Key Post Conservatory vs sun room

C

capaill

Guest
Hi

We are planning to put either a conservatory or a sun room onto our house. We are looking at an area roughly 10 ft by 12 ft.

Has anyone any advice or pointers on which would be the better option? Roughly what costs would be involved?

Thanks in advance for any tips received
 
Sunroom

Capaill,
There is another discussion about sunroom vs conservatory but as usual I cant locate the link, maybe someone else can help find it.

My two pennies worth, a conservatory is too hard to maintain, keeping it clean, birds doing the business on the roof, just a nightmare. I find them too hot in summer and too cold in winter (so much so that it cant be used for anything). If I had to do it again, I would get a sunroom, with a slate/tiled roof, at least two radiators, and a couple of velux windows, and build a wall up with tall thin windows, so at least you have some brick in the wall it should feel like a conservatory but much more usable.

Hope this helps.

Bear
 
Re: Sunroom

Hi Bear

Thanks for the reply and your comments.

I am leaning towards a sun room but am worried that it will cost more than a conservatory and also not allow as much light into the room where we plan to put the sunroom.

But the issues you highlight are very apt, especially with regards to our feathered friends

Regards
 
Sunroom

Hi
The biggest annoyance for me anyway is not being able to use the room on a everyday basis, as mentioned the temperature varies considerably and I have tended to have lunch or read the paper for an hour so it's not getting utilised. If I had a sunroom then I would have plenty of uses, a den, music room (audiophile for my sins), entertaining. As for light, a couple of big veluxs and you're laughing, ours is on the east side of the house we only get the sun in the morning anyway, sometimes it can be too bright and you'd need Tom Sanderson and his conservatory blinds to get the lux right. Our was put sold with the house but I would love to knock it, if we weren't moving house soon!!

Still no luck with that other discussion.

Good luck

Bear
 
Sunroom or conservatory

I put on a conservatory a couple of years ago and am very happy with it. Unfortunately my current wife recently decided she wanted a sunroom as well. After a lot of research we have now decide to hook upa large extension to the existing conservatory. The primary reason was the amount of light that would be lost to the inner room - even with 3 large velux windows.

In terms of heat control we found that having openings on all sections of the conservatory allows air to circulate in summer and having 2 rads means we use it in winter, quite a bit though not everyday.

Prices vary considerably, get loads of quotes and pick someone from their portfolio to visit for a proper opinion on their work.

Here's a link that you might find helpful


www.almostimpartialguide.co.uk/

MAC
 
Re: Sunroom or conservatory

Hi Bear

Thanks again for the reply. I have visions of using the conservatory/sun room as a refuge also A place to save my old LP collection from the scrap heap.

Mac

Thanks for that link. Looks very informative. Will spend the weekend going through it in detail

Cheers

Capaill
 
Word of warning Capaill.......

Don't let your wife at that website - otherwise the costs could double!!! :)
 
Conservatory/Sunroom

We got a conservatory built about 1 year ago and we are delighted with it. We use it every day as a family/dining room.

We have several top-opening windows for excess heat, although as the room is North-East facing, this is not a problem. A bronze roof also helps with sun-glare and does not show dirt as much as clear/white.

The room has 2 radiators and is never cold when the heating is on. We find it is the easiest room to heat in the house, but also the quickest to lose heat!!.

Overall, an excellent job. Cost about 17000 euro. Size - 20 ft X 12 ft approx
 
Conservatory/Sunroom

Hi "Happy",

Would you mind telling who built your conservatory? Does it have glass or polycarbonate roof, glazed to the floor or dwarf walls? Just so happens that 20 x 12 is exactly the size I need to have built so any addintional info much appreciated.

Dave
 
Conservatory Details

Hi Happy,

Many thanks for the info, sounds more or less what I plan but in Dublin, so the Limerick firm is unlikely to travel even if I was tempted after your advice, but good to get a price guide. Thanks for the prompt reply.

Dave
 
Update on conservatory

Hi All

Just a quick update re the above. Thanks to the feedback received here we decided to go for the conservatory option as we felt that this would allow more light into the existing house, would be cheaper and easier to construct.

My father and I, well actually my father, have built the foundations, walls and put in the concrete floors ourselves. Feedback from suppliers has been that this saved us up to €10K. It is a lot of hard work but I am lucky that my father is experienced in that sort of thing. The actual conservatory itself will cost another 10K. We used a company called Park Avenue Conservatories in Kilcoole in Wicklow. While not the cheapest, albeit the second cheapest supplier, they impressed with their knowledge and customer service. The glass has not yet been installed but I will update all when it is.

