The structural differences that decide comfort, cost and how the space actually gets used.
The line between an orangery and a conservatory is not a marketing one — it is structural. Orangeries carry more masonry, a perimeter roof and an internal pelmet; conservatories are predominantly glazed with a fully glazed or solid roof.
That difference determines what the room feels like in February, what it costs, and whether it reads as part of the house or as a garden room.
Set side by side, the key contrasts are:
If the space will be a dining room, kitchen extension or home office used daily through winter, the orangery specification earns its cost.
If it's a bright garden room used mainly spring to autumn, a well-specified conservatory — particularly with a solid or insulated roof — does the job for less.
Both may fall under permitted development depending on size, height and your property's status, and both can trigger building control involvement — especially where a structural opening into the house is formed. Always confirm with your local authority before ordering.
Tell us how you'd use the room and we'll tell you honestly which specification fits — including when the cheaper option is the right one.
Replacing a tired glazed roof with a solid insulated roof gets you a lot of the comfort benefit without rebuilding the base and walls.
That depends entirely on your property and local market, so we won't put a figure on it. What we can say is that a room usable year round is valued differently to one that isn't.
Not always — it depends on size, glazing proportion and thermal separation. We'll set out the position for your project at survey.