Conservatory vs Orangery: The Honest UK Cost and Use Comparison (2026)

The two most asked-about garden extensions, side by side. Which is right for your home, your budget, and your lifestyle?

Updated June 2026. Independent guide - not affiliated with any installer.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature	Conservatory	Orangery
Structure	Mostly glass walls and glass/poly roof	Brick pillars + solid perimeter roof + glass lantern
Typical cost range	£8,000 - £35,000	£25,000 - £80,000+
Build time	1-2 weeks on site	3-6 weeks on site
Planning permission	Usually permitted development	Usually permitted development
Building regulations	Usually exempt (if conditions met)	Always required
Roof U-value	1.0-2.8 W/m2K (glass to poly)	0.15-0.18 W/m2K (insulated)
Winter temperature (no heating)	8-14°C	14-18°C
Year-round liveable?	With investment (warm roof, UFH)	Yes, naturally
Internal ceiling	No (glass above)	Yes (plastered, lit)
Light penetration	Excellent (full glass roof)	Good (lantern only)
Value uplift	5-10%	8-15%

When to Choose a Conservatory

A conservatory is the right choice when budget is the primary constraint and you want maximum light. A well-specified conservatory with a glass roof and solar-control glazing delivers genuine value. With a tiled warm roof upgrade, it becomes year-round usable - at a fraction of the cost of an orangery.

Choose a conservatory if...

Budget is below £25,000
You want maximum natural light (glass roof is brighter than a lantern)
The project is a quick win - 6-10 weeks total vs 12-20 for an orangery
You don't need a plastered ceiling or "proper room" feel
You want to keep planning and building regs simple (PD, usually exempt from BR)

When to Choose an Orangery

An orangery is worth the premium when you want a genuine room - not a garden room, but a proper extension of the house with a plasterboard ceiling, downlights, and thermal performance that means you never notice you are in what started as an outdoor space.

Choose an orangery if...

Budget is above £30,000
You want year-round use without retrofitting a warm roof later
You want a plastered, lit ceiling (feels like a real room)
The property is a period home that suits brick pillars aesthetically
You are planning to sell within 5-10 years (higher value uplift)

The Hybrid Option: Tiled-Roof Conservatory

There is a third path between a standard conservatory and a full orangery: a conservatory with a tiled warm roof and, optionally, a central Velux or roof lantern for light. This delivers most of the thermal benefit of an orangery (U-value 0.15 versus the orangery's 0.15-0.18) at roughly 50-60% of the orangery cost, because you retain the glazed walls (cheaper than brick pillars) and use a standard frame structure.

Standard conservatory

£11,000 - £25,000

Glass roof

Tiled-roof conservatory

£15,000 - £35,000

Best value for year-round use

Full orangery

£25,000 - £80,000+

Brick pillars + lantern

Conservatory vs Orangery Questions

Is an orangery worth twice the cost of a conservatory?

It depends on how you intend to use the space. An orangery at £30,000-£50,000 delivers a year-round usable room that requires no further thermal investment, adds 8-15% to property value, and functions as genuine additional habitable space. A conservatory at £12,000-£20,000 can achieve similar thermal performance with a tiled warm roof upgrade (add £4,000-£12,000), bringing the total to £16,000-£32,000. For most homeowners, the tiled-roof conservatory represents the best value proposition.

Which is warmer: a conservatory or an orangery?

An orangery is naturally warmer due to its solid insulated perimeter roof (U-value 0.15 W/m2K) and brick pillar mass, which stores and releases heat. A standard conservatory with a glass roof achieves 10-14 degrees Celsius on a cold winter day without heating; an orangery maintains 14-18 degrees. However, a conservatory with a tiled warm roof achieves 12-16 degrees - close to the orangery's baseline performance at substantially lower cost.

Which adds more value to a house: a conservatory or an orangery?

An orangery typically adds more value, primarily because estate agents count it as additional habitable space rather than a conservatory. A quality orangery with building regulations approval can add 8-15% to property value. A well-built conservatory with a warm roof adds 5-10%. The difference narrows when the conservatory is of high quality and genuinely year-round usable - which is why the warm roof upgrade is so important if resale value is a consideration.

Related Guides

Orangery Cost

Full orangery price guide

Materials

uPVC, aluminium, timber

Heating and Insulation

Year-round comfort

vs Extension

The full comparison