Having a sunroom can feel a little bit like cheating: In the wintertime, you can enjoy a sunny day in the comfort of your own home without having to be in the frigid cold. In the summer, you can relax indoors to escape mosquitos and other pesky bugs. If this sounds appealing, consider the following when deciding what type of sunroom would be best for your home.
First things first:
- What’s your budget?
- What’s your target timeframe to build?
- How often will you use it?
If you’re likely to get cabin fever in the winter, a glass-enclosed sunroom works wonders to cure the winter blues and provide sunshine when you need it most! This means you’ll need to build a four-season sunroom. Three-season sunrooms are great for homeowners who live in more moderate climates and have smaller budgets. Read on to learn more about each option:
More use, longer project time frame, bigger budget? Four-season is the option for you.
A four-season enclosed porch is designed to be heated and cooled so you can enjoy it all year round. Designed to become part of the home and blend in with the exterior and interior of your home, it’s a much more costly and time-intensive project. Your budget and timeline will vary based on design and building materials, so consider options that will optimize your use of the sunroom.
Some estimates for a fully-loaded four-season sunroom can come in around $60,000 and include heated concrete or stone floors and energy-efficient windows. Beyond this, it’s important to think about elements such as the electrical, roof features and doors. All of your choices are going to impact your budget and time frame.
Expect a minimum of two months if installing heating and insulation and upwards of six months if you’re incorporating high-end details like natural stone flooring, cedar ceilings and board and batten walls.
Smaller budget, want it quicker, and live in more temperate climate? A three-season sunroom is all you need.
Estimates for a three-season sunroom come in around $30,000, typically built from aluminum with a concrete floor. The time estimate is roughly two to three weeks for a basic build, and a few additional weeks for a more complicated build.
Other Options to Consider:
Screen room: Aluminum-framed screen rooms are perfect for enjoying a warm breeze and escaping bugs and are often convertible to three-season sunrooms, if you later wish to upgrade.
Solariums: If you’re a fan of full natural light, you can include a glass roof on your sunroom and lose yourself in the beauty of the outdoors.
Whether you live in a temperate or moderate climate, sunrooms can provide the beauty of the outdoors while staying in the comfort of the indoors. They really are the best of both worlds!