How to choose and plan your outdoor living space
Plain answers for UK homes. What each type of structure does, what it really costs, what is and is not included, and what happens from your first call to the day we hand it over.
The UK's Leading & Most Trusted Outdoor Living Company
Open Space Concepts designs and installs glass verandas, glass rooms, louvre pods and pergolas, glass extensions, carports, awnings and outdoor kitchens across England, Wales and Scotland. Starting prices include VAT and installation, from £4,000 for an awning and £9,000 for a glass veranda. Most of our structures do not need planning permission. Each one is made to measure in 12 to 14 weeks, installed by our own team in 1 to 5 days, and covered by a 10 year warranty, with 5 years on awnings and on motors.
Adding a glass room, a louvre pod or a glass extension is a big decision. You are adding a permanent space to your home, and for most of our customers it is a significant spend. This guide sets out the facts in the order you will need them, so you can decide with confidence and without pressure.
Every product fact here is taken from what we publish on openspaceconcepts.co.uk. Prices are starting prices including VAT, correct in October 2026. Every project is made to measure, so your price will depend on your size, your choices and your site.
Every structure is designed around your home and installed by our own team.
An indicative price by phone, email or chat before anyone visits.
On structures, with 5 years on awnings and on motors.
Ten full size structures in our Staffordshire showroom.
Chapter 1
Most UK gardens get used on a handful of good days a year. A well designed structure changes that. It gives you a dry, comfortable place to sit, eat, work or entertain, close to the garden, whatever the weather is doing.
Our customers use them as:
Because our structures are modular, you do not have to decide everything on day one. Lighting, heating, blinds, screens, fixed glazing and sliding doors can usually be added later.
Chapter 2
The first choice is not a model or a brand. It is what you want the space to do. Start with three questions:
Do you want a roof over the patio, or a room you can close up?
Summer evenings, most of the year, or every day of the year?
On the back of the house, or out in the garden?
A glass veranda is a glass roof on slim aluminium posts, open at the sides. A glass roof on slim aluminium posts, fixed to the house or standing on its own. Open at the sides, so heat can escape on a sunny day. You can add glass sides and sliding doors later to turn it into a room. The roof is 8 mm or 10 mm toughened safety glass. See our glass verandas page.
A glass room is an aluminium frame with a glass roof and glass walls that you can close up. An aluminium frame with a glass roof and glass walls, against the house or freestanding in the garden. A sheltered room with a clear view out. Choose a flat roof look or a visible pitched roof, with single or double glazing depending on the design. See our glass rooms page.
A louvre pod or pergola is an aluminium frame with a roof of rotating blades that you can open to the sky or close against rain. A powder coated aluminium frame with a roof of rotating aluminium blades. Tilt them for shade or light, open them to the sky, or close them fully when it rains, and the water runs away through integrated gutters. Leave the sides open, or add glass sliding doors, zip screens or louvred walls. See our louvre pod and pergola pages.
A glass extension is a fully insulated, thermally broken glass room built to be lived in every day of the year. Our newest category, built to be lived in every day. A fully insulated, thermally broken aluminium structure with a double or triple glazed roof. It is the only category where the base and groundworks are included in the price. See our glass extensions page.
A carport is an aluminium roof on posts that gives covered parking. A powder coated aluminium carport with a near flat roof and hidden gutters. Single, double or a row, lean-to or freestanding, with optional privacy wall panels. See our carports page.
An awning is a retractable fabric shade fixed to the wall. Fully automated, remote controlled awnings with over 200 fabrics, plus vertical external blinds for windows. LED lighting and infrared heating are options, and wind sensors can retract the awning automatically. See our awnings page.
An outdoor kitchen is a bespoke cooking and dining area built for outdoor use. Bespoke outdoor kitchens in L shaped, island, modular, freestanding and stainless steel layouts. Pair one with a louvre pod, veranda or glass room and you can cook outside in the rain. See our outdoor kitchens page.
