Changing a kitchen extension to a conservatory

[dog-man]

I am considering moving my kitchen from where it is now into another room.

I am also considering changing the existing kitchen into a conservatory.

The current kitchen is a single storey extension on the end of the house. I thought it would be a good idea to remove the roof and part of the surrounding walls to have a conservatory built on top of the lowered walls.

It would mean that I would walk from the main part of the house into the new kitchen, then through folding doors into the old kitchen which would become a conservatory.

Would I need any planning permission for this?

Any helpful suggestions gratefully received.

[sm_jamieson]

This query is usually received the other way around. Personally I don't like conservatories. I would prefer what is sometimes calls rather pompously (unless you live in a Vic country house) an orangery. A normal room and walls but with a kind of atrium style glass roof. Very stylish.

For your idea, it must be quite unusual. Bear in mind the conservatory will have worse insulation properties and you may not be allowed to do it without improving the insulation elsewhere due to the new 2006 regs. You may also have to provide an external door between house and conservatory.

Simon.

[Christian McArdle]

You may have more problem with building regulations than planning permission. I would talk to the BCO to see if they can make any suggestions. At the least, you will need an externally rated door between the kitchen and conservatory and any heating must be independently controlled.

However, your plan is also likely to substantially reduce the value of your property, as a conservatory is worth a lot less than a real room of the same size. Is there sufficient land to build a new conservatory in addition to the existing space?

Christian.

[dog-man]

Well, that has given me something to think about!

I planned to have an inner folding wooden door between the new kitchen and the new conservatory. I had thought about the loss of heat, and that is why I wanted the folding door. In the Summer, it could be fully open, and closed in Winter.

I am leaning towards underfloor heating.

I did give some consideration to just removing the roof and replacing it with a glass or high quality pvc fancy roof (orangery) as already mentioned here. but the wife nagged for a conservatory. I will work on her with a baseball bat to make her see the error of her ways! ;)

No way really to have a conservatory in the garden without losing more of a small garden that would be acceptable.

My house is an old victorian house so insulation is not good. I have done what I can apart from dry lining the walls. Fully double glazed etc.

The idea needs more thinking time.

[Christian McArdle]

Yes, it may be difficult to achieve what you want in terms of complying with building regulations, which are very concerned with energy efficiency. Basically, unless you can superinsulate the rest of the property in compensation, you NEED the conservatory exemption to apply for your project.

The conservatory exemption requires many things, including external grade doors, independent heating (preferably no heating), 75% translucent roof and

50% transparent external walls. The orangery idea would almost certainly fall foul of the wall transparency requirement.

You may find an alternative route is to dry line the walls with Kingspan K17 and seriously improve your loft insulation. If you stick these improvements on your building notice, they may be enough to counter the much worse performance of the conservatory. If so, the conservatory exemption criteria do not apply and you can have whatever construction, layout and doors (or lack thereof) that suit you.

Christian.

[Owain]

Why on earth ... you will be losing a room and as Christian says, likely to decrease the value of your house.

IME conservatories are only added as "extra rooms" when planning or cost prohibits a proper extension.

I would keep the existing room as a nice dining room and add on a conservatory onto the back of that.

If you want more light in the room then expand the windows or have really big patio doors. If the site is confined and there is little horizontal natural light then (assuming it's a flat roof) you might be able to have a lantern light centrally in the ceiling. With an internal trough around the perimiter and some planting this could give you a very nice conservatory effect, but keep it as a habitable room.

For more light with a pitched room, look at sunpipes.

Probably, technically you're demolishing part of your property. And local authority may be reluctant to approve anything that reduces the housing stock.

Whatever you do will need building regs approval as well.

Owain

[Doctor Drivel]

I think you may mean independent temperature control.

It is best to make the kitchen into a light and airy room, not a conservatory. Put in larger double glazed windows, French doors, etc.

[Christian McArdle]

Yes. I wasn't clear on this.

However, the nature of conservatories and their poor energy efficiency are such that it is sensible to also supply separate timing control.

Christian.

[dog-man]

I will probably succeed in talking the wife out of having a conservatory, I have already begun that mighty task. The tip about kingspan boards interests me as I have to dry line what is now the dining room as it gets so cold in the winter, even with the heating full on.

I have contacted the company for more details.

[dog-man]

I just want to make clear that the existing kitchen (which would become the conservatory if I went ahead) is a flat roofed extension. It was added during the 80's. I have the paperwork with planning consent etc somewhere.

We were not living here then.

The house is very large even without this extra room.

4 x bedrooms, 3 x reception rooms.

[Christian McArdle]

No idea if the company would reply to emails. They are more of a manufacturer than used to dealing with customers.

Try:

[Doctor Drivel]

Fitting a Myson fan coil heater which has its own stat is enough. Little heat floats out of them when the fan is off.

[Owain]

So moving the kitchen you are losing one of the reception rooms?

For a 4-bed house a 3rd reception is likely to be appealing to buyers as a second sitting room / playroom for children, or a study / home office, or for use as a downstairs bedroom for elderly relatives.

Suggest you get a couple of estate agents to give you valuations based on 2 vs 3 receps, then ask the Mrs if having a conservatory is worth that much.

Remember you're also going to have to pay for a new kitchen *and* the demolition *and* the conservatory as well as the loss of value. I'm all for people treating houses as homes rather than investments but if you really want a smaller house with a conservatory it might be cheaper to move.

Would having a conservatory *above* the kitchen, accessed from the first floor, be possible, perhaps off the bedroom for coffee and croissants on spring mornings?

Owain

[dog-man]

We are buying a new kitchen anyway, whatever happens. That is what prompted me to think of a conservatory.

*

Nice idea, but not possible.

I think after all this advice, I will be keeping things as they are. It was a nice idea, but we plan to sell the house in about 15 years and downsize big time, thus increasing our bank balance for old age.

I too believe that a home should be a home and not an investment, but in reality you have to balance both.