Conservatory Cost by Size & Type: 2026 UK Price Tables
A new conservatory costs from £5,000 fully installed in 2026. A basic 3m × 3m uPVC lean-to runs £5,000–£9,000, a 4m × 4m Victorian £10,500–£16,500, and a 5m × 3m Edwardian £10,500–£17,000, while orangeries reach £20,000–£50,000+. This guide prices every common size from 3m × 3m up to 6m × 4m across lean-to, Victorian and Edwardian styles, then covers roof options, frame materials, extras and solid-roof upgrades, so you can compare conservatory prices before you get quotes.
- ✓ Installed prices for 7 popular sizes, incl. base & VAT
- ✓ Lean-to, Victorian, Edwardian, P-shape & orangery compared
- ✓ Roof, frame, glazing and extras upgrade costs
- ✓ Checked against installer quotes across 519 UK towns
Conservatory Cost by Size: Quick Answer
In 2026 a conservatory costs from £5,000 installed: a 3m × 3m uPVC lean-to is £5,000–£9,000, the same footprint in Victorian style £8,000–£12,500 and in Edwardian £8,500–£13,500. Mid-size builds such as a 4m × 4m or 5m × 3m run £7,000–£17,500 depending on style, a large 6m × 4m is £10,000–£24,000, and orangeries sit at £20,000–£50,000+. Prices include frames, glazing, a standard base and VAT at 20%; upgrading to a solid roof adds £4,000–£8,000 on a new build, or from about £4,000 as a retrofit on an existing structure.
Jump to: Cost by size · Size chart · Cost by type · Roof options · uPVC vs aluminium vs timber · Extras · What affects price · Regional prices · FAQs
Conservatory Cost by Size: 2026 Price Table
These are fully installed 2026 prices for uPVC conservatories, including frames, glazing, a standard concrete base, French doors, fitting and VAT at 20%. The bottom of each range is a polycarbonate roof with standard double glazing; the top is an A-rated glass roof with solar-control glass. A 3m × 4m and a 4m × 3m share the same 12m² footprint, so they price the same; only the roof orientation and door position change.
| Size (footprint) | Lean-to (uPVC) | Victorian (uPVC) | Edwardian (uPVC) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3m × 3m (9m²) | £5,000–£9,000 | £8,000–£12,500 | £8,500–£13,500 |
| 3m × 4m (12m²) | £6,000–£10,500 | £9,000–£14,000 | £9,500–£15,000 |
| 4m × 3m (12m²) | £6,000–£10,500 | £9,000–£14,000 | £9,500–£15,000 |
| 4m × 4m (16m²) | £7,500–£12,500 | £10,500–£16,500 | £11,000–£17,500 |
| 5m × 3m (15m²) | £7,000–£12,000 | £10,000–£16,000 | £10,500–£17,000 |
| 5m × 4m (20m²) | £8,500–£14,500 | £12,000–£19,000 | £12,500–£20,000 |
| 6m × 4m (24m²) | £10,000–£17,000 | £14,000–£22,500 | £15,000–£24,000 |
Aluminium frames add roughly 20–40% to these figures and hardwood timber 50–80% (see the frame comparison below). Swapping to a solid tiled roof adds £4,000–£8,000 on a new build. For a personalised figure in about 30 seconds, use our conservatory cost calculator, and for the full national breakdown see the main conservatory cost UK guide.
Victorian Conservatory Cost by Size (2026)
The chart below plots the midpoint installed price for a Victorian uPVC conservatory at each popular size. The 5m × 3m, the size UK homeowners search for most, is highlighted in orange: expect around £13,000 as a sensible working budget, with real quotes spanning £10,000–£16,000.
Lean-to versions of the same sizes cost roughly 20–25% less and Edwardian versions about 5% more. Ranges, not midpoints, are what installers quote, so treat these bars as a comparison of scale rather than a fixed price.
