Orangery extensions in Nottingham
An orangery extension is a single-storey room built with brick piers or solid wall sections, large glazed panels between them and a flat perimeter roof around a central glazed roof lantern. It has more solid wall than a conservatory, so there is room for radiators, sockets, shelving and kitchen units, while the lantern brings daylight in from above.
This page explains how an orangery is put together, the design decisions that shape it, and what the approvals and costs look like. If you are still deciding between an orangery and a conservatory, our orangeries and conservatories comparison is the place to start.
- Brick piers matched to your house
- Roof lantern sized to the room
- Free site survey and a written, itemised quotation
A glazed room with a solid frame
An orangery sits between a conservatory and a conventional brick extension. The corners and some wall sections are solid brick or render, usually built to match the house. Between them are large glazed panels or doors. Above, a flat roof runs around the edge of the room and frames a glazed lantern in the middle.
That mix is what makes it useful. The piers and solid sections carry the roof and give you wall space, which a mostly glazed conservatory lacks. The lantern keeps the room bright without glazing the whole roof.
Orangeries suit most house styles, from period terraces to modern semis. They work best when you want the extra room to feel like part of the house, as a kitchen-diner, dining room, family snug or garden room.
Best for
Homeowners who want plenty of daylight but also need solid wall for furniture, units and heating. Common uses are open-plan kitchen-diners, dining rooms and family rooms.
Typical time on site
Around 8 to 12 weeks once foundations are underway, depending on size and finish. This is an indicative range, not a guarantee. Design and approvals come first.
The parts of an orangery
Brick piers and dwarf walls
Solid corners and low walls built in brick or render, chosen to match or complement the house. They carry the roof and give you somewhere to put radiators, sockets and switches.
Perimeter flat roof
An insulated flat roof runs around the edge of the room. Inside, it usually forms a plastered ceiling band, sometimes called a pelmet, that can hold spotlights and hides the roof structure.
Roof lantern
A raised glazed structure in the centre of the flat roof. Its size and position decide where light falls, so it is usually centred over the part of the room used most, such as the dining table or kitchen island.
Glazed panels and doors
Fixed glazing, French doors or bifold doors fill the spaces between the piers. The balance of glass to solid wall affects the look, the usable wall space and the Building Regulations calculations.
Foundations and floor
Footings and an insulated floor slab, as with any extension. Underfloor heating is an option many people consider because it frees up the limited wall space.
Connection to the house
An orangery is often opened up to the existing kitchen or living room. Removing part of the rear wall needs a structural beam designed by an engineer and approved through Building Regulations.
What to decide before the drawings are fixed
- Lantern size and position. A larger lantern means more light and more solar gain. Place it over the part of the room you use most, not simply in the middle.
- Glass to wall ratio. More piers give more wall space and fewer glazed panels. Building Regulations limit the total glazed area of an extension unless the design compensates elsewhere, so this balance is part of the technical design, not only the look.
- Brick and roof finish. Matching the existing brick and detailing the roof edge carefully makes the room look like part of the house.
- Doors to the garden. Bifold, French or sliding doors each take up a different amount of wall and open in a different way.
- Heating. Radiators on the piers or underfloor heating, and how it connects to your existing system.
- Kitchen use. If the orangery will hold a kitchen, plan where units, appliances and plumbing go early, because solid wall space is limited.
How we build your orangery
Free site survey
We measure up, check ground conditions and the existing rear wall, and talk through how you want to use the room.
Design and quotation
We draw the layout, pier positions and lantern, then give you a written, itemised quotation.
Approvals
We check whether the design may fall under permitted development or needs a planning application, and prepare the Building Regulations submission.
Foundations and base
Footings are dug and an insulated floor slab is laid, ready for the walls.
Brickwork and piers
The piers and dwarf walls are built to match the house as closely as possible.
Roof and glazing
The perimeter flat roof, lantern and glazed panels are fitted and the room is made watertight.
Finish and handover
Plastering, heating, electrics and flooring are completed, then we walk you through the finished room and hand over the certificates.
Orangery extension prices
Indicative 2026 guide ranges, not quotes. Your price comes in a written, itemised quotation after a free survey.
| Orangery type | Approx. size | Indicative guide range |
|---|---|---|
| Compact orangery | 3m x 3m | £30,000 – £40,000 |
| Standard orangery | 3.5m x 4m | £40,000 – £55,000 |
| Large kitchen-diner orangery | 4m x 5m+ | £55,000 – £75,000 |
| Premium finish with bifolds | Varies | £75,000+ |
Your final price depends on size, the number of piers, lantern size, door type, groundwork and internal finish. Opening up the existing rear wall, and any kitchen fit-out, are listed as separate lines.
Planning and Building Regulations for orangeries
Planning
An orangery is treated as a single-storey extension for planning. It may fall under permitted development, depending on the property and any restrictions. The national limits for a rear addition are 3m deep on attached houses or 4m on detached houses (6m and 8m through prior approval), no more than 4m high, and no more than 3m to the eaves within 2m of a boundary. Conservation areas, listed buildings, Article 4 directions and past planning conditions can remove or narrow these rights, so your property needs to be checked.
Building Regulations
Because an orangery has a largely solid roof and solid wall sections, it usually does not meet the conservatory exemption and is treated as an extension. That means Building Regulations approval, covering foundations, structure, insulation, glazing and ventilation.
We handle the paperwork
From permitted development checks to the Building Regulations submission and inspections, we coordinate the approvals your project needs.
See the work before you decide
Photos tell you more than a paragraph of promises. Our project gallery is organised by extension type, so you can look at finished work before you book a survey.
Our reviews page explains how we check feedback: a review is only published once it has been matched to a real job. That is also why you won’t find anonymous testimonials on this page.
Ask for a reference
At your site survey, ask us for a past customer with a similar orangery you can speak to. It’s the most direct way to hear how a project ran from someone who lived through it.
Orangery extensions across Nottingham
Not sure if we cover your street? Get in touch and we will let you know.
Orangery extension questions
A conservatory is mostly glass, often including the roof. An orangery has brick piers or solid wall sections and a flat perimeter roof around a central lantern. That gives an orangery more solid wall and usually means it is treated as an extension for Building Regulations.
Usually, yes. The solid roof and wall sections mean most orangeries do not meet the conservatory exemption, so they are treated as extensions and need approval for structure, insulation, glazing and ventilation.
It depends on the property. Many orangeries may fall under permitted development within the size and height limits for single-storey extensions, but conservation areas, listed buildings and Article 4 directions can change that. We check during the free survey.
Large enough to light the part of the room you use most, without dominating the ceiling or letting in more summer sun than you want. Its size also feeds into the Building Regulations glazing calculations, so we size it as part of the technical design.
Yes. The piers and solid sections give some wall space for units and appliances, and many people open the orangery up to the existing kitchen. Plan where units and plumbing go early, because wall space is more limited than in a conventional extension.
Around 8 to 12 weeks on site is typical once foundations are underway, depending on size, groundwork and internal finish. Design and approvals come before that. We give you a timeline with your quotation.
Our indicative guide ranges start around £30,000 to £40,000 for a compact orangery and rise to £75,000 or more for a large, high-spec room with bifolds. These are not quotes. You get a written, itemised quotation after a free survey.
Plan your orangery extension with a free survey
Book a free site survey. We will look at where the lantern and piers should go, check the approvals your house needs and give you a written, itemised quotation.