quality is a lot better because of more precise measurement tools used in the manufacturing process, and they’re more tough and durable than ever.

Most uPVC installations are in the classic white shading however your installer will be able to offer you a variety of different colours than ever before.

Of the three options, uPVC requires the least amount of maintenance and it is the cheapest, a point of particular interest to homeowners operating on a tighter budget.

Metal conservatory frames (usually aluminium)

Of the three frame options, aluminium frames are the longest lasting – you can expect at least 50 years’ resistance to wear and tear if you choose this for your conservatory. They undergo extensive weathering and drying treatment prior to leaving the factory making them incredibly tough, warp- and distortion-proof, and they won’t rust.

Just like uPVC frames, you can choose from a range of colours to suit your home and your personality. In terms of maintenance, a rub-down every six months or so is all you need to do.

Wooden conservatories

This is the frame that everyone wants but because the raw material is so expensive as are the treatments that the wood used undergoes prior to being sent to your installer, it’s not budget-friendly for most homeowners.

Of the three types of frame, they need the most maintenance and you will need to repaint your frames every three or four years to weatherproof them.

So, how much more does wood cost than uPVC? We’ve gathered up some quotes to give you an idea of the price differential between the two on a 3.5m² new conservatory.

Your conservatory roof

As we discovered earlier, your frame (and, if you choose one, your dwarf wall) must be strong enough to hold your conservatory roof in place. The roof you choose has a direct effect on both how much light gets into your conservatory and its overall heat- and noise-insulation qualities.

What are your options?

Double-glazed conservatory roof

A glazed roof lets lots of light in, it looks fantastic in your back garden, and its ability to insulate against both noise and heat are proven.

However, will it let too much light in during the long, hot summer days? Remember that a conservatory with a double-glazed roof is essentially a sun trap of its own and many homeowners feel that their conservatories are too bright at certain points of the day. Because of their insulation properties, they can also retain a lot of heat making them very warm too – sometimes to warm to sit in.

When it rains heavily, depending on the noise insulation properties of your double-glazed roof, the sound of the rain hitting the roof may occasionally be very loud, drowning out any sound you want to hear like music or from your television.

What you choose is a decision for you and what you like – most homeowners don’t really mind these issues but, for some, they stay clear of a glazed roof for these very reasons.

You can choose different types of glass for your double-glazed roof that will offset many of these issues – we cover those later in the article.

Polycarbonate conservatory roof

Polycarbonate shares many of the same qualities as a double-glazed roof but it’s by far the most economical option available to you. In addition, polycarbonate weighs a lot less than double-glazing meaning that, in most cases, you won’t need to ask your installer to reinforce the frame to hold it up.

Many installers find polycarbonate roofing much easier and quicker to install on conservatories. So, as well as the cost saving on the materials, there are further savings to be made on the installation costs too.

You can save even more money but choosing thinner layers of polycarbonate for your conservatory roof but there is a price to pay – thinner polycarbonate won’t insulate your conservatory as well meaning that it will get hotter in the summer and colder in the winter.

Looks-wise, most people can’t tell the difference between a polycarbonate conservatory roof and a double-glazed conservatory roof.

Classic tiled conservatory roof

More and more homeowners are investing in new tiled roofs to put on top of their existing conservatory so why not choose a classic tiled roof from the start?

There are a number of distinct advantages to have a tiled roof for your conservatory, including:

• superior insulation to double-glazed and polycarbonate roofs
• it’s easier to get the temperature inside your conservatory just as you want it
• you can add as many rooflights as possible to let in as much daylight as you like
• much better at insulating noise from the outside
• condensation is rarely a problem
• lots of other personalisation options are available

The length of time it takes to install your conservatory increases greatly with a classic tiled roof and your installer may have to sub-contract to a trained roofer on more complex installations, further adding to the cost.

System tiled conservatory roof

Guardian conservatory roofs and Supalite conservatory roofs are pre-assembled in the factory before being shipped out for delivery to your installer at your home. Your installer sends in the dimensions of your conservatory and, although it’s not quite as simple as this, they essentially drop the roof onto the top of your new conservatory and then they fasten it on tightly.