| Glass veranda | Glass room | Louvre pod or pergola | Glass extension | Carport | Awning | Outdoor kitchen | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Glass roof on posts | Glass roof and glass walls | Opening aluminium blade roof | Insulated, double or triple glazed room | Covered parking | Retractable fabric shade | Cooking and dining area |
| Open or enclosed | Open, sides can be added | Enclosed | Open or enclosed | Enclosed | Open | Open | Open or under cover |
| Best for | Covering a patio | Using the garden in all weathers | Control over sun and rain | Every day, all year living | Cars, caravans, boats | Shade on sunny days | Cooking outside |
| Attached or freestanding | Either | Either | Either | Wall mounted, cantilevered or freestanding | Either | Wall mounted | Freestanding units |
| Base and groundworks | Quoted separately | Quoted separately | Quoted separately | Included | Quoted separately | Not usually needed | Quoted separately |
| From, inc VAT | £9,000 | £15,000 | £14,000 | £30,000 | £11,000 | See chapter 4 | £12,000 |
| Warranty | 10 years | 10 years | 10 years, 5 on motors | 10 years | 10 years | 5 years | 10 years |
Installation usually takes 1 to 5 days depending on size. Glass extensions typically take 1 to 2 weeks.
Chapter 3
We want you to know exactly what your price covers, so there are no surprises later. That is why we offer upfront pricing.
Chapter 4
Starting prices include VAT and installation. Ranges show where most of our recent projects in each category have come in. They are a guide, not a quote.
| Category | From, inc VAT | Typical spend |
|---|---|---|
| Glass verandas | £9,000 | Most projects come in between £12,000 and £20,000 |
| Glass rooms | £15,000 | Most projects come in between £19,000 and £29,000 |
| Louvre pods and pergolas | £14,000 | Most projects come in between £28,000 and £44,000 |
| Glass extensions | £30,000, including the base and groundworks | From price only |
| Carports | £11,000 | Most projects come in between £16,000 and £24,000 |
| Awnings | £4,000 | Most projects come in between £5,000 and £7,000 |
| Outdoor kitchens | £12,000 | From price only |
For more detail on each category, see our glass veranda price guide, glass room cost guide, pergola price guide, awning price guide, glass extension cost guide and outdoor kitchen cost guide.
Every structure is priced on its size and the materials used.
Want a figure for your garden? Ask us for an indicative price, or design it yourself in Spec Leader, our online designer.
Chapter 5
Every one of these was surveyed, designed and installed for the customer by our own team. Sizes are width by projection.
A modern glass room wide enough for two zones, with dining at one end and a lounge at the other. Sliding glass doors on two sides open it fully to the garden, and sliding shutter panels add privacy. The anthracite grey frame matches the existing windows.
A glass room and veranda combined, giving sheltered and open air space for relaxing and entertaining. Underblinds give shade on sunny days and drop down screens add privacy. Finished in anthracite grey.
A freestanding glass roof over a terrace, giving a sheltered seating area right outside the doors. Finished in anthracite grey and installed in one day.
A glass veranda across the back of the house, covering a patio dining area outside the doors. Finished in anthracite and installed in two days.
A space for dining and relaxing that extends the living area. Fixed glass sides and sliding glass doors open it to the garden, dimmable spotlights sit in the rafters, and an underblind keeps it comfortable in strong summer sun. Finished in anthracite grey.
One of our largest projects. Linked louvre pods in black create a series of covered spaces across the garden for lounging and entertaining.
Partly attached and partly freestanding, with a sandblasted glass wall for privacy from the neighbours. A striped underblind reduces heat and glare in summer, and sliding glass doors turn it from an enclosed room into an open air space.
A compact glass room on the back of the house, set up as a sheltered seating area. Finished in anthracite and installed in two days.
Chapter 6
The look of a patio does not always tell you what is underneath. We check the ground on the survey and tell you what is needed. If you need a new base, we can quote for the groundworks.
In our experience very few of our structures need planning permission. This is a summary for England, not legal advice. Your local planning authority has the final say. If you are unsure, find your local council and ask its planning team.
A garden structure is normally permitted development if it meets these limits:
The Planning Portal also has an interactive guide to outbuildings.
A structure fixed to the house is treated under the rules for house extensions, not Class E. For example, a single storey rear extension can usually go up to 3 m deep on an attached house or 4 m on a detached house, and no more than 4 m high. Larger projects and designated areas may need approval. See the Planning Portal guides to extensions and conservatories.
Flats and maisonettes, listed buildings and homes in a conservation area usually need a planning application.
If you do need permission, the fee is generally £272 in England, paid to the local authority and not to us. This is not included in your price. Fees can change, so check the Planning Portal before you apply.
For more on specific structures, read do you need planning permission for a pergola and do you need planning permission for a carport.
