Conservatory Kitchen Extension - what are the issues.

Conservatory kitchens or rather house extensions that are highly glazed appear to be in demand these days from design savvy homeowners. It seems that there are definite clear trends in house extension design and remodelling techniques. Every house extension that I personally complete seems to include for the same basic requirements being:-

1 - Large kitchen area combined with an eating area.

2 - Trophy kitchen with shiny surfaces.

3 - semi-open plan ground floor living space.

4 - Open vaulted ceilings with roof lights.

5 - Bi-fi doors sets.

Many homeowners confuse this type of house extension with a conservatory kitchen extension where a basic conservatory bolted on the back of a kitchen and opened up into the home will provide the same results. Well it wont.

Firstly, any opening up of the new conservatory into the house makes the conservatory non-exempt and as such now requires formal Building Regulations Consent where most conservatory suppliers and manufacturers will want to avoid like the plague.

Even if the homeowner and conservatory supplier knuckle down and prepare a Building Regulations application for the conservatory kitchen extension, it will be unlikely to comply with the Regulations simply due to the extensive glazing and excessive heat loss that will result.

SAP thermal proving calculations can be prepared that will take into account any solar gains or replacement more efficient boilers for example but it is highly unlikely that a fully glazed conservatory as a kitchen extension will comply with the Building Regulations so don’t even bother in my opinion.

If the homeowner seeks a highly glazed kitchen extension then have it professionally and properly designed and prepared by an experienced house extension designer or architect using compliant house building materials and methods for the floor, walls and roof that can be over-insulated to compensate for the additional glazing beyond the Building Regulations 25% floor area limit.