System tiled conservatory roofs offer virtually identical benefits to classic tiled roof but for many homeowners who are either getting a new conservatory installed or their existing roof replaced, there are a few important advantages:

• installation takes place in a fraction of the time of a classic tiled roof
• system tiled conservatory roofs tend to be much lighter than classic tiled roofs
• you can specify in great detail how you want both the inside and the outside of your roof to look – particularly important when it comes to matching against brick and house roof colours, styles, and hues.

Conservatory glazing options

Although you may choose a polycarbonate or a tiled roof for your conservatory, the “walls” of your conservatory are always constructed from double glazed or triple glazed frames. The type of glazing you choose will have a direct impact on the price you pay.

Your installer will be able to give you seven different options to choose from for your conservatory. Those choices are:

Standard conservatory glass

This is the most common type of glass used in conservatories and in double glazing installations. Standard glass (sometimes known as “annealed glass”) is cheap and it’s incredibly tough. Between the two (or three) panes of glass, the manufacturer inserts argon gas which, when combined with the solid glass, absorbs shocks really well.

Appearance-wise, the glass looks just like all the other types of glazing you can choose except for the decorative glass.

Low E conservatory glass – up to 25% more expensive than standard glass

Low E conservatory glass is a type of glass specially manufactured to keep homes and conservatories cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. It does this by using a transparent coating made of metal – this lets heat in from the outside but bounces any heat trying to escape from indoors back inside.

Self-cleaning conservatory glass – up to 20% more expensive than standard glass

If how much you have to maintain your conservatory is a major consideration, you might want to consider self-cleaning conservatory glass. In addition to cleaning itself as if by magic, this type of glazing is widely recognised by both installers and homeowners for its superior heat and noise installation.

Self-cleaning conservatory glass works when it’s rainy and when it’s dry. It does this by using a really thin layer of a type of metal called titanium dioxide. It lets slightly less light in to your conservatory than standard conservatory glass but most homeowners genuinely struggle to tell the difference.

The UV rays from the sun cause the glass to grab any water molecules in the general atmosphere. When it does this, the water and the titanium dioxide react and that reaction actually breaks down all the organic materials that’s built up on your window. When it rains, it’s all cleared away.

When it doesn’t rain, your windows clean themselves in a different way. Again, moisture is grabbed from the air and the reaction with the titanium dioxide breaks down anything organic that’s stuck to your window. After a while, the water on the window turns into a film which is pushed down by gravity, taking the dirt with it.

Noise control conservatory glass – up to 25% more expensive than standard glass

Many homeowners want their conservatory to be an oasis of quiet and calm. If you live in a built-up residential area where there are lots of kids, garden parties every summer, or you’re near a main road, sometimes the noise will travel through the glass.

Noise control glass reduces the amount of sound coming in through your windows by up to three quarters, according to scientific reports.

Decorative conservatory glass – more expensive than standard glass dependent on the features you choose

If you like the look of stained glass, etched glass, or the colours caused when different glass is melted and sealed together, it is possible to incorporate those features onto your conservatory double glazed windows.

Ultimately, your conservatory is not only an extension of your home but an extension of your personality too. So, if you want to personalise it, there is a wide variety of choice, colours, styles, and flourishes available to you – make sure to ask your installer what’s available.

This will, of course, cost most than standard conservatory glass and the premium you’ll pay will depend on the level of complexity in the choices that you make.

Toughened conservatory glass – up to 25% more expensive than standard glass

Toughened glass is essentially the same as standard conservatory glass but, because of an extra treatment it undergoes during manufacture, it’s four times stronger.

Should anything hard enough hit the glass to cause it to break, it shatters into very small pieces instead of into long and pointy pieces which may cause a danger of injury to any children or pets who share your home with you.

You may sometimes here toughened conservatory glass referred to as “tempered conservatory glass”.

Laminated conservatory glass – up to 40% more expensive than standard glass

Just like the toughened conservatory glass, this offers homeowners extra safety in case the glass breaks. Your car windshield is made out of laminated glass and, if you’ve ever seen one of those break, you’ll notice it forms a type of spider-shaped shatter which is held in place by a plastic interlayer on both sides of the pane of glass.

Laminated conservatory glass, in terms of its strength, is the same as toughened conservatory glass.

Conservatory floor

Another important choice to make is on the type of flooring you choose for your conservatory. Speak to a potential installer about underfloor heating (more on that in a moment) and get their opinion on the type of flooring that would work best for you depending on how you intend to use your conservatory.

