When deciding to add a room onto a property, it’s vital to ensure that what goes up both maximises the aspect and space available, and also offers a room that’s fit for purpose and need. As such, it’s important to know that although many people believe a sunroom and a conservatory to be the same thing, there are some differences which mean that one might be just what’s needed, whilst the other won’t be! Let’s consider what the similarities and differences might be, and how this might help in deciding on the ideal room to add on to a property!
Similarities
- Both conservatories and sun rooms offer a greater amount of windows than an average extension, as with both of these rooms the emphasis is on light. As such, the material used for the roof of both a new sunroom and a new conservatory will usually be a glass roof or a manufactured, shatter-proof alternative.
- Both a sun room and a conservatory can be designed to be added to an existing property. Similarly, having either fitted to a home can be organised through a specialist glazing or building company who can manage the whole project from design, through erection and after-care service.
- If either a sunroom or a conservatory is being added to a home in order to act as extra living space, either will also need additional modification to allow it to be used throughout the year. For example, heating to keep it warm in the winter and the addition of blinds for shade in the summer or to prevent the light from discolouring furniture and possessions. If the room is likely to be a ‘hot house’ in summer, then an additional cooling system, such as air conditioning, might also be desirable. Similarly, if either room is to be used for extra utility space or to allow extra ‘indoor’ garden space, additional electrics or plumbing may also need to be incorporated into either design.
Differences
- In a garden setting, a simple greenhouse could be considered to be a sunroom, and it is popular amongst gardeners and sun-worshipers alike to incorporate a sun-room element into larger greenhouses, allowing a little sun-lit relaxation when it’s bright, or sun-warmed rest on gloomier days. If a sunroom is desired but finances won’t permit a full room to be added to the home, converting a greenhouse in the garden could be the next best thing!
- An older conservatory design will often include a pitched roof: this is likely to be the case if a home already has an older-style conservatory. It may cost extra to convert this to a clear roof to maximise the sun’s potential to the room.
- Finally, because a sunroom is specifically built to take advantage of where the sun shines on a property during the day, it will also offer the advantage of being a sun-warmed place in which to relax later on in the day, without the need for additional heating costs.
