Conservatory vs Pergola vs Veranda: Choosing the Perfect Living Space
Dreaming of More Space? Let’s Explore Your Options
Can you recall first moving into your house and how flush with space it was? With each passing year since, much of that spaciousness has likely vanished.
At times, you might wistfully gaze out, wishing you had a connecting area to enjoy, somewhere to take your coffee first thing and get mentally charged ahead of workdays, or decompress at weekends. If so, you’re part of a big club of homeowners with a longing desire to connect their properties and gardens and extend usable space.
Rather than keep sitting on the idea, isn’t it time to realise the aspiration?
You’ve got three possible structures available to bring it to reality – conservatories (traditional glazed room), pergolas (open or louvered) and verandas (affixed to the house).
Conservatories remain an attractive proposition for extending, but pergolas and verandas are extremely popular alternatives because of their increased flexibility, speedier installation and cheaper cost.
Homeowners acknowledge that pergolas and verandas can provide the bulk of lifestyle benefits that conservatories offer, but with fewer compromises.
Our guide discloses the distinctions between conservatories, pergolas and verandas so you can determine which to choose for uniting home and garden.
What Exactly Are Conservatories, Pergolas and Verandas?
Conservatories
Normally attached to the back of a dwelling, conservatories are fully enclosed structures with largely glazed walls and roofing systems. They attract abundant natural light through their glazed facets and supply panoramic garden views, perfect for admiring a lush green lawn or UPVC decking.
Being enclosed makes a conservatory akin to a traditional room. You can heat and furnish it, but temperature control often poses a problem if poorly designed and there’s insufficient insulation, causing overheating in summer and excess cold in winter.
Pergolas
Pergolas are generally stand-alone, fitted over a patio, decking layout or external seating area, constituting a series of posts and an open or adjustable roof. Louvered or retractable roofs that you can open to lure sunshine or shut for shelter feature in lots of contemporary pergolas.
Traditionally, pergolas are not fully enclosed – their function is to create an outdoor shelter offering some protection from rain and strong sunlight, while rewarding you with sweeping views, exposure to fresh air and regulated light. A pergola is quicker to install and more affordable than a conservatory because of its simpler construction.
Verandas
A veranda is a roofed outdoor structure directly attached to a house, establishing a covered area and transitional space connecting the indoors and outdoors.
Things like side panels, glass walls and blinds can be incorporated into verandas to bolster the amount of shelter provided by their open design, which you may prefer to the enclosed setting of a conservatory, especially if you are still looking for more options of airflow. Often used as destinations for outdoor dining and relaxation, there’s far less groundwork involved in installing verandas than conservatories, and they don’t cost as much.
How Do Costs, Upkeep and Legalities Compare?
Although the three options will each revolutionise how you use your home and garden, there are disparities so far as construction, maintenance, planning permission etc. is concerned.
Conservatories involve the most complex build and expense as their enclosed structure relies on solid foundations, insulated flooring and a roofing system compliant with stipulated building standards. They’re more closely related to home extensions than garden lifestyle structures.
Lots of conservatory designs are also subject to building regulations and planning permission, slowing down the installation process and causing unwanted headaches. Be wary of future maintenance too, as it’s imperative to keep conservatory glazing, framework, seals and the roofing system in good condition.
As pergolas aren’t enclosed, they don’t command the same level of groundwork, insulation or building regulations approval, allowing them to be built more quickly, more affordably and without the hassle of paperwork. Maintenance of pergolas needn’t be as rigorous or frequent, especially in the case of aluminium-framed pergolas as they are low-maintenance and weather-resistant.
Maintenance of pergolas needn’t be as rigorous or frequent, especially in the case of aluminium-framed pergolas as they are low-maintenance and weather-resistant.
Verandas kind of sit in the middle of the two. Despite being fixed to a home, they remain open or partially enclosed, attracting maximum light with less regulation than conservatories. Their installation can normally proceed without planning permission.
Upkeep of a veranda is minimal as you have less glazing, fewer seals etc. to preserve, and modern designs harness low-maintenance materials.