Conservatory Prices by Type
Style is the second biggest price lever after size. A lean-to has the simplest single-pitch roof, so it is always the cheapest way to buy any given footprint. Victorian and Edwardian designs add faceted or hipped roofs, gable fronts add glazed apexes, and P-shapes combine two roof forms. Orangeries are a step change: brick piers, a flat perimeter roof and a glazed lantern push them towards small-extension money.
| Type | Typical size | Installed cost range (2026) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lean-to | 3m × 3m to 4m × 3m | £5,000–£17,000 | Budget builds, bungalows, narrow plots and side returns |
| Victorian | 4m × 3m to 5m × 4m | £8,000–£22,500 | Period homes; classic 3 or 5-facet curved bay front |
| Edwardian | 4m × 3m to 5m × 4m | £8,500–£24,000 | Maximum usable floor space from a square footprint |
| Gable-front | 4m × 4m to 6m × 4m | £10,000–£26,000 | Height and light; dramatic full-height apex front |
| P-shape / T-shape | 5m × 4m and larger | £14,000–£32,000 | Large combined lounge-diner spaces on wider homes |
| Orangery | 4m × 4m to 6m × 5m | £20,000–£50,000+ | Year-round living space; brick piers and roof lantern |
Torn between styles, or between a conservatory and something more substantial? Our conservatory vs orangery vs extension guide compares them properly. As a rule of thumb, a single-storey extension starts around £22,000 (regionally £22,000–£33,500), so even a top-spec orangery can undercut a modest extension; see extension cost by size or run the extension cost calculator to compare like for like.
Roof Options: Polycarbonate vs Glass vs Solid
The roof decides how the room feels for the next 20 years. On a new 4m × 3m build, the uplifts look like this:
| Roof type | Cost on a new 4m × 3m build | Comfort & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Polycarbonate | Included in base price (cheapest option) | Noisy in rain, hot in summer, cold in winter; 10–15 year lifespan. Fine for occasional-use rooms and the lowest upfront cost. |
| Glass (A-rated) | Add £1,500–£2,500 vs polycarbonate | Far better temperature control and noise reduction; solar-control and self-cleaning coatings available; the sweet spot for most buyers. |
| Solid / tiled (warm roof) | Add £4,000–£8,000 vs polycarbonate | Insulated, plastered ceiling; genuine year-round room. Needs building-regs sign-off and frames strong enough to carry the load. |
Solid and warm roof upgrades on an existing conservatory
Already own a conservatory that is too hot in July and freezing in January? A retrofit solid or warm roof on the existing structure starts from about £4,000 for a small lean-to and typically runs £4,000–£12,000 depending on size, tile choice and whether the frames need reinforcing. Have a surveyor confirm the existing frames and base can take the extra weight, and budget for building-regulations sign-off, which retrofit roof conversions require. Done well, it converts a three-season room into an everyday one for a fraction of the cost of rebuilding.
uPVC vs Aluminium vs Timber Frames
| Frame material | Price vs uPVC | Lifespan | Maintenance | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| uPVC | Baseline (from £5,000 installed) | 20–25 years | Minimal; occasional wash-down | Best value; the default for most UK conservatories |
| Aluminium | +20–40% vs uPVC | 30–45 years | Minimal; powder-coated colours | Slim sightlines, bigger glass panels, modern look |
| Timber (hardwood) | +50–80% vs uPVC | 40–60 years with care | Repaint or re-stain every 5–8 years | Period properties and conservation areas |
Worked example: a 4m × 3m Victorian at £9,000–£14,000 in uPVC becomes roughly £11,000–£19,500 in aluminium and £13,500–£25,000 in hardwood timber. Aluminium earns its premium on larger builds where slim frames noticeably increase the glass area; timber usually only makes financial sense where planning or the character of the house demands it.