Floor tiles

Easy to clean and available in a very wide range of colours, materials, styles, and finishes, floor tiles are the most popular choice and they’re very competitively priced too. Bear in mind though that if you don’t install underfloor heating, the tiles may be very cold to walk on during winter.

Wooden flooring

Aesthetically, wooden flooring is the most pleasing to the eye – they have a timeless elegance about them and there’s a high price to pay for that. Wooden flooring will expand and contract depending on how warm your conservatory is and they’re also more likely to suffer damage in conservatories with lower levels of insulation.

Laminate flooring

Laminate flooring now looks so good that, until you put your feet on it, you can be tricked into thinking that it’s actually real wood. Laminate flooring is considerably cheaper than its wooden alternative although it is much easier to damage as well as being prone to suffer from warping.

Vinyl flooring

Warm to walk on during the winter, vinyl flooring is an attractive option for homeowners on a budget. Vinyl flooring is prone to remember where items of furniture have been placed on it so if you do go for a big shift around at a later point or you swap your furniture, there will be little dents in the vinyl reminding you of where the furniture once was.

Carpet flooring

Carpet flooring is the cheapest option for your conservatory and it’s great for protecting little ones against bumps and falls if you intend for your conservatory to be an extra playroom for the kids. Carpet is difficult to clean and it is also prone to colour fade over time.

Your conservatory style

Last but not least, the price of your conservatory will be affected by the style of conservatory you choose. We’ve gone out and secured quotes from reputable installers on conservatory installations of different styles and sizes with polycarbonate roofs and double-glazed roofs.

Lean to Conservatory cost

Lean to conservatories are the most popular types of conservatory for homeowners on a budget. They’re called lean to conservatories because the roof leans down from the wall to cover the three sides of the conservatory adjacent to your home.

Victorian Conservatory cost

Dating back over 150 years, the Victorian style of conservatory, with its emphasis on a panoramic view of your outside areas through the use of a bay window, has never gone out of fashion.

Edwardian Conservatory cost

Arguably the type of conservatory that feels the biggest on the inside thanks to its rectangular design which lends a real feeling of space, Edwardian conservatories, sometimes called reverse drop or hipped-back conservatories, are Britain’s second favourite conservatory style.

Gable Conservatory costs

For gable conservatories, think Grand Designs in the late 19^th century. The roofs on gable conservatories are enormous and the light it lets in makes them feel just as much part of your outdoor space as your indoor living space.

P-shaped conservatory prices

P-shaped conservatories take the very best bits from both the Victorian and lean-to styles but they do so on a much grander scale. It’s like having a conservatory with an extension and a separate room of its own.

Bespoke conservatory prices

You can choose to have your conservatory built in any style and to any dimensions you want. The larger and more ornate your conservatory and the more expensive the materials you choose to use in its construction, the higher the cost will be.

Always make sure that, on extra special projects like a bespoke conservatory, you get as many quotes as you can so you understand best of all what a fair price is. More on how to get installers to compete against each other later in this article.

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Conservatory FAQ

Can a conservatory be extended?

Yes, and more and more homeowners are doing just that. You may have moved into a new home and you want the existing conservatory to be made larger because you have a growing family who needs more room. Whatever, the reason, you can extend your conservatory.

This will need you to get both the opinions of and quotes from installers to give you an idea of what’s possible and what’s not.

Can a conservatory be used as a bedroom?

A conservatory can be used as a bedroom – in fact, you may have already used your conservatory as a bedroom when you’ve had guests to stay over. But can your conservatory be used as a permanent bedroom?

That’s your choice but you’ll need to think about the size of the bed you want to place in there together with all the furniture. You will also need to think about:

• checking the current insulation to see if it will stop the build-up of condensation
• will it be warm enough during the winter? You may need to think about getting insulation for your conservatory roof
• noise pollution, particularly when it’s raining hard on your conservatory roof.

Can a conservatory have a tiled roof?

Yes. More and more homeowners are choosing tiled roofs for their new conservatories. Many others are replacing their existing conservatory roof with a tiled roof because of the additional benefits it brings over having a double-glazed or polycarbonate roof.

Can a conservatory be warm in winter?

