How to Price a Conservatory: Trade Rates & Margin Guide

Quick Answer: A typical UK lean-to or Edwardian conservatory prices at £8,000-£15,000, a Victorian conservatory at £15,000-£25,000, and an orangery at £25,000-£45,000 (2025-2026 fully fitted including dwarf wall and base). Conservatories under 30m² that remain thermally separated from the main dwelling are exempt from Building Regulations under Schedule 2 Class VII of the Building Regulations 2010 — but orangeries with masonry roof sections typically fall outside this exemption and require full Building Regs approval.

Summary

The conservatory market in the UK is dominated by national fitters (Anglian, Everest, etc.) selling at high markups, but independent installers can win consistently on price and flexibility — provided they understand where the margin lives and where the regulatory traps are. The pricing range above reflects what an independent installer can charge while still delivering a quality job; the national fitters will be 25-50% higher for the same spec.

The single biggest pricing trap on conservatories is the orangery distinction. Customers use the words interchangeably, but in the eyes of Building Control they are different products: a conservatory has at least 75% glazed roof and 50% glazed walls and is exempt from Building Regs (subject to thermal separation). An orangery has solid roof sections (lantern surrounded by an insulated flat roof, or solid pitched sections) and is treated as an extension, requiring full Building Regs approval and full Part L1B u-values. Pricing an orangery as a conservatory will undercost the job by £8,000-£15,000.

This guide covers the four most common conservatory styles, the base/dwarf-wall costs, the frame and glazing options, and the regulatory tests that determine whether you can install under the Building Regs exemption or have to treat the job as a full extension.

Key Facts

• Typical floor area — small lean-to 8-12m², Edwardian/Victorian 12-20m², large Victorian/orangery 20-40m²
• Programme — 2-3 weeks for a lean-to, 3-5 weeks for a Victorian, 6-10 weeks for an orangery
• Building Regs exemption — Schedule 2 Class VII Building Regulations 2010: floor area <30m², at ground level, separated from the dwelling by external-quality walls/doors/windows, independent heating system or thermostatically controlled separate from dwelling, fixed glazing in critical locations to Part K
• Glazed roof requirement — for exemption, at least 75% of roof area must be translucent and at least 50% of wall area glazed
• Planning permission — usually permitted development under GPDO 2015 Schedule 2 Part 1 Class A (single storey rear up to 4m detached, 3m terraced/semi); height max 4m or 3m within 2m of boundary
• Dwarf wall base — typically 600-750mm high cavity construction, £150-£250/linear m fully built including foundation
• Frame materials — UPVC (£), aluminium (££), timber (£££ — sapele, oak)
• Glazing types — polycarbonate roof (cheapest, plastic finish, noisy in rain), self-cleaning solar glass (premium, hot/cold management), tinted/tinted-low-E
• Builder day rate — £200-£300/day for base, base build typically 3-5 days
• Installer day rate — £220-£320/day for the conservatory frame company's fitters, usually included in the supply package
• Electrician — £35-£50/hour for power and lighting, half-day to full day for typical install
• Plumber — £40-£60/hour if heating extension required (usually only if not under Class VII exemption)
• Self-build vs supply-and-fit — supplying the frame separately from the local manufacturer and doing the base + fit yourself can save 30-40% but voids the manufacturer fitting warranty
• Preliminaries — 8-10% on a conservatory; smaller than an extension because programme is shorter
• Contingency — 5% — relatively low because most variables are visible upfront
• Margin — 20-30% gross; conservatories have higher % margins than extensions because of customer price-anchoring against national fitters
• VAT — standard rated 20%

Quick Reference Table

Detailed Guidance

The Class VII Exemption — Get This Right

The Building Regulations 2010 Schedule 2 Class VII exempts conservatories from Building Regulations approval, provided ALL of the following are met:

1. Floor area does not exceed 30m²
2. The conservatory is at ground level
3. Glazing in critical locations meets Part K safety glazing requirements (BS 6206 / BS EN 12600)
4. The conservatory is separated from the dwelling by external-quality walls, doors and windows (i.e. the existing house wall remains as it was — you cannot knock through and leave the conservatory open to the kitchen)
5. The heating system (if any) is separate from the dwelling's heating system OR is controlled by its own thermostat independently
6. Electrical work complies with Part P

If you fail any one of these, the conservatory loses its exemption and must comply fully with the Building Regulations — including Part L1B u-values, which are essentially impossible to meet with single-glazed or even most double-glazed conservatory rooflines. Customers very commonly ask for the wall between the conservatory and the kitchen to be removed; this is the most common cause of losing the exemption and triggering Part L1B compliance.

If the customer wants an open-plan layout (no wall between conservatory and kitchen), you're building an orangery or an extension, not a conservatory, and the price increases by £8,000-£15,000.

Frame Material Choice

UPVC is the default for most independent installers. Wide range of colours (white, anthracite grey, oak woodgrain), good thermal performance with multi-chamber profiles, lifetime expectancy 25-35 years. The frame supply cost is £350-£600/m² of glazed area depending on system.

Aluminium has narrower sightlines (more glass, less frame), better structural performance for large openings, and is essentially maintenance-free. Premium product, £700-£1,100/m² of glazed area. Aluminium has gained ground sharply in the last 5 years for modern-style orangeries with bifold doors.

Timber (hardwood — sapele, accoya, oak) is the traditional/heritage option. Maintenance commitment (5-yearly recoating), best aesthetic for period properties, premium price £1,200-£1,800/m². Niche market.

