Discover the types of conservatory kitchen extensions out there, their cost, building regulations, planning permission, plus get some ideas for your conservatory project.
6 min read
Building a kitchen conservatory extension is a popular way to expand your kitchen while flooding it with natural light. The ample natural light and ability to seamlessly connect with the outdoors has made it a favourite amongst many homeowners.
Many modern homes blend the kitchen with a conservatory to be one large open-plan family space. This multifunctional space is perfect for enjoying family meals, entertaining guests, or even spending time with yourself and nature.
In this post, we’ll be looking at the types of conservatory kitchen extensions, their cost, building regulations, planning permission and, of course, some kitchen conservatory extension ideas.
A conservatory kitchen extension has at least two-thirds of its roof made from glass and a minimum of half its wall area made from glass or translucent plastic.
The major difference between conservatories and orangeries lies in how their roofs are constructed — specifically how much glazing is involved. Where the roof of a conservatory tends to be more glass, an orangery typically has a more solid roof with skylights incorporated into it.
Benefits of a kitchen conservatory extension
Apart from increasing your living area and the quantity of natural light, a conservatory kitchen extension has the following benefits:
It adds value to your home
It doesn’t need planning permission as long as it’s built according to permitted development rights
It makes the home more attractive to potential buyers
It seamlessly connects your kitchen to your garden
The inspiration behind a kitchen conservatory extension is to seamlessly connect the kitchen and dining area to the garden. There are several ways to achieve this. Let’s take a look at some great ideas for creating your perfect conservatory kitchen extension.
Use bi-fold doors to connect the kitchen to the garden
Bi-fold doors will create a wide access point that opens up to the lovely view of the garden, letting in more light while creating a perfect view for entertaining guests.
Open plan kitchen conservatory
Creating an extension that connects seamlessly to your home is another excellent idea. Although removing your walls may seem daunting, it can help make your conservatory extension the focal point of your home.
P-shaped kitchen conservatory
A P-shaped conservatory is constructed by combining elements of a victorian style conservatory with those of a lean-to conservatory so that together they form a P. The idea behind a P-shaped conservatory extension is to maximise the potentially limited space you may have with your new kitchen extension while still achieving a visually stunning design.
Small conservatory kitchen
If you haven't much space, you could still install a conservatory as a means of brightening up a dark kitchen diner. You could opt for a lean-to conservatory extension with bi-fold windows so that your kitchen can open up to a small garden area.
Building regulations for kitchen conservatory extensions
Of all the building regulations on conservatory kitchen extensions, the most applicable is the 25% rule in Part L, which states that nothing more than 25% of the new extensions floor area may be opening or glazing. This rule is stipulated to maintain thermal efficiency as glazing is not as thermally efficient as solid walls.
Any individual desiring to achieve a highly glazed kitchen conservatory extension by going past the 25% mark will have to submit a building regulations application that can only be approved after proving that the extension meets requirements for thermal efficiency.
Besides the 25% rule, you should also consider other building regulation matters like structure, ventilation, sound-proofing, plus other matters your structural engineer or architectural technician will be able to walk you through.
Do I need planning permission for a kitchen conservatory extension?
Kitchen conservatory extensions fall under permitted development rights and, therefore, they can be installed without a full planning application if they follow the stipulated specifications.
These include...
Only half the area of land around the "original house" can be covered by extensions or other buildings
Extensions cannot be higher than the highest part of the existing roof; or higher at the eaves than the existing eaves
Where the extension comes within two metres of the boundary, the height at the eaves cannot exceed three metres
Extension cannot be built forward of the ‘principal elevation’ or, where it fronts a highway, the ‘side elevation’
Please note, permitted development rights do not apply to maisonettes, flats, and listed buildings and are limited for houses in conservation areas.
How much does a kitchen conservatory extension cost?
The biggest factors in determining your budget will be...
Size
Materials
Location
Design
The cost of your conservatory kitchen extension will also be significantly impacted by your design plan. Will you be installing kitchen appliances and fixtures into the conservatory part of the room, or are you simply using the conservatory to open up your kitchen area?
Although building a conservatory is generally cheaper than building an extension, the cost of a kitchen conservatory extension will increase due to the extra expenses that come with fitting a kitchen.
While a lean-to conservatory with basic kitchen appliances would cost an average of £15,000 to construct, an Edwardian style conservatory could cost an average of £18,500.
One major challenge associated with conservatories is thermal efficiency. The excessive expanse of glass used in their construction can leave your room at the risk of overheating in summer and being too cold in winter.
To prevent your space from overheating, you should consider one or more of the solutions below.
Ensure the extension is strategically situated. Extensions facing south are exposed to a lot of natural light most of the day, while those facing north tend to be shadier and would benefit more from the extra light supplied by the kitchen conservatory
Another effective - albeit pricey - preventive method is installing solar control glass. This glass has a microscopically thin coating that reflects heat from the sun outside
Last but not least, you should consider investing in blinds. Installing blinds will block out excess sunlight while keeping the conservatory extension cool
As far as insulating the conservatory goes, we recommend underfloor heating because it’s more energy efficient. It doesn’t require wall space like traditional radiators and can effectively eliminate cold spots.
Installing a conservatory kitchen extension can be a lot of work, and Resi is here to take the weight off your shoulders. We can connect you with vetted professionals, help you ensure your project unlocks the maximum amount of space, as well as provide financing solutions.
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