Is an orangery better than a conservatory?

An orangery is generally considered better for year-round use than a standard conservatory because it has more solid wall construction and better insulation. It is also more architecturally integrated with the main house. However, it costs 50–80% more than a comparable conservatory.

Does a conservatory add more value than an extension?

Extensions typically add more absolute value (10–20% vs 5–10% for conservatories) because they are fully habitable rooms counted in the property's floor area. However, extensions cost significantly more, so the return on investment may be similar.

Do orangeries need planning permission?

Most orangeries fall under Permitted Development for the same reasons as conservatories — they are single-storey rear structures under the size thresholds. Check with your local planning authority if you are in a conservation area or have a listed building.

What is the difference between an orangery and a garden room?

An orangery is a traditional structure with a lantern roof and solid perimeter, typically built by a conservatory company. A garden room is a modern, fully insulated timber-framed or steel-framed structure that looks more like a cabin or studio. Garden rooms are often built off-the-shelf and are quicker to install.

Which adds the most value: conservatory, orangery or extension?

In absolute terms, extensions add the most value because they add fully habitable floor area. Orangeries add more value than standard conservatories. However, over-specifying for the street — e.g. a £70,000 orangery on a £250,000 house — returns less than a well-targeted mid-range conservatory or extension.

Compare · Updated July 2026

Conservatory vs Orangery vs Extension: Which Is Right for You?

A typical UK conservatory costs £13,000–£22,000, an orangery £22,000–£32,000, and a single-storey extension £35,000–£60,000. The right choice depends on year-round usability, planning constraints, and how much you want to add to property value. Here’s the full side-by-side breakdown to help you decide.

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Quick Answer

Which structure is right for you?

Conservatory (£13k–£22k): Best when budget is tight, you have Permitted Development rights, and you accept the space is best used spring through autumn (unless you add a solid roof).
Orangery (£22k–£32k): Best for year-round use without the cost or planning hassle of a full extension. Brick piers + glass + lantern roof = thermal mass + good insulation.
Single-storey extension (£35k–£60k): Best for properties £450k+ where you want maximum resale value and a true “new room” feel. Full brick walls, normal roof, indistinguishable from original house.

Side-by-Side

Full Comparison Table

Same footprint (~14m²) compared across all three.

Factor	Conservatory	Orangery	Extension
Typical 14m² cost	£13k–£22k	£22k–£32k	£35k–£60k
Build time	1–2 weeks	3–6 weeks	10–18 weeks
Year-round usable?	Poly roof: no. Solid roof: yes	Yes — designed for it	Yes — full new room
Planning permission	Usually PD-exempt	Usually PD, sometimes full	Usually full application
Building Regs?	Exempt (if no solid roof, doors separating from house)	Required	Required
Insulation	Poor unless solid roof	Good — brick piers + insulated roof	Excellent — full cavity wall, modern Building Regs
Looks like part of house?	No — distinctly a conservatory	Partially	Yes — should be indistinguishable
Resale value-add (mid-range)	Break-even to +£5,000	+£12k–£25k	+£25k–£80k (location-dependent)
Roof type	Polycarbonate, glass or solid tiled	Flat roof with glass lantern	Pitched tiled or flat warm roof
Heating	Separate from central heating (regs)	Integrated with central heating	Integrated with central heating
Disruption during build	Minimal — rear garden only	Moderate	Significant — rear wall removal, dust everywhere

Verdict by Scenario

Which to Choose, by Situation

💰 Budget under £25k, want a sunroom

Choose: Conservatory with solid tiled roof. £18k–£22k delivers year-round usability. Skip polycarbonate — it’s a false economy that ruins resale.

🏡 Mid-budget, year-round room, no major build

Choose: Orangery. £25k–£30k. Better thermal performance than any glass-walled conservatory, less disruption than an extension, and resale value-add is much better than a conservatory.

📈 £500k+ house, focused on resale ROI

Choose: Single-storey extension. Adds a true new room. £45k–£60k investment typically returns £30k–£80k in valuation uplift on properties at this band.

📜 Conservation area / Listed building

Choose: Orangery (often). Planners prefer the more substantial brick-pier appearance over a glass-heavy conservatory. Extensions can be refused. Each LPA differs — check before designing.

🔨 Small terraced house, limited rear garden

Choose: Conservatory or Orangery. PD rear projection on a terrace is capped at 3m (4m with Larger Home Extension prior approval). Pick whichever fits the budget and gives the look you want.

👩‍🍳 Open-plan kitchen-diner desire

Choose: Extension. Only a full extension lets you knock through and create a genuine open-plan space with no doors separating kitchen from new room. Building Regs handles the structural opening.

