When it comes to creating more space, two options are a garden room or conservatory. There are of course other ways to increase your living space such as extending the home, a loft or garage conversion. A garden room or conservatory are two options usually much simpler than any significant building work. Here are some reasons why you may want to consider a garden room over a conservatory structure and why our high-tech garden rooms also provide solutions.

What to consider when deciding between a garden room or conservatory

Every type of construction designed to give you more space comes with its advantages and disadvantages. There are cost considerations, restrictions based on property size and even how much of an intrusion any type of home improvement is. Of course, the best way to add space in the home is with a new extension or loft conversion as this is very much enlarging the space you have and adding more long-term value to your property.

However, the costs, planning applications, general disruption when embarking on any building project usually tend to be greater with this type of space creation compared with those projects built away from the main house. Added to this is your own home and garden size may not allow the type of space you really want or need.

A conservatory is one solution for adding space. And with modern materials such as aluminium, PVCu or timber, they all promise low maintenance and long service life. You may already be aware PVCu and aluminium require minimal maintenance. So does timber although you do need to take a bit more care with this material.

The definition of conservatory today doesn’t just apply to those traditional Victorian or Edwardian structures with decorative crests and finials. Conservatories today also mean advanced glazed extensions in virtually any design with high-tech materials and the very latest sliding or bifolding doors.

So if a fully built extension isn’t possible for you for whatever reason, maybe you’ve been thinking a conservatory is a better solution. But in many areas, garden rooms could actually be even better.

Garden rooms or conservatories – why your conservatory may go out of fashion

It’s estimated there are three million conservatories installed in the UK. Many of these use dated conservatory profiles, inefficient glass or polycarbonate and they’ve not performed as well as they did when originally installed. These older conservatories are also unloved with many standing unused due to them being too cold in winter and far too hot in the summer.

So if you like to think ahead, it may be worth considering how dated a conservatory may be in the future. The reality is that conservatories today are regarded as dated with built or glass extensions far more popular.

It’s also worth bearing in mind window and conservatory technology is ever-changing. It’s hard to get replacement parts for old windows, doors and roofs on discontinued systems.

Garden rooms give you more options for the interior

Conservatories, orangeries or lean-to glass rooms are by nature mostly glass on at least three sides. Therefore you don’t get the freedom inside the structure to use it as you wish.

Garden rooms always give you significantly more wall space. They let you place furniture up against the walls, fix a tv to a wall, and generally without the limitations of glass rooms with windows and doors on most sides. So when thinking about a garden room or conservatory, a garden room actually lets you use your space better as well as change it easier.

More ways to enhance a garden room than a conservatory

The reality is a conservatory is largely governed by its design. Other than your choice of frame colour, glass and overall design, that’s about all you get.

Our garden rooms give you more personalisation options such as ceiling spotlights, more colour options and significantly better quality glazing than you find in any PVCu conservatory.

Less and better maintenance with a garden room

Whether you choose a garden room or conservatory both will need routine cleaning and especially to the doors and windows. Think about how easy it will be to clean a conservatory roof. Even if you have self-cleaning conservatory roof glass even this doesn’t promise to wash away bird droppings and other contaminants.

Cleaning a conservatory roof isn’t for everyone with access and reachability done only by professional cleaners. Then it’s taking care not to damage any of the seals or roof bars potentially causing a leaking roof. The composite materials used throughout our garden pods are easy to keep clean compared with a conservatory roof and there’s significantly less glass to keep smear free too.

Better insulation with a garden room

Even the latest solar control glass, thermally insulated aluminium frames or multi-chamber PVCu can’t create a totally comfortable conservatory interior.

It’s true that glass technology today creates significantly better interior comfort than dated structures, but you’ll still get solar gain and a conservatory that’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter. South or South-West facing conservatories suffer even more.

There are solutions for modern conservatories such as fully insulated solid roofs and blinds for windows and doors. Garden rooms such as our Pods with fully insulated roof and walls promise an interior you can comfortably use all day long.

Truly separate spaces with a garden room

Look at any conservatory attached to a house and they’re not really separate spaces. Often divided by internal sliding or French doors, the reality is they’re an extension of the adjoining room rather than a truly separate space.

A well-designed and built garden room gives you a separate space for work, relaxation or play. And because they’re not attached to the house, you’ve got more freedom with what you do with them. Their use isn’t restricted by the room they are attached to.

As a result, if the reason for wanting new space is a separate area for your teenagers, a cinema room, a home gym and especially a home office, a separate room is probably best for these uses, instead of attached to the main house. It’s another consideration when deciding between a garden room or conservatory.

A temporary guest room you won’t get with a conservatory.

Whilst garden rooms aren’t intended as habitable rooms, there’s nothing stopping you from using them as an occasional guest room. It’s much harder to use a conservatory as a temporary bedroom, not least because there’s no privacy with all that glass and it is connected to other rooms.

Therefore, if friends or family staying over usually means them sleeping on a sofa or blow-up bed, a garden room provides scope as an occasional bedroom. Your guests will love sleeping in it too.

Garden rooms provide more house appeal

When thinking about a garden room or conservatory, how appealing they are to others is subjective. Both a conservatory and garden building are valuable plus points when marketing your home for sale. However, garden rooms do provide more scope to prospective buyers than a glass room as they too can visualise different ways to use it, just like you.

The finest contemporary garden rooms by Aspire Pods

At Aspire Pods, we craft you desirable, functional and above all beautiful garden rooms in standard or bespoke sizes. Made of the finest materials and build with care, they promise a valuable new space and we think better than a glass conservatory.