It is funny how times change as we used to get asked all the time, ‘what is best for my conservatory roof, glass or polycarbonate?’ Somewhere over the last few years the question has changed to ‘what’s better glass or a solid roof?’

A glass conservatory is classified as a non habitable room that is separated from the house by means of an external grade door, it doesn’t require building regulations approval nor planning permission as long as it falls within DPR (Permitted Development Rights).

It’s important to ascertain the final usage of the room that you are looking to build as a conservatory is not going to function in the same way as an extension, even with the best glass that is currently available the room will cool quicker and will be subjected to increased internal temperatures in the summer due to the greater glass area.

People tend to come to us looking for a conservatory already knowing what they are getting, having purchased, or used one on numerous occasions previously and cannot wait to have another one or one of their own. Conservatories still attract a lot of interest, they are perfect to use during the day, while enjoying the outside whatever the British weather is currently doing, and with the right heating system you can use them all through winter.

A solid roof conservatory is classified the same as a traditional built extension when building from base up it requires full building regulation approval throughout the build.

Extensions are warmer, quieter, multi-functional and add a higher percentage value to your current house price. You gain a lot of benefits when building an extension over that of a conservatory for just a little bit more money.

What I personally like about the LivinROOF and UltraROOF products that we provide is that you gain a high internal vaulted ceiling, that you can choose to glaze or keep solid, which are options that up until recently were not available to any of us, so you can gain the light  benefits of having conservatory without any of the downsides.

When it comes to making a decision regarding building a conservatory or an extension the best advice is to think long term, not short, as you may end up purchasing a product that you are looking to replace in a few years to get what you really wanted in the first instance.

For an idea of prices for conservatories, orangeries and extensions, we've written some further posts to give you an idea:

>> How much does a conservatory cost?

>> How much does an orangery cost?

If you wish to discuss your options in more detail contact me direct, we can have a chat to see how I can assist you, either with brochures, a showroom visit or a site meeting with a view to progress the project.