What's the difference between a balcony and a conservatory?

Would you like to enlarge your home and enjoy the outdoors more? There are several options open to you: building an extension, installing a conservatory or a balcony. But what's the difference between these different spaces? Let's take a look at their specific features to help you make the right choice for your needs and budget.

The conservatory is a mainly glazed structure built onto the front of your home. Bright and open onto the garden, it lets you enjoy a beautiful view whatever the weather. With its large glass walls, it captures the sun's warmth to give you a cosy atmosphere, even in winter. Your conservatory will quickly become your favourite room for relaxing, sharing a meal with the family or entertaining friends.

Fully customisable, the AKENA conservatory adapts to your lifestyle and the architecture of your home. You can choose :

Its shape: it can be straight for a sleek design, canted or Victorian for a more traditional look.
Dimensions: the surface area of your conservatory will depend on your needs and the space available. Make sure you leave enough space for the purpose you want to use it for (living room, dining room...).
Equipment: for optimum comfort, you can opt for intelligent glazing such as SageGlass, which darkens according to the amount of light, heating so you can enjoy it all year round, blinds to protect you from the sun, integrated LED lighting...
Finishes: the colour of the structure, the type of base and decorative accessories (crosspieces, ridge, etc.) will allow you to personalise your conservatory to your taste.

The conservatory frame is generally made of aluminium, a material that combines strength, good looks and easy maintenance. For your project, you can call on a specialist like AKENA, who will create a made-to-measure conservatory to suit your budget. Depending on the surface area, all you need is a simple declaration of works at the town hall.

A balcony is a small platform projecting from a front, bordered by a railing. Accessible from an upstairs room through a French window or bay window, it enlarges the living space to the outside.

Unlike a conservatory, which rests on the ground, a balcony is suspended in space. It must therefore have a very solid structure, usually in reinforced concrete poured at the same time as the floor. It can also be made of metal, which is lighter, or wood, for a warmer feel. Supporting posts are sometimes necessary for large balconies.

The balustrade ensures safety while serving as a decorative element. They can be made of aluminium, steel, glass or wood, with more or less elaborate railings. For a trendy look, glass railings are very popular. It preserves the light and leaves the view unobstructed.

A balcony may be a small outdoor space, but it's a very pleasant one when the sun comes out. You can set up a small table and chairs for breakfast in the sun or a deckchair for reading and relaxing. Consider planting it with plants and flowers to create a little corner of nature, even on an upper floor.

Having a small outdoor space is a real asset when it comes to adding value to a property, whether it's a flat or a house. Buyers are prepared to pay the price for a balcony or terrace offering a pleasant spot of fresh air and greenery.

These extensions provide precious extra square metres for enjoying the fine weather. You can set up a little garden furniture, a barbecue, a table for al fresco dining or even flower and herb containers. It's a real open-air living space that becomes a haven of peace and relaxation.

Over and above the comfort, a balcony represents a real plus for a property, and can increase its value by up to 15%, according to studies. Its impact on price varies according to a number of criteria, such as surface area, floor or unobstructed view. The more spacious and higher up the property, the greater its value. A large terrace of over 50 m² can push up the price by 30%! The figures for conservatories are less clear, but one thing is certain: this structure is directly linked to the property value of a home, since it determines the amount of property tax payable.

What we do know is that orientation and sunlight are important factors when it comes to attracting buyers, as is privileged access to a green space (+12.5% increase in value). As you can see, extra space is always a good thing!

Akena Véranda - Agrandissement - Vue profil

The conservatory is a glazed extension on the ground floor, opening onto the garden and becoming a real living space. It's a great place to spend quality time all year round. A balcony is a small, suspended outdoor area accessible from one floor. It allows you to enjoy the outdoors even in a flat or town house.

Before deciding on one or other of these designs:

List your needs and desires: what do you want to do with this new space? Relaxation, meals, games, gardening...?
Assess the technical feasibility: do you have enough floor space for a conservatory or a load-bearing wall for a balcony?
Define your budget: the cost will be different between a small conservatory and a large balcony. Ask for detailed quotes.
Anticipate the administrative procedures required depending on the nature of the work (declaration or planning permission).
Choose an experienced professional to guide you from design to completion.

To make your enlargement dream come true, contact an AKENA expert today. He or she will come to your home to study your conservatory project and suggest solutions tailored to your lifestyle and budget. With AKENA, you'll benefit from personalised support every step of the way, and tailor-made solutions to ensure your complete satisfaction.