Conservatories, Orangeries or Skylights: Which is Best for You?
If you are looking for a way to bring more natural light into your home and create a more spacious feel, you’re probably considering a conservatory, orangery or skylight. While all three involve glass installation, the differences between the three are quite substantial.
What is the difference between a conservatory, an orangery and a skylight?
To start with, the size of the project (and therefore the costs involved) vary significantly. Both adding a conservatory and an orangery is a fairly large-scale home improvement, with costs generally going into thousands of pounds. Adding a skylight or a few skylights, will usually be more affordable and there is less work involved.
In the following sections, we outline what each option is, the typical costs and the key pros and cons of each.
Conservatories
Conservatories provide a flexible extension of the property, featuring large glass panels that can draw large amounts of natural light into the room. Sitting in a conservatory during the day will give you views of the garden but in winter and cold nights, the conservatory may require a lot of heating to stay warm. It can also overheat on hot summer days and will usually require planning permission from the local authority if it does not fall within the permitted development criteria.
The average cost of a conservatory is between £10,000 and £25,000, depending on the size and the materials used.
Orangeries
An orangery is a more permanent structure than a conservatory, as they are made of bricks with large windows and a roof lantern. They also require foundations to provide stability to the structure.
Due to the materials used, they provide better insulation compared to conservatories. This means they can be used all year round, even on colder nights. An orangery may require planning permission if it uses more than half your garden space or if it extends past the limits for permitted developments.
Orangeries usually cost more than conservatories but less than extensions. Typically, they cost between £18,000 and £30,000 to build.
Skylights
Installing skylights adds natural light into a room without the high costs involved in major structural changes like building orangeries, conservatories or extensions. Skylights can help to improve energy efficiency by reducing the reliance on artificial lighting and can brighten up rooms, making them feel more spacious without structural alterations. The downside is that they don’t increase your space in the way that orangeries and conservatories do.
However, skylights can have a significant impact on the aesthetics and light in your home, at a comparably much lower cost than the alternatives. They are ideal for adding into lofts, kitchens and any other room that would benefit from more natural light.
One small skylight installation can cost as little as £165 plus VAT if you install it yourself. Read our guide - How much does it cost to install a skylight?, for an in-depth look at costs involved.
Which Option Is Best for You?
When deciding which option is best for you, your budget will be a key factor. If you want to keep costs and structural work to a minimum, skylights offer an affordable way to make your home feel more roomy and increase the natural light flowing in.
If you are looking to significantly increase the space in your home, want a luxury aesthetic and an insulated structure, an orangery with a high-quality roof lantern will be the better option.
Conservatories will be the best option if you want a sun-filled space that you can enjoy garden views from in summer.
At Rooflights and Skylights UK, we have high-quality skylights and roof lanterns that will help you to build your preferred type of home improvement. We offer great value and a range of design options for skylights and rooflights to brighten up your home.