Sun Room & Orangey Extension Guide

Sun room and orangeries have become popular alternatives to a traditional conservatory. They are bright and airy, providing a link between your indoor and outdoor living space that can be seamless.

A well-designed sun room or orangery can provide all the benefits of a conservatory, whilst meeting the current Building Regulations for energy efficiency. With the increased cost of heating a home, it has become more important than ever to make these spaces cost effective and usable. One option is to change the roof of the conservatory, but this will only help a little and is not as cost effective as a purpose-built sunroom.

What’s the difference between a conservatory, a sunroom and an orangery?

A conservatory, sunroom, and orangery are all terms used to describe structures that provide additional space for your house, they typically featuring large windows to maximize natural light. While there is some overlap in their features, there are distinct differences between them.

A conservatory is a room primarily made of glass and was originally designed to showcase and cultivate plants. It is typically attached to a house and serves as a greenhouse-like space where plants can thrive. As a result many people are finding that their conservatories are not ideal as an extra room to be used all year round and many people are replacing them with either a sun room or an extension.

A sunroom is a space added to a building primarily for enjoying natural light and views of the outdoors. Sunrooms are constructed with large windows and often have a large roof light. They are more versatile and can be used as living spaces, recreational areas, or extensions of the main house. Sunrooms will have additional insulation and heating/cooling systems to make them more comfortable throughout the year.

Orangeries typically have brick or stone walls with expansive glazing, and the roof may be a combination of solid materials (such as tiles or slates) and glass panels. The solid roof helps provide more insulation compared to a conservatory, making the orangery a more usable space throughout the year. Orangeries are often integrated into the existing architecture of the house and are used as multi-purpose rooms, such as dining areas, lounges, or extensions of the kitchen.

Why extend with a sun room or orangery?

You can gain multiple benefits by adding a sunroom or orangery to your home.

• Gain more natural light into the house.
• Create an indoor/outdoor space with the garden by adding large doors to your extension
• Unlike conservatories they can be used all year round and will be more energy efficient

Where to start

Although this is only one extra room it is important to remember that this one room can have a big positive impact on how the house is used. By engaging the professional services of DMA we can assess the house’s existing layout, offer insights into potential design possibilities, and ensure that the new sun room harmonises with the overall aesthetic and functionality of the property. Our expertise can help the homeowner envisage the additional value that a sun room can bring and walk you through the whole process with ease and clarity.

Stage 01 – Preparation and Brief

During this stage, we meet with the client to understand their requirements, analyse the site, and discuss their vision for the sun room . We will prepare a comprehensive brief based on our discussions and conduct any necessary initial surveys. This process enables us to understand how the client envisages the end result, what elements of the design are most important to them and if there are any limitations due to the site or location.

Stage 02 – Concept Design

Based on the brief from the client and our site analysis, we will develop concept designs that explore various options for the sun room. These designs illustrate the spatial layout, form, and overall aesthetic of the proposed extension. Where it is applicable we may produce more than one design solution for discussion. At this stage we can provide initial cost estimates in conjunction with a Quantity Surveyor. We will also review any planning constraints or building regulations that may have an impact on the final design.

Stage 03 – Design Development and Planning

Most house extensions require planning permission from your local authority. Although small sun room extensions often fall within ‘Permitted Development’ and can be built without planning permission. DMA recommends obtaining a Certificate of Lawfulness to ensure the extension meets the strict Permitted Development rights. For the planning application DMA will refine the drawings, complete all the application forms, prepare the site and location plans and submit the planning application via the planning portal. DMA will also handle all communication with the planning department regarding the application and make any necessary adjustments following feedback from the planning department.

Stage 04 – Technical Design

It is a legal requirement to obtain Building Control approval for almost all building work. DMA has the knowledge and expertise to produce a full set of technical drawings that comply with the current building regulations. We work with the structural engineer and other consultants to ensure all the information is available and coordinated for the building control ‘plan check’. DMA will submit the drawings to building control and make any necessary changes. Once the drawings have approval we issue a full set of Technical Drawings to the client to ensure the builder has all the information before they start work on site. Building control must be notified 5 days prior to any work starting on site by either the builder or the client. The fee for building control varies depending on the size of the extension.

