How Much Will It Cost To Build An Orangery?

Exterior view of an orangery featuring a glass structure attached to a house, surrounded by a garden with trees and flowers.

If you’re keen to extend your home, you may be wondering whether an orangery is the way to go. In recent years, more UK homeowners have been opting to add orangeries to their homes to give them additional valuable living space with a beautiful garden view. 

Popular during the Victorian era, orangeries are seeing a major comeback and are proving to be an excellent choice since they can allow people to add more value to their property while also giving their family the room that it needs to stretch out and grow. 

If you need more space for your family, extending your home is an obvious solution. The cost of moving these days is very high, and in some areas of the company, it’s almost impossible for families to afford a larger property. It makes sense, then, to invest in adding an extension onto your existing home. 

There are, however, several different types of extension that you can add onto your property, and choosing the right one for you can be difficult. Nevertheless, an orangery represents a great option if you want to really make the most of your outdoor spaces and bring the outdoors indoors. 

What Is An Orangery?

The orangery is, in essence, a blend of a conservatory and an extension. With a glass ceiling and glass walls, like a conservatory, an orangery has the insulation necessary to allow the space to be used all through the year, ensuring that this stylish space is incredibly useful in both winter and summer. Essentially, an orangery gives homeowners the best of both worlds. 

They can enjoy both the garden views and sunny aspect of a traditional conservatory, and the additional year-round living space that they would enjoy from a regular extension. It’s important to note, though, that orangeries aren’t a cheap alternative to a regular extension. In fact, the cost of this new addition to your home may be just as much as you’d pay for a standard extension. 

This is in direct contrast to adding on a conservatory, which is far cheaper overall. Nevertheless, an orangery is often well worth the extra cost since it gives your home an additional wow factor while also boosting the value of your property.

How Much Do Orangeries Cost To Build?

On average, you can expect to pay around £2250 per square metre to construct an orangery, with a typical 16 square metre space coming in at around £32500. A smaller orangery, measuring 4x4m will cost around £11500, while a medium-sized orangery, measuring 6x6m, will cost around £21,000. 

If you’re interested in a large 7x7m orangery, you can expect to pay around £59,000 or even as much as £100,000. These costs are for your entire project, which includes the supply and build of the structure of your orangery as well as its internal plastering, electrics, and lighting as well as labour costs. 

The average cost to supply the hardwood structure for the orangery, with no labour, design, fittings, doors, windows, or features included, is around £5000-£18000 for a small orangery, £12000-£30,000 for a medium orangery, and £18000-£100,000 for a large orangery. 

Which Factors Affect The Price Of Constructing An Orangery?

Although the price of constructing an orangery at your property may be greater than the cost of adding a regular conservatory, you’ll find that it will often give you greater functionality and may also increase the value of your property by a larger amount. Another great advantage is that orangeries are, on average, more energy efficiency thanks to the sturdier structure. 

Since orangeries are often built to a bespoke design, there are many different factors that come into play when determining their overall price. These factors include: 

  • The shape and size of the orangery
  • The design that you choose, whether traditional or custom-designed 
  • Thye kind of roof you choose
  • The kind of insulation you choose for the walls, roof, and floors 
  • The electrics, plumbing, and heating that you include in the design
  • The type and quality of your chosen fittings and fixtures 
  • Any preparation work or evacuation work that is needed before the construction can begin.

Are There Different Kinds Of Orangery? 

Orangeries can come in all shapes and sizes, and many people opt for a bespoke design when creating their own orangery for their home. Nevertheless, there are three kinds of orangery that are most commonly seen in UK properties. The type of structure you choose will have a direct impact on the overall price of the orangery. 

uPVC orangeries are one of the top choices. These are simple to maintain, are very resistant to UV rays, and typically come with a ten-year product guarantee. For these reasons, uPVC orangeries represent a top choice for homeowners in the United Kingdom. 

Timber frame orangeries are another top choice. Usually, the glass frame will be made of either hardwood or softwood, with hardwood being more costly, but having a longer lifespan. Usually, softwood will be painted, and hardwood will be varnished. When it comes to window insulation materials, wooden frames represent one of the very best choices. 

Aluminium orangeries are a third popular option in the UK, and although it’s possible to find aluminium structures in the UK, in general composite framing is more popular – a combination of aluminium and wood. These frames have a long lifespan as long as 85 years. Aluminium gives protection for the exterior from harsh elements while the inner layer of timber provides extremely effective insulation. 

Is Planning Permission Required For Orangeries?

Usually, there is no need to obtain planning permission if you’re building an orangery since it will be deemed to be a permitted development. It’s important, though, to consult with the local planning office in advance before beginning your project just in case you are required to make an application for permission to build. 

It’s also important to get in touch with specialists in your area to get their professional advice before you take any steps towards beginning your construction project.