Most garden structures are exempt from the full building regulations. Garden buildings with an internal floor area between 15 m² and 30 m² need to be at least 1 m from any boundary.
Glass extensions under 30 m² that are separated from the house by external quality doors and have independent heating are normally exempt. Larger rooms, or an open connection to the house, need approval, and we will guide you through it.
GOV.UK explains how to get building regulations approval, LABC has plain English advice for homeowners, and the technical standards are set out in the approved documents.
Wales and Scotland have their own rules. Not sure? Ask us before you order. We check this before you commit.
Source: GOV.UK permitted development rights for householders: technical guidance.
Chapter 7
Spec Leader is our online designer. Use it to plan your structure yourself, in your own time, before you speak to us.
Your design is a starting point. We still survey your site before anything is made, and your own electrician connects the power for any lighting, audio or electrical extras.
Open Spec LeaderChapter 8
Our structures are built to be low maintenance. Powder coated aluminium does not need painting or sealing.
We leave care notes at handover. If something is not right, your warranty has you covered: 10 years on structures, 5 years on awnings and on motors. Read the full product warranty details.
Yes. Walk into full size structures at our Stoke-on-Trent showroom and see the finishes up close.
Chapter 9
Glass verandas start from £9,000, carports from £11,000, outdoor kitchens from £12,000, louvre pods and pergolas from £14,000, glass rooms from £15,000 and glass extensions from £30,000 including the base and groundworks, all including VAT. Most glass rooms come in between £19,000 and £29,000. Give us rough sizes and we will give you an indicative price without a visit.
Check what is included. Our price covers the survey, the design, installation and a 10 year warranty. Compare the glass, the frame, the installation and the warranty, not just the headline figure.
Usually not. Flats, maisonettes, listed buildings and homes in conservation areas are the usual exceptions, along with structures that go over the height or boundary limits. If you need an application, the fee is generally £272 in England, paid to the local authority and not to us. It is not included in your price.
Every structure is made to measure. Our projects range from a 3.6 m x 2.5 m glass room to linked louvre pods over 20 m wide. We confirm the size on the survey.
Choose a glass room for a sheltered garden room with a clear view out. Choose a louvre pod if you want to open the roof to the sun and close it in the rain. Choose a glass extension if you want a warm, insulated room to use every day of the year.
No. A glass room is a slim aluminium and glass structure that can sit on the house or out in the garden. A conservatory is usually a glazed extension with a heavier frame. We do not build traditional conservatories.
Glass faces the sun, so a clear day can feel warm. Solar control or anti sun glass, under blinds and open sides all help. A louvre roof lets you open the blades to let the heat out.
Yes. Infrared heating and LED lighting make glass rooms and louvre pods usable on cold evenings, and sliding doors close the space up. For a warm room every day of the year, choose a glass extension.
Yes. The blades close completely and channel rainwater along integrated perimeter gutters, so the space stays dry.
The base and groundworks are included on glass extensions. On everything else, we can quote for groundworks. We never do electrics, so your own electrician connects the power for lighting, heating and motorised features.
Typically 12 to 14 weeks from order. Installation takes 1 to 5 days depending on size, and 2 days on average. Glass extensions typically take 1 to 2 weeks to install.
Yes. Our structures are modular, so lighting, heating, blinds, screens, fixed glazing and sliding doors can usually be added in a later year.
Yes. Our own team installs across England, Wales and Scotland.
Yes. Our Staffordshire showroom has ten full size structures on display, and there is no pressure to buy.
More answers are on our frequently asked questions page.
Chapter 10
Choose whichever suits you. There is no obligation, and we never use pushy sales tactics.
Tell us your rough sizes and what you would like, and we will send an indicative price.
Get your free quoteThe UK's largest indoor outdoor living showroom, with ten full size structures under one roof. Unit B1, Sneyd Trading Estate, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST6 2EB. Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Weekends by appointment. Free tea and coffee, and dogs are welcome.
Book your visitUse Spec Leader, our online designer, to choose your structure, sizes, colours and extras, then send it to us for a quote.
Open Spec LeaderPrices include VAT and are starting prices. Every project is made to measure and your final price depends on size, specification and site. Planning information is a summary for England and is not legal advice. Open Space Concepts, Unit B1 Sneyd Trading Estate, Stoke-on-Trent ST6 2EB.