Orangery Cost
What an orangery costs to build in the UK in 2026, by size and by frame, worked out before anyone comes round to measure.
Get a quote£14,000 to £60,000is what most uPVC and aluminium orangeries of 16 to 24 m² cost, built and finished, VAT included. A guide, not a quote.
Price your own orangery
Pick the nearest footprint and a frame. The button under the price carries both into the quote form.
5 × 4 m (20 m²), aluminium frames
£32,000 to £50,000
Built and plastered with a roof lantern, electrics and VAT. Flooring, a kitchen and decorating are extra. A guide, not a quote.
Get a quoteOrangery cost per m²
Budget £850 to £2,000 per m² for uPVC, £1,600 to £2,500 for aluminium and £2,000 to £3,000 for hardwood. That covers foundations, brickwork, the insulated roof and lantern, glazing, plaster and electrics.
A small orangery costs more per square metre than a large one. The lantern, the steel over the opening and the set-up on site cost much the same at 9 m² as at 24 m², so treat the top of each range as the likely figure below 12 m²; small orangery cost shows why. All of these are national ranges, and London and the South East usually cost 20 to 40% more.
Thinking of a cheaper glazed room instead? See orangery vs conservatory.
| Footprint | uPVC | Aluminium | Hardwood |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 × 3 m 9 m² | £8,000 to £18,000 | £14,500 to £22,500 | £18,000 to £27,000 |
| 4 × 3 m 12 m² | £10,500 to £24,000 | £19,500 to £30,000 | £24,000 to £36,000 |
| 4 × 4 m 16 m² | £14,000 to £32,000 | £26,000 to £40,000 | £32,000 to £48,000 |
| 5 × 4 m 20 m² | £17,000 to £40,000 | £32,000 to £50,000 | £40,000 to £60,000 |
| 6 × 4 m 24 m² | £20,500 to £48,000 | £38,500 to £60,000 | £48,000 to £72,000 |
| 7 × 5 m 35 m² | £30,000 to £70,000 | £56,000 to £87,500 | £70,000 to £105,000 |
What moves a quote
The roof first. One lantern over a plastered ceiling is the standard. A second lantern, or one longer than about three metres, means more glass, heavier rafters and often a bigger beam, and it pushes a quote towards the top of its range.
Then the opening into the house. Keep the existing back doors and the room is simpler to build and to heat. Take the wall out for a kitchen orangery and you pay for steel, propping, making good and a kitchen.
Ground is the surprise. Clay, nearby trees or a drain under the patio mean deeper footings, and no builder can price those from a photograph.
Three limits that decide the paperwork
- 4 m
- The deepest a rear orangery on a detached English house can go without any planning application. Semis and terraces get 3 m.
- 75%
- How much of the roof must be glass for a room to count as an exempt conservatory. An orangery’s solid deck falls short, so expect building regulations approval.
- 25%
- Windows, doors and lanterns up to this fraction of the new floor pass the energy rules as they are. Beyond it, a calculation has to show the room keeps its heat.
Scotland sets its own limits and asks for a building warrant. Does an orangery need planning permission?
Orangery prices, briefly
- How much does an orangery cost?
- A uPVC or aluminium orangery of 16 to 24 m² typically costs £14,000 to £60,000 to build in 2026. Hardwood frames cost more: about £32,000 to £48,000 for 16 m².
- Is an orangery cheaper than an extension?
- Usually, in uPVC or aluminium. A single-storey extension costs about £1,800 to £3,000 per m², against £850 to £2,000 per m² for a uPVC orangery. In hardwood the two land in much the same band. Compare the two.
- Do these prices include VAT?
- Yes. Work on an existing home carries 20% VAT and every figure here includes it. Planning and building control fees are separate.
- How long does an orangery take to build?
- Eight to twelve weeks on site is typical: foundations and brickwork, then the roof and lantern, glazing, plaster and electrics.
Sources and how the figures are worked out
Typical national ranges for 2026, including VAT. London and the South East usually cost 20 to 40% more. A guide, not a quote. Rates are per square metre of internal floor and the table multiplies them by each footprint, rounded to the £500 inside each range. Planning and building regulation limits are for England unless we say otherwise.
Get a quote for your orangery
Tell us where the house is and what you have in mind. Allow a minute. Anything you have not decided yet can stay blank.
We are an introduction service, not an orangery builder. We find a builder who covers your postcode and tell you who it is. Nothing is passed on until you say yes.
Thank you. We have your enquiry.
Next, we look for an orangery builder who works in your postcode and builds in the material you chose. You will hear from us by email or phone with that builder's name, normally within one working day.
Say yes and we hand your enquiry over so they can arrange a visit and price the job. Say no and it ends there. We never send marketing.