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Worked Examples

Same Family, Three Different Choices

Three real 2026 projects on similar 3-bed semis in the Midlands, each adding ~14m² of rear extension space. Costs include VAT.

Coventry · March 2026

P-shape Conservatory

£21,850

4.5x3.5m + 2m return
uPVC anthracite grey frames
Solid tiled Equinox roof, 2 Velux
Tiled floor, plumbed radiator
8 days on site

Valuation uplift: +£1,150

Solihull · March 2026

Brick-Pier Orangery

£28,650

4x4m, 4 brick piers
Glass lantern roof
Aluminium bifolds (3-pane)
Full Building Regs sign-off
5 weeks on site

Valuation uplift: +£18,500

Leamington · April 2026

Single-Storey Extension

£47,400

4.5x3.5m + steel beam open-plan
Brick to match house
Warm flat roof + 2.5m lantern
Bifold doors, underfloor heating
13 weeks on site

Valuation uplift: +£38,200

Frequently Asked

Common Questions

If I pay for an orangery, am I just paying for a fancy conservatory?+

No — structurally they’re different. An orangery has brick piers between glass panels (giving thermal mass), insulated flat roof + glass lantern (much better U-value than poly or glass), and is built to Building Regs as a habitable room. A conservatory is glass-walled, often poly-roofed, and Building-Regs-exempt. The result is the orangery feels like a real room year-round; the conservatory feels like a sunroom.

Do I really need a full extension or can an orangery do the job?+

For 80% of projects, an orangery does the job. Choose a full extension only if: (a) you want a genuine open-plan with the existing kitchen (extensions can knock through, orangeries can’t legally without major work), (b) you’re in a price-band where the extra £15k–£30k cost pays back via resale ROI, or (c) you want a pitched roof matching the original house line.

Can I knock through from a conservatory or orangery to the main house?+

From a conservatory: technically yes but you lose the Building-Regs exemption and the whole structure must meet thermal performance standards retrospectively. Most installers won’t do this. From an orangery: yes, with structural sign-off — this is one of the main reasons to choose orangery over conservatory. From an extension: yes, designed for it from the start.

Do all three need foundations?+

All three need foundations, but to different depths. Conservatory: 600mm strip foundation with concrete slab. Orangery: 1m+ strip foundation under brick piers. Extension: 1m+ strip foundation under full perimeter, or pile/raft on poor ground. If trees within 5m, deeper foundations needed for all three (£1,800–£4,200 extra).

Which gives the best ROI?+

Conservatory: typically break-even on a mid-spec build, sometimes slight loss on resale. Orangery: typically 50–80% cost recovery via valuation uplift. Single-storey extension: typically 60–130% cost recovery, with London and the South East at the upper end and the North at the lower. ROI depends heavily on local sold-price comparables — check Rightmove for matched same-bedroom-count properties before committing.

Will an extension take longer to get planning?+

Most rear conservatories and orangeries on detached/semi properties fall under Permitted Development — no planning needed, build straight after design. Most extensions exceed PD thresholds (single-storey §3m rear projection on a semi/terrace, or §4m for detached) and need a Householder Planning Application — £258 fee, 8-week determination, plus 4–6 weeks for drawings. Plan in 3–4 months from idea to spade in ground.

Sources & Methodology

How we researched this comparison

Pricing built from 320+ conservatory, 140+ orangery and 280+ single-storey extension quotes via BestBuilders (Jan–May 2026). Cross-checked against:

Anglian Home Improvements, Everest, Conservatory Outlet 2026 pricing
Guardian Warm Roof, LivinROOF, Equinox 2026 trade price lists
RICS guidance on extension/orangery valuation uplift weighting
Planning Portal PD rules & Householder Application fees
Office for National Statistics Construction Output Price Indices for regional weighting
Cross-checked against published 2026 quotes on Checkatrade, Houzz, Real Homes

Prices include VAT.Reviewed by the BestBuilders editorial team · Last updated: 3 August 2026. How we research & fact-check.

Keep Reading

Reviewed by the BestBuilders editorial team · Last updated: 3 August 2026 · Next scheduled review: November 2026 · See our editorial standards.

Conservatory vs Orangery vs Extension: Which Is Right for You?

Which structure is right for you?

Full Comparison Table

Which to Choose, by Situation

💰 Budget under £25k, want a sunroom

🏡 Mid-budget, year-round room, no major build

📈 £500k+ house, focused on resale ROI

📜 Conservation area / Listed building

🔨 Small terraced house, limited rear garden

👩‍🍳 Open-plan kitchen-diner desire

Get 3 Free Quotes

Same Family, Three Different Choices

P-shape Conservatory

Brick-Pier Orangery

Single-Storey Extension

Common Questions

How we researched this comparison

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