Taken together, this is why pergolas and verandas are often viewed as a more flexible and cost-effective way to extend a home into the garden – delivering comfort, shelter and style without the complexity of a full extension.
Which Structure Feels Best to Live With?
You need a garden structure that you relish using from day to day and won’t grow tired of. Conservatories are a fantastic, light-rich enclosed area to read, work and relax in whilst surveying outdoor scenery amidst a bright atmosphere. However, sometimes it may be overdoing it for the usage that you need. With cost factored in, it is worthwhile considering what you need to get out of the space and will the adaptability of a pergola or veranda deliver the coverage you need, without the requirements for extensive builds.
Another key difference you will find is that conservatories require installation of lead flashing, whereas a veranda installation does not have this requirement, pergola’s even less so – especially when opting for a freestanding addition.
Pergolas will fulfil any hankering for outdoor living, featuring open or adjustable roofs that you can harness for shade and fresh air when dining or socialising. There’s such a relaxed feel to them, which won’t leave you feeling cut off from your garden. Hence, that’s why they’re commonly employed for entertaining purposes, barbecues and al fresco meals, to offer you just a few modern pergola ideas.
Envision summer evenings sitting outside with a glass of something fizzy in your hand or inviting family and friends’ round with little concerns about the significant impact of the everchanging weather. A major advantage that pergolas and verandas have over conservatories is because they’re housed in the garden, they incentivise you to head outside with regularity.
Tailoring Your Space to Match Your Style
Let’s continue our conservatory vs pergola vs veranda discussion by outlining how differently they can be tailored. Modern aluminium pergolas are ultra-flexible from a design standpoint. Adjustable louvered slats and retractable roofs feature in most, controllable with a simple button press for opening them to the sky or closing when conditions take a negative turn.
Verandas have a more structured appearance, and their style can closely mirror your home. Most boast a glass or polycarbonate roof, managing to entice light while supplying shelter. Future upgrades to pergolas and verandas are easily accomplished. Pergola ideas that also apply to verandas include the addition of canopies, curtains, blinds and sliding glass panels for privacy reasons or to magnify cosiness. Alter and enhance whenever your taste changes or requirements evolve.
Tailoring isn’t quite as straightforward with conservatories, as they’re largely fixed structures, with permanent walls and a strict layout, making alterations hard work and costly to achieve. The flexibility of pergolas and verandas is what draws so many homeowners to them, appreciating how they can adapt to their lifestyle.
Which Outdoor Living Space Is Right for You?
Selection of a conservatory, pergola or veranda rests on your preferred home lifestyle (think the same when deliberating decking shapes) and how much you want to be connected to the outdoors.
If seeking shelter, stylishness and comfort at an affordable price and you’re not enticed by the prospect of a fully enclosed extension or want to avoid complexity, a pergola or veranda would most suffice. You’ll be near your garden, rather than separated from it, and it will encourage you to make the most of the outdoors.
Follow our logic flow to make your choice:
For an elegant, open-air space with plentiful airflow, typically detached from the property offering somewhere to dine al fresco, entertain outside and enjoy shade, when required → buy a pergola.
For a reliable extension of your space, providing a greater connection with the outdoors and lighter coverage, and an integrated sheltered space that’s suitable for year-round usage → buy a veranda.
For a fully enclosed addition, with insulation and formal planning, a glass-walled setting married to the house, with a willingness to pay more and wait longer for its construction → buy a conservatory.
Lakeland can offer heaps of garden pergola ideas and veranda inspiration if you’re edging towards buying either of those two products ahead of a conservatory, as we’re not just a decking installer, in case you didn’t know. Call or message us for assistance anytime!
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Finishing touches
We can elevate the design of your decking with carefully selected finishing touches.
BALUSTRADES
Balustrades encircling your decking offer an elegant and secure perimeter, seamlessly blending functionality with aesthetics for a safe and inviting outdoor space.
FENCING
Surround your decking with attractive and durable fencing, ensuring safety and privacy while complementing your outdoor haven with style.
VERANDAS
Enhance your outdoor experience with a stylish veranda, providing shade and shelter, making it the perfect oasis for relaxation and enjoyment.
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