Short answer: an orangery is a home extension with brick piers or walls, large windows, and a roof that is solid around the edges with a glazed roof lantern in the middle. Inside, the solid perimeter roof usually forms a plastered ceiling band (often called a pelmet) around the room. Compared with a conservatory it has much less glass, so it tends to feel more like part of the house all year round. We're an independent referral service: we aim to connect Liverpool homeowners with independent local companies who design, build and repair orangeries.
What is an orangery?
Orangeries started out as grand garden buildings for over-wintering citrus trees on country estates. Modern domestic orangeries keep the look — solid corners, tall windows and a lantern overhead — but are built as living space attached to the house. A typical modern orangery has:
- Brick piers or part-brick walls at the corners and between window sections, rather than a fully glazed frame on a low dwarf wall.
- A solid perimeter roof, usually a flat roof finished with a waterproof membrane, running around the edge of the room.
- A roof lantern — a raised, glazed structure — set into the middle of the flat roof to bring light down into the room.
- An internal pelmet: the plastered ceiling band formed by the solid perimeter roof, which can take downlights and hides the roof structure.
- External fascia or cornice detailing around the roofline, which gives the classic orangery look from the garden.
Liverpool has its own historic example: part of the original orangery of Allerton Tower survives in Allerton Towers Park and is Grade II listed, alongside the old lodge and stables. Most modern orangeries are, of course, much smaller and built onto family homes.
Orangery vs conservatory: what's the difference?
"Orangery vs conservatory" is one of the most common questions homeowners ask, and the honest answer is that the line between them is about proportions rather than a single rule. A conservatory is predominantly glazed, roof and walls; an orangery has far more solid structure.
| Feature | Conservatory | Orangery |
|---|---|---|
| Walls | Mostly glazed, usually on a low dwarf wall | Brick piers or part-solid walls with large windows or doors between |
| Roof | Mostly glazed or polycarbonate, usually pitched | Solid flat perimeter roof with a central glazed lantern |
| Inside | Exposed glazing bars overhead | Plastered pelmet around the edge, often with downlights |
| Comfort | Prone to overheating and heat loss unless upgraded | Usually more stable temperatures because there's less glass |
| Feel | A glazed room attached to the house | Closer to an extension, with plenty of overhead light |
| Building Regulations | Often exempt if it meets the conservatory conditions | Usually needs approval, as it's treated more like an extension |
If you already have a conservatory and like the idea of an orangery, you may not need to start from scratch — see conservatory to orangery conversion. If you simply want a warmer, quieter room, a tiled conservatory roof or warm roof conservatory may also be worth comparing.
Orangery services we can help you find
New orangeries
A new orangery is a building project: design, foundations, brickwork, windows and doors, the perimeter roof, the lantern and the internal finish. The local companies we aim to connect you with can talk through layout, style and whether your plans need planning permission, then survey and quote on their own terms.
Orangery roof repairs
Most orangery problems come from the roof: flat-roof membranes that pond or split, leaks around the lantern, and damp staining on the pelmet. Our guide to orangery roof repair in Liverpool explains where leaks usually start and when replacing the roof makes more sense than patching it.
Roof lantern repair and replacement
The lantern is the most exposed part of an orangery. Failed seals, misted units, cracked glass or a poorly built upstand can all let water in. See roof lantern repair for the common faults and replacement options.
Conservatory to orangery conversions
Many people with an older conservatory replace the roof with a solid perimeter and lantern to get an orangery-style room. It involves structural checks and Building Regulations approval — our page on converting a conservatory to an orangery explains what's involved.
Upgrades to existing orangeries
Upgrades might include a new lantern with better glass, improved insulation in the perimeter roof, new guttering, or replacement windows and doors. A provider can tell you which upgrades suit the structure you already have.
Do orangeries need planning permission or Building Regulations?
Planning permission: many single-storey orangeries can be built under permitted development, the same rules that cover other single-storey extensions, as long as they stay within limits on depth, height, position and materials. Planning permission is more likely to be needed if the orangery is large, faces a road, covers more than half the garden, or the house is listed, in a conservation area or has had its permitted development rights removed. The Planning Portal sets out the current limits, and your council (Liverpool City Council, Sefton Council or Knowsley Council) can confirm whether your plans need permission. A lawful development certificate is an optional way to get written confirmation.
Building Regulations: a conservatory can be exempt from Building Regulations if it meets certain conditions, including being under 30 square metres, separated from the house by external-quality doors or windows, not heated by the main heating system, and having a significant proportion of its roof and walls glazed. Because an orangery has a solid perimeter roof and more solid walling, it often won't meet those conditions and is then treated as an extension needing Building Regulations approval. Check how approval will be handled before work starts, and keep the completion certificate — solicitors commonly ask for it when you sell.
Check before you build: rules on planning and Building Regulations change and depend on your property. Treat this page as a general guide, and confirm the position with your provider and your local council.
What affects the cost of an orangery?
We don't publish orangery prices, because each project is different. The main things that affect a quote are:
- Whether it's a new build, a conversion of an existing conservatory, or a repair or upgrade
- Size and shape of the room, and the size of the lantern
- Foundations and groundwork, including drains, trees and ground conditions
- Brickwork, and whether it needs to match the house
- Window, door and glazing specification
- Roof membrane, insulation and lantern system
- Internal finishing: plastering, pelmet downlights, electrics, flooring and heating
- Planning, Building Regulations and any structural engineer's fees
Ask for a written, itemised quote so you can compare like with like. If you're weighing a conversion against a solid-roof upgrade, our conservatory roof replacement cost guide explains the factors behind roof prices.
Orangeries across Liverpool and Merseyside
Orangeries suit many of the larger suburban homes in south Liverpool, and we take calls from places such as Woolton, Allerton and Childwall. Parts of Woolton are within a conservation area, so planning rules can be stricter there. Whether you need a new orangery or conservatory and orangery roof repairs in Liverpool, one call to 07777 659786 is enough — we aim to connect you with an independent local company who can visit, survey and quote. You can also read more about our local conservatory roof repair service and how the referral works.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an orangery and a conservatory?
A conservatory is mostly glass, with a glazed roof and glazed walls on a low brick base. An orangery has brick piers or part-solid walls and a solid flat perimeter roof with a central glazed lantern, so it feels more like an extension while still letting in plenty of light.
Is an orangery warmer than a conservatory?
Generally, yes. With less glass and an insulated solid perimeter roof, an orangery usually holds heat better in winter and overheats less in summer. How comfortable it is still depends on the insulation, glazing and lantern specification.
Do I need planning permission for an orangery?
Not always. Many single-storey orangeries can be built under permitted development if they stay within the size, height and position limits. Listed buildings, conservation areas and homes with removed permitted development rights are different. Check the Planning Portal and your local council before starting.
Does an orangery need Building Regulations approval?
Usually. Because an orangery has a solid perimeter roof and more solid walls, it often doesn't meet the conditions that exempt conservatories, so it's treated as an extension. Your provider should explain how approval will be handled.
Do you build orangeries yourselves?
No. We're an independent referral service. We aim to connect you with independent local companies who design, build and repair orangeries; they survey and quote on their own terms, with no obligation to go ahead.