As another note the prices ranged from 9.5K to 14.5K. Also about 50% of suppliers contacted never showed up for appointments to quote.
 
Some other posts

Daithi
Registered User
Conservatory build

I'm looking for rough estimates to build a 16 x 13ft conservatory with triple glazing.
Has anyone recently had one built?

sunnyday
Frequent poster
Re: Conservatory build

Instead of triple glazing, you could consider [broken link removed] glass, which has good insulation values, and will reduce the discolouring effect of the sun on your furniture.

stobear
Very frequent poster
Re: Conervatory build

A conservatory can get very cold in winter and too warm in summer, its got to be south facing to take full advantage, have one and am considering putting in a proper slate roof, walls etc, to make it more habitable during winter.......
 
Re: >>Conservatory vs Sun Room.

I live in Galway, can anyone recommend a good firm, west of the shannon that specialise in Conservatory building? Type of cost? Conservatory v Sunroom?
 
Re: Conservatory Details

DaveD said:
Hi Happy,

Many thanks for the info, sounds more or less what I plan but in Dublin, so the Limerick firm is unlikely to travel even if I was tempted after your advice, but good to get a price guide. Thanks for the prompt reply.

Dave
Click to expand...

Many Limerick companies will travel my father has often spent weeks travelling to Dublin from Limerick it depends on the job really but for something as big as a conservatory there wouldn't be a problem.
 
Re: >>Conservatory vs Sun Room.

I'm interested in having a conservatory built.
Could Anyone who can provide the name and contact details of Reputable companies in Dublin who build conservatories please do so, as am very interested in getting a good deal.
Please only post though if you personally have got the work done by them.
If you could post the size and price you got it for that would be great.
I've been quoted €23000 by johnstown conservatories for a 21ft x 10ft.
Is this price ok?
 
Re: >>Conservatory vs Sun Room.

has anyone got quotes for cork area
 
Re: >>Conservatory vs Sun Room.

I'm interested in having a conservatory built.
Could Anyone who can provide the name and contact details of Reputable companies in Dublin who build conservatories please do so, as am very interested in getting a good deal.
Please only post though if you personally have got the work done by them.
If you could post the size and price you got it for that would be great.
I've been quoted €23000 by johnstown conservatories for a 21ft x 10ft.
Is this price ok?
Click to expand...

Sounds like an ok price to me, my sister got one built late last Summer, similar enough sizing to what you're talking about and it cost €25,000, they did an excellent job on it, she's really pleased. She used Micron Aluminium based in Tallaght but travel all over Dublin as far as I know. Incase you're interested number is 087 2574002 / 4523860.
 
Re: >>Conservatory vs Sun Room.

Hi,,

U may have all ready had your conservatory done at this stage, i only saw this post now.

If you are looking for a recommendation, I can recommend very highly a firm who are based in Northern Ireland but do a lot of work in the south, including cork and limerick.

I got them to build a sun room earlier this year, I found the whole process to be stress free. they were very proffessional, extremely high quality workmanship, and I would recommend them to anyone.

they do the whole lot conservatories, sun rooms and extensions..

they are called europass conservatories irl ltd. They are worth checking out. I got 4 quotes of which they were the cheapest, however the main reason I went with them is because of recomendations from a work colleague who also used them. They also have an office in Dublin, but they Are Northern based . They have their own website, it is something like [broken link removed]............I think

Cheers

Jack
 
Re: >>Conservatory vs Sun Room.

Intersesting site. We are also thinking of the sun room option. What were the time frames involved from ordering to starting building to finishing.
Did they do everything including radiators etc..
Also how big did you go with it.. and did it cut out much light from the room inside...
 
Re: >>Conservatory vs Sun Room.

1. Time Frame 9 weeks ( I was getting them to build a shed as well, and pave the whole back garden. The sun room on its own would have been about 6 weeks.
2. They did everything plumbing, 2 rads, downlighters 14, outside powerpoint the works.
3. 20ft long by 12ft wide, 5 veluxes. light was reduced on inside room, but I got half glass doors downstairs, which along with the veluxes kept the loss to a minimum....... PS I have nothing to do with this company ......just a satisfied customer...
 
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