We have looked at the various types of sunrooms from sun porches, porch enclosures, glass enclosures, and solariums. We have also described how they can be made for three seasons of the year or all four seasons. We have shared the kinds of furniture that looks great in a sunroom. Everything in furniture from chairs, sofas, and end tables looks great in natural indoor wicker, painted or in natural colors. Next, let’s look at planning for a sunroom.
How can we manifest a sunroom?
Is this sunroom going to be a room added to an existing house like another bedroom or an addition to the outside like a deck would be added to our house? There is a big difference in cost.
According to HomeAdvisor, “Homeowners who choose to add an addition are looking to add a family room, bedroom or multiple spaces. When you want to add an additional room to your home, you typically have two options: build out or build up.
Adding a room is a major construction project that involves creating an additional building structure and integrating it with the rest of the home. Average costs run anywhere from $80 to $200 per square foot.
Small builds of 200-300 square feet average $24608 in the U.S. Increased material and labor costs for larger additions bring prices of $39207 for a 300-400 square foot project, $55350 for 400-500 square feet, $66284 for 500-600 square feet.
According to Remodeling Magazine, a 200-square-foot room addition with footings and slabs-on-grade foundation can cost up to $70,000, while a survey conducted on HomeAdvisor.com found the average cost of sun room additions ran around $15,104.
On average, I suspect an addition runs at least twice the price of a sunroom of the same size.
Additional considerations in planning a sunroom
Openness and visibility are the two big benefits sunrooms deliver. Do you have an existing deck or porch? That can lower the cost of adding a sunroom. Sunrooms often use existing bases like concrete patios or wooden decks and have opaque roofs as opposed to solid shingles.
Garrety Glass shares that “For years, American homes were built with front or back porches where families would gather or seniors would sit to enjoy the outdoors while being partly protected. That lasted only until the rain and wind or wasps and bees sent people scurrying inside to watch nature from the kitchen window.” The weather in your area will determine the kind of structure you would likely choose.
The final consideration: should you hire a contractor to custom build a sunroom with estimated costs laid out above or should you buy a sunroom kit? According to Patio Enclosures, “Sunroom kits are a great way for experienced do-it-yourselfers to install sunrooms themselves while still receiving the quality and craftsmanship that our brand offers. Kits offer various options including room size, style of roof, type of glass and frame color. I think the key here is the phrase “experienced do-it-yourselfers.” Let’s realistically assess your experience. You could waste a lot of money and be dissatisfied with the product if you overestimate your ability. A wise man knows his limitations.