Should You Add a Sunroom to Your House?
Maybe a relative has one, or you’ve noticed them as you drive through your neighborhood: bright, airy rooms that extend off the main house. Sometimes they look like glass enclosures straight out of a storybook—elegant Edwardian conservatories housing exotic plants or a quaint sitting area. Sometimes they’re sleek, modern family rooms with walls of windows and an open design perfect for spreading out and enjoying favorite pastimes. It’s not surprising if you seem to see them everywhere you look. Sunrooms are among the most popular additions with homeowners across the nation. If you’re wondering whether you should add a sunroom to your house, there are several things to keep in mind. With a little thoughtful consideration, however, it’s not too difficult to determine if a sunroom is right for you.
Weighing Your Options
Sunroom options range from modest to magnificent. Choosing just one may seem a little overwhelming at first, but knowing how you plan on using your sunroom will make it much easier to decide what kind is right for you.
A Room With a View
Windows make a sunroom what it is. They’re large. They’re plentiful. But the glass-to-wall ratio varies depending on what kind of addition you get. Some are nearly all windows, with the support structure serving to hold everything in place. Often known as solariums or conservatories, these types of sunrooms also have glass roofs to maximize the amount of natural light they receive. This makes them great options for those who want to use their sunroom as an environment for growing sun-loving plants. Of course, with all that light comes heat and exposure. A glass-roof enclosure is more difficult to cool during warm months than a solid-roof addition. That will affect your monthly utility bill. And if you like your privacy, you’ll need to add window treatments, standing screens, or some other type of barrier to provide shielding where and when you want it. All of those will add to the final cost of the project.
Three- or Four-Season Rooms
As their names suggest, the difference between a three- and a four-season sunroom is whether you can use it all year round. A three-season room is not climate controlled by the same system used throughout the rest of the house. Instead, it’s heated or cooled by portable devices. Because of this, a three-season room cannot be included in your home’s total square footage. It will, however, be more affordable than a fully climate-controlled four-season room. If you live in a climate with mild winters, a three-season room may be the way to go. It will offer more protection than an open porch or screen room and will be easier to install. On the other hand, if you want an addition that offers the same temperature and humidity control as your living room, a four-season room is for you.
What a Sunroom Won’t Do
While sunrooms offer a plethora of benefits, it’s also important to understand that as with any home improvement, you will not recoup the entire cost of the project in the added market value of your home. The return on investment (ROI) for these types of additions can be as high as 92%, but the average is closer to 50%. As mentioned, a four-season sunroom will increase your home’s value more than a three-season room since it will increase the home’s square footage, but since both options are popular, either kind will likely provide an added incentive for potential homebuyers. If you’re not planning on putting your home on the market anytime soon, be aware that your new addition may increase your property taxes. And you’ll need to update your homeowners insurance to extend coverage to your new addition.
The Sunroom Experts
If you’re thinking about adding a sunroom to your house, the company to turn to in San Diego County is Pacific Patio. We are a family-owned and -operated business and an authorized TEMO dealer. Reach out to us today to get started!