Conservatory Extras & Upgrade Costs
The headline quote rarely includes everything you will actually want. These are typical 2026 add-on prices:
| Extra | Typical cost (2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard base & dwarf wall | Usually included | Complex groundworks, sloping sites or poor ground add £1,200–£3,000 |
| Electrics (sockets, lighting, fused spur) | £300–£800 | Part P electrician required; plan sockets before the base is poured |
| Electric underfloor heating | £500–£1,200 | Quick to fit under tile; cheap to install, dearer to run |
| Wet underfloor heating | £1,200–£2,500 | Plumbed into central heating; best fitted during the base build |
| Radiator added to central heating | £300–£700 | Simplest heating route if a nearby circuit has capacity |
| Blinds (full set, made to measure) | £800–£3,000 | Pleated or cellular; roof blinds cost more than side blinds |
| Solar-control / self-cleaning glass | £300–£900 | Worth it on south-facing roofs; cuts summer overheating |
| Bi-fold doors instead of French doors | +£1,500–£3,500 | Opens the whole wall to the garden; aluminium sets cost most |
| Removing an old conservatory | £500–£1,500 | Includes strip-out and disposal; reusing a sound base can save more |
A sensible planning figure is to add 10–20% on top of the base conservatory price for extras, more if you want underfloor heating and a full set of blinds.
What Affects Conservatory Prices
1. Size and glass area
Footprint is the single biggest driver, but cost does not rise in a straight line. Per square metre, a 3m × 3m lean-to works out at roughly £555–£1,000/m², while a 6m × 4m falls to about £415–£710/m², because the base, doors and connection work are spread over more floor.
2. Style complexity
A lean-to roof is one simple pitch. Victorian bays need faceted frames and cut roof panels, gable fronts add a glazed apex, and P-shapes join two roof structures, so each step up in shape adds fabrication and fitting time.
3. Roof material
Polycarbonate sets the floor price, an A-rated glass roof adds £1,500–£2,500, and a solid tiled warm roof adds £4,000–£8,000 on a new build. The roof also decides whether the room is usable in January.
4. Frames and glazing spec
uPVC is the baseline; aluminium adds 20–40% and hardwood 50–80%. Upgrading to solar-control or self-cleaning glass adds £300–£900 but earns its keep on south-facing gardens.
5. Base, drains and groundworks
A standard base on level ground is priced in. Sloping sites, poor ground or relocating drainage add £1,200–£3,000, and building over or within 3 metres of a public sewer needs a build-over agreement from your water company, typically £300–£800.
6. Planning and building regulations
Most conservatories fall under permitted development, and one that is under 30m² and thermally separated from the house by external-quality doors is exempt from most building regulations. Check the rules before you commit; our conservatory planning permission guide covers the 2026 limits in plain English.
7. Where you live
Labour rates move prices by 20–30% between the cheapest regions and London; see the regional section below.
How to Save Money on a Conservatory
- Choose a lean-to. Same floor space, simplest roof: typically 20–25% cheaper than a Victorian of the same size.
- Stick to standard sizes. 3m × 3m, 4m × 3m and 4m × 4m use mass-produced frame kits; odd dimensions mean bespoke fabrication.
- Buy the glass roof up front. Retrofitting a warm roof later starts at £4,000, so speccing the right roof once is almost always cheaper than upgrading twice.
- Stay under 30m² and keep it thermally separated. Keeping the existing external door between house and conservatory keeps you exempt from most building regulations and their fees.
- Leave the drains alone. Positioning the conservatory to avoid moving soil pipes or manholes can save £1,000+ in groundworks and a build-over agreement.
- Reuse a sound base. Replacing an old conservatory on an existing level base in good condition avoids most of the groundworks bill.
- Book for late autumn or winter. Installers are quieter after the summer rush and more likely to sharpen their pencil.
- Compare at least three quotes. Prices for identical specs routinely vary by 20–30% between firms; get three free quotes here and let them compete.
Regional Conservatory Prices
The tables above are national ranges. In practice, London and the South East price 20–30% above the cheapest regions, which in our town-level data are typically the North East, Northern Ireland, South Wales and parts of Scotland. The Midlands and North West usually sit 5–10% above the cheapest areas, with the South West and East of England another 5–10% on top of that.
As a concrete example, a 3m × 3m uPVC lean-to that costs £5,000–£7,500 in the North East will typically quote at £6,500–£9,000 in Greater London, with the biggest gap on labour-heavy work such as groundworks and dwarf walls. Materials prices barely move; it is trade day rates that shift.