A conservatory can be warm in winter and it can be made even warmer by choosing additional insulation for your conservatory roof. Before you do that though, you can choose more temporary solutions like installing blind, shutters, and even a thermal curtain.

Can a conservatory be used as a kitchen?

You can use your kitchen as a conservatory although, because they’re not generally installed for that reason, you’ll need an installer to work with you to design a kitchen conservatory.

Why would someone use a conservatory as a kitchen? There are space-saving possibilities and, because the kitchen is perhaps the central and most important room in a house, many homeowners feel as if having their kitchen in a conservatory makes it feel more like part of the home rather than an add-on.

Make sure you ask your installer about fitting air conditioning and vents in your conservatory if you decide to use it as a kitchen.

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Can a conservatory be built on decking?

You can build a conservatory on your decking although it’s worth taking extra time to think about whether it’s something you really want to do. Your decking will have to be absolutely sound and capable of withstanding the considerable weight of a conservatory.

There may be issues with ventilation and insulation depending on how much air can both get in and get out through the slats in the decking.

When does a conservatory need planning permission?

You need planning permission for your conservatory if you live in a listed building or conservation area, your home is Directive 4-affected, your conservatory is going to be taller than 4 metres, or if it extends more than three metres away from your back wall (or four metres for detached property owners).

Can a conservatory be converted to an orangery?

You can convert a conservatory into an orangery but it’s a complicated thing to achieve – certainly more complicated than extending your conservatory. As we’ve just discussed above, depending on the dimensions of your would-be orangery, you may need to obtain planning permission first.

Make sure you speak with a few industry professionals about your idea so you can get an idea of the budget involved and the length of time it would take to convert your conservatory into an orangery.

When does a conservatory become an extension?

A conservatory becomes an extension if it’s more than 30m² in size, it’s not at ground level, glazing use in critical zones meets Part N of the building regulations, and it does not have its own heating (in other words, there’s thermal separation from the rest of your home).

If there are parts of your plan for a conservatory which make it more like an extension, please get in touch with local planning officers first to discuss your idea before committing to having any work done.

What is the best way to heat my conservatory?

Because a conservatory must have its own heating to qualify as a conservatory, the soundest advice on the best way to heat your conservatory is to do so in the cheapest and most effective way. Jeff Howell of the Telegraph recommends that panel heaters or underfloor heating are probably best.

Will a conservatory add value to my home?

Recent research by Towergate Insurance examined the effect that installing a conservatory would have on the value of the average home. (Telegraph report). They concluded it would add 5% to the value of a property meaning that an average-priced UK home (£228,384) would rise by £11,419 with the addition of a conservatory.

Should my conservatory installer be a member of any professional bodies?

When choosing an installer for your new conservatory, we would recommend membership of one, some, or all of the following – the Glass & Glazing Federation (GGF), The Fenestration Self-Assessment Scheme (FENSA), the Certification and Self-Assessment (CERTASS) scheme or accreditation from FairTrades or TrustMark

Should I ask for an insurance-backed guarantee on my conservatory?

If you ask an installer about whether they can offer an insurance-backed guarantee on your conservatory and they say “yes”, that’s a real positive in their favour. What it means is that, if they cease trading for any reason, another professional installer will repair your conservatory for you if things go wrong.

How long should I expect an installer to take putting up my conservatory?

A conservatory of the size we’ve provided a range of quotes for in this article should take around three to four weeks to complete your installation including preparing the footings, foundation laying, floor levelling, wall building, settling, plastering, floor laying, general construction, finishing off and clean up.

Getting the best conservatory quote

As we’ve seen, getting a conservatory can be a complicated affair for many homeowners. If you have a strong idea in mind about what you’re looking for, the best thing to do is to get three or four companies out to quote you.

By being able to compare quotes, you’ll get a really good idea about whether what an installer is charging you represents a fair price. As an added bonus, when installers know they’re in competition with each other for your business, the price always comes down and you always end up getting more for your money.

We can put you in touch with three to four reputable local installers who will be very happy to come out to give you quotes. We’ve checked every one of them out before recommending them to our readers offering you extra peace of mind.

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Just fill in the form at the top of the page to get started. Our service is free, all the quotes you receive are free, and you don’t have to take any of the installers we connect you with up on their offer.