Roof Options

Polycarbonate is the cheapest option (£80-£150/m²) and what budget conservatories from the 1990s-2000s typically had. It's noisy in rain (loud drumming), gets very hot in summer, very cold in winter, and discolours with UV. Few customers choose it new in 2025-26 except for the absolute budget end.

Standard double-glazed roof is the workhorse spec. 28mm sealed unit with low-E coating, possibly self-cleaning. £140-£220/m². Good thermal performance, quiet, modern appearance.

Solar control glass is the upgrade most customers want. Multi-layer coatings reflect heat in summer and retain it in winter. £200-£350/m². Reduces the "too hot in summer, too cold in winter" problem that gives conservatories a bad name.

Lightweight tiled roof (Guardian, Equinox systems) is a relatively new category — converts a conservatory into something closer to a sunroom by replacing the glass roof with an insulated tile-look panel. £200-£300/m². Brings the room within Part L1B compliance but you must apply for Building Regs because you're materially changing the structure. Common upgrade for old conservatories.

Dwarf Wall vs Full Glass

A dwarf wall base (600-750mm high masonry, glazing above) is more thermally efficient and gives a place for radiators if heating is wanted, but adds £150-£250/linear m to the cost. Full glass (glazing to ground) is more open and modern but the floor needs to be insulated to a higher standard to compensate for the cold drop at the base and the customer has nowhere to put furniture against the walls.

UK customers split roughly 70/30 in favour of dwarf wall for traditional Victorian/Edwardian designs, and 30/70 in favour of full glass for modern lean-to and aluminium-frame designs.

The Orangery Distinction

Orangeries occupy the space between conservatory and extension. Defining features: substantial brick/render pillars at the corners, a glazed lantern in the centre of an otherwise solid roof, often a parapet around the lantern. The roof is typically a warm flat roof with PIR insulation and a lantern penetrating it.

Because the roof is largely solid (more than 25%) and the walls are largely solid (more than 50% pillar/brick), the Class VII exemption does NOT apply. The orangery is, in regulatory terms, an extension with a lantern rooflight. Full Building Regs approval required, full Part L1B u-values, full structural calcs.

Price an orangery as a small extension with a fancy roof, not as a large conservatory. The cost is roughly 50-80% higher per m² than the equivalent-sized conservatory.

The Base

The base is where price-competition vs. national fitters happens — independents can build a proper base cheaper than the nationals quote for "complete supply and install" prices. Typical base is: strip foundation (1m deep, mass concrete), brick + block dwarf wall to 600-750mm, DPM, 100mm PIR insulation, 65mm sand/cement screed. £80-£140/m² for the floor stack plus £150-£250/linear m for the dwarf wall. A 16m² Edwardian conservatory base is typically £3,500-£5,500 in materials and labour, taking 1 brickie + 1 labourer 4-5 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my customer need planning permission?

Usually no, under permitted development rights for rear single-storey extensions (GPDO 2015). Limits: max 4m projection (detached) / 3m (terraced/semi) from the original rear wall; max height 4m / 3m within 2m of boundary; cannot extend beyond the side wall of the original house; cannot cover more than 50% of the curtilage. Always check for Article 4 directions in conservation areas, and check whether PD rights have been removed by planning condition (common on newer estates). A Lawful Development Certificate (£103) gives written confirmation.

Can I install a conservatory without Building Regs?

Yes, if it meets all six Class VII criteria — including critically that it remains separated from the dwelling by external-quality walls. If the customer wants to knock through to the kitchen, you cannot install under the exemption. You must either build a proper extension with all Building Regs compliance, or fit the conservatory to the existing closed wall and accept that they'll knock through later (which is technically a separate notifiable building works event and may invalidate the conservatory's structural design).

Do I need to charge VAT?

Yes, standard 20% rate. Conservatories on existing dwellings do not qualify for the 5% reduced rate or zero rating. The customer cannot reclaim VAT on a domestic conservatory.

What's the warranty position?

Most independent installers offer 10-year insurance-backed guarantees (IBG) on the frame/glazing supplied by the manufacturer, plus their own labour warranty of 1-2 years on the base and installation. The frame manufacturer warranty is typically void if the installer is not certified by the manufacturer — be aware of this when buying frames from a local supplier you're not pre-approved with. Glass Sealed Unit (GSU) warranty is typically 5-10 years against misting/seal failure.

Should I include a base survey in the price?

For quotes over £15,000 yes — site visit, taking measurements, checking ground conditions and access. For sub-£10,000 jobs the survey is essentially folded into the cost. A 10-minute look at the rear of the property tells you 80% of what you need to know; the unknowns are foundation depth (variable, contingency it), ground conditions for the access, and any drainage runs that the base might affect.

Regulations & Standards

• Building Regulations 2010 Schedule 2 Class VII — conservatory exemption criteria

• Approved Document K (2013) — protection from falling and safety glazing in critical locations

• Approved Document L1B (2021) — if exemption does not apply

• Approved Document N — glazing safety in critical locations (largely superseded by Part K)

• Approved Document P (2013) — electrical safety

• BS 6206:1981 — impact performance of flat safety glass

• BS EN 12600:2002 — glass in building — pendulum test for safety glazing

• The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 — Schedule 2 Part 1 Class A

• CE Marking / UKCA Marking — required on conservatory frames and glazing units placed on the UK market

• Building Regulations 2010 Schedule 2

• Planning Portal - Conservatories

• Approved Document K (2013)

• LABC Conservatories Technical Guidance

• VAT Notice 708

• single storey extension pricing guide — the alternative when the customer wants open-plan

• garage conversion pricing guide — another low-cost space addition

• building regulations exemptions — Class VII and related exemptions in detail