FAQs
A 3m x 3m (9 square metre) conservatory costs £5,000–£9,000 installed in 2026 as a uPVC lean-to, £8,000–£12,500 in Victorian style and £8,500–£13,500 in Edwardian style. Those figures include frames, glazing, a standard base, fitting and VAT. The bottom of each range is a polycarbonate roof; the top is an A-rated glass roof. Aluminium frames add 20–40% and hardwood timber 50–80%.
A 5m x 3m conservatory (15 square metres) costs £7,000–£12,000 as a uPVC lean-to, £10,000–£16,000 as a Victorian and £10,500–£17,000 as an Edwardian, fully installed in 2026. It is a popular shape for wide but shallow gardens because it adds a big room without eating far into the lawn. A sensible working budget for a glass-roof Victorian at this size is around £13,000.
A 4m x 4m conservatory (16 square metres) costs £7,500–£12,500 as a uPVC lean-to, £10,500–£16,500 as a Victorian and £11,000–£17,500 as an Edwardian in 2026, installed with a standard base and VAT included. At this size the square Edwardian layout works especially well: you get a genuine dining room or second lounge with no wasted corners.
Yes. Both cover the same 12 square metre footprint, so they price identically: £6,000–£10,500 as a uPVC lean-to, £9,000–£14,000 as a Victorian and £9,500–£15,000 as an Edwardian in 2026. What changes is which dimension runs along the house wall, which affects roof orientation, door position and how the room connects to the garden, but the effect on the quote is minimal.
A uPVC lean-to with a polycarbonate roof is the cheapest conservatory, starting at £5,000 installed for a 3m x 3m in 2026. Its single-pitch roof is the simplest to fabricate and fit, which is why a lean-to runs 20–25% below a Victorian of the same size. If the budget allows one upgrade, make it the A-rated glass roof at £1,500–£2,500 extra; it transforms year-round comfort.
Orangeries cost £20,000–£50,000+ in 2026, roughly double an Edwardian conservatory of the same footprint. The premium buys brick piers, an insulated flat perimeter roof with a glazed lantern, and a room that feels like a proper extension. Between the two sits the solid-roof conservatory, which delivers much of the year-round comfort for less. Our conservatory vs orangery vs extension guide compares all three.
Usually not. Most conservatories fall under permitted development, broadly meaning single storey, no more than 4 metres high, extending no more than 4 metres from a detached house or 3 metres otherwise (further with prior approval), and covering no more than half the garden. Listed buildings and conservation areas have tighter rules. The full 2026 limits are in our conservatory planning permission guide.
A retrofit solid or warm roof starts from about £4,000 on a small lean-to and typically runs £4,000–£12,000 depending on size, tile system and whether the frames need strengthening. You will need building-regulations sign-off, and a surveyor should confirm the existing frames and base can carry the extra weight before you commit.
For most people, yes. The £1,500–£2,500 uplift buys far better temperature control, much quieter rain, longer life and a room you will actually use in winter. Polycarbonate still makes sense when the absolute lowest price matters or the room is for summer use only, but it is the most common regret we hear from conservatory owners.
Once frames are manufactured, a typical uPVC conservatory takes 2–4 weeks on site: about a week for the base, then one to two weeks for frames, roof, glazing and finishing. Add 4–8 weeks of lead time for the frames to be made after survey. Orangeries are more like 6–10 weeks on site because of the brickwork and roof structure.
A well-built conservatory generally adds value, often estimated at around 5% of the property price, and a solid-roof or glass-roof room that works year-round adds the most. A cheap polycarbonate box that bakes in summer can put buyers off, so build quality matters more than size. The strongest returns come when the room reads as usable living space rather than a bolt-on.
Substantially. Conservatories run £5,000–£24,000 across the sizes in this guide, while a single-storey extension starts around £22,000 and regionally ranges £22,000–£33,500. An extension gives you a fully insulated, unrestricted room, so compare properly using extension cost by size and the main house extension cost guide before deciding.
Compare Conservatory Prices From Local Installers
The tables above give you a solid conservatory estimate for any size and style, but quotes for identical specs still vary by 20–30% between firms. Tell us your size and style once and get three free, no-obligation quotes from insured local installers.
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