Replacing an old conservatory: what to put in its place
The short answer
If your conservatory is too hot in summer, too cold in winter or simply worn out, an aluminium veranda or glass room is a popular replacement. You get a bright, dry space that opens fully to the garden, with glass sliding walls instead of fixed windows. It isn’t an insulated room, so if you want a space to use as a living room all year round, an extension is the better fit.
Why people replace a conservatory
Most of the conservatory owners who come into our showrooms in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Carlow say the same things:
- It’s an oven in summer and a fridge in winter. Old polycarbonate or glass roofs on uPVC frames trap heat on a sunny day and lose it at night.
- The frames have had it. Discoloured uPVC, leaking roof joints and misted double glazing.
- It doesn’t open up. A conservatory is a closed room with a door. On a good day you want the garden, not a box beside it.
What a veranda or glass room does differently
- The walls slide away. Frameless glass sliding panels run the full width. Open, it’s a covered terrace; closed, it’s a sheltered glass room.
- The roof is your choice. Polycarbonate (clear, opal, ultra-clear or solar control), laminated glass, or a louvred aluminium roof you open and close. Our guide to polycarbonate and glass roofs compares them in Irish weather.
- Aluminium frames. Slim, powder-coated in anthracite grey, black, white or cream, and they don’t discolour like old uPVC.
- Bright rooms inside. Because it’s a veranda rather than an extension, a clear roof keeps the room behind it bright.
What it doesn’t do
We’d rather say this up front. A glass room isn’t insulated like an extension. It keeps the rain and wind off and holds the warmth of a sunny day, but it isn’t a heated living room for January evenings. For most people it’s the space they use from spring to autumn, and on dry, bright days through the winter. Our guide to using a glass room in winter is honest about what to expect.
If you want a room to use every evening of the year, talk to a builder about an extension instead. Our comparison of a sunroom and a glass room explains the difference.
Popular sizes
Most conservatory replacements we fit are between 4m × 3m and 6m × 4m. The most common enclosed layouts are:
- a 4m × 4m polycarbonate-roof veranda with glass sliding doors on two or three sides
- a 4m × 3m glass-roof veranda with a 4m front and two 3m sides
Try your own size in our veranda designer, and on a phone you can see it full size in your garden.
What happens to the old conservatory
The old conservatory usually comes down and the base is checked before anything new goes up. What’s involved depends on your site: the base, the wall it’s fixed to and any steps or drains. We’ll go through it at the free site visit.
Planning permission
Rules depend on the size, the position and your property. Check with your council before you order, and we’re happy to give you the drawings and sizes they’ll ask for. Our planning guide for Ireland explains what to ask.
See one before you decide
Each of our showrooms has full-size verandas and glass rooms with sliding glass walls, so you can open and close them yourself:
- Dublin showroom, Park West
- Cork showroom, Charleville
- Galway showroom, Tuam Road
- Carlow showroom, The Carlow Yard
We fit across the Republic, including Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Kildare, Meath, Wicklow and Carlow. Ring 021 206 9240 or book a free site visit.
Common questions
Is a glass room warmer than a conservatory?
On a sunny day it holds the warmth well, and with the walls open it doesn’t overheat the way a closed conservatory can. It isn’t insulated, so on a cold night it will be close to the outside temperature.
Can I keep my conservatory base?
Sometimes. It depends on the condition and level of the base. We’ll check it at the site visit.
How long does it take?
Units are made to measure, and it is usually six to eight weeks from order to fitting. An open veranda is fitted in about a day; a glass room takes two to four days.
Glass or polycarbonate roof?
See our guide: polycarbonate vs glass veranda roof.
What’s the difference between a sunroom and a glass room?
See: sunroom vs glass room.
Get a free quote
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