Schedule of Works

For larger or more complex projects a Schedule of Works can be produced to accompany the Technical Drawings giving more detail of the materials, finishes and fittings in each room. This can be beneficial when you want to have a more accurate price from the builder and can remove the added stress on site due to unforeseen costs. However, many clients building sun room extensions can work through these details with their builder prior to work starting.

Tendering Process

The success of your project will be linked to the builder you choose to construct it and how your agreement is set up. We advise that you seek competitive tenders/quotes from suitable companies and we can manage that process for you, sending out the paperwork and checking tenders for you. We can also recommend builders we have worked with successfully in the past. It is also worth checking if your builder is a member of a suitable organisation such as Federation of Master Builders.

Stage 05 – Contract Admin and Site Inspections

Many projects have no formal agreement or contract in place before work starts, making disputes difficult to manage and resolve. We can assist you in choosing the right form of contract for your single storey extension.  The contract between the client and the builder, sets out when they get paid and how much, how you deal with changes, what happens if the project overruns and how defects are dealt with. We offer a Contract Administration and site inspection service where we will prepare all the contracts, inspect the works on site on your behalf, checking for conformity with the contract drawings and that workmanship is to a suitable standard. We also liaise with the builder to make sure you receive the suitable certificates and paperwork at the end of the project.

Budget, Costing & Fees

Budgeting for your building project is important and the cost for a sun room can vary greatly. The area you live in, the materials chosen, and the size and complexity of the project will all have an impact.

We try to ensure you are aware of all the architectural services fees and associated costs from the beginning. Typically, these are approx.10% of the construction cost, but can vary from project to project. We recommend using the Love Renovate cost estimator to get an initial price based on the size of your extension.

Once concept design drawings have been completed we can arrange for a cost estimate. To get a full cost breakdown you can appoint a Quantity Surveyor to price the Technical Drawings prior to appointing a builder. Alternatively, most builders will give you a price for the works prior to appointing them.

Unforeseen costs can be one of the biggest stressors on a building project, so it is worth having a contingency fund. We recommend adding 5% to the contract value to cover these.

Keeping costs down

The areas where we often see costs rise are where high-end sliding doors and rooflights are specified. We all like the minimal lines of some of the high-end door manufacturers, but these types of doors can cost two or three times other options. Expensive roof lights can also be a budget buster, look at different options within your budget. Flooring is another area that can mount up so shop around and make sure you have looked at quality as well as price. We can use our experience to guide you through options.

Process & Timeline

• Stage 1

  Preparation and Brief

  Day 1. First meeting with the architect, who will carry out a survey of the site

• Stage 2

  Concept Design

  Approx 4-6 weeks from initial meeting and survey

• Stage 3

  Design, Development and Planning

  Planning can take 2-6 months depending on the local authority

• Stage 4

  Technical Design

  Approx. 10-12 weeks to complete the drawings and coordinate with other consultants

• Stage 5

  Construction

  Varies greatly but a simple single storey extension will typically take 12-14 weeks to build

Snagging & Warranties

At the end of the project it is always a good idea to walk the project with the builder and note any points of snagging that need to be rectified before they leave. This could be as simple as a mis-aligned socket to a damaged door or window. Many issues will have been resolved on site during the build. If you have a contract in place then you will have an agreed period of time for the builder to rectify any snags. It is also good practice to get any warranties from the builder for windows, doors, new boilers, etc. DMA can assist with the sanggin process should we be required.

Paperwork

Both your planning approval and building control approval are legal documents and should be kept safe. Also all certificates from the builder need to be kept and some need to be shown to building control for the final certificate to be released. For example; commissioning certificates for a new gas boiler, electrical safety certificates, mechanical extract fan test results, fire alarm test and installation certificates if they have been upgraded.

Building Insurance

As the homeowner, it is your responsibility to inform your insurance company that work is taking place. They will want to know if you are going to remain living in your home during construction or if the house will be vacant. They will also need a rough idea of how long the work will take. It is worth contacting them again at the end of the construction phase to tell them the work is complete.