Sunrooms: How a Sunroom Can Add to Your Home

Ever wish you could have a cup of coffee in the morning while sitting outdoors, taking in the morning sun in view of the flowers and plants in your backyard? It would probably be a relaxing way to start the day, but unfortunately, actually sitting outdoors can be a bit more complicated than it sounds. It might have rained through the night, drenching your patio furniture or lawn chairs. You might also want to avoid the numerous bugs that will likely be flying around. And the temperature and humidity may or may not be cooperative depending on the weather. Long story short -- while outdoor surroundings offer a calm, soothing, serene environment for you to relax, physically being outdoors might not be so enjoyable.

Fortunately, there is a way to enjoy the scenery of your outdoor landscape while still enjoying the comfort and consistency of the indoors; a sunroom. This structure is often built on to the side of a home, and allows the homeowner and family members to enjoy the surrounding landscape without having to deal with the elements, such as wind, rain, and snow. A sunroom is usually constructed of brick or wood, and has a fair amount of glass panels that allow more light into the room and add to the feeling that one is actually sitting outdoors. These rooms are not only great for a relaxing time in the morning or evening, they're also great for parties, cookouts -- especially in the summer, when bugs are at their worst -- and game nights. A sunroom is a very versatile room, and can add a lot to your quality of life by giving you extra options for entertaining.

Another way that a sunroom can add to your home is through resale value. Some home buyers will view a sunroom as an added bonus with searching for their new home, and may increase the amount they're willing to pay for the home accordingly. When constructing a sunroom for your home, you can take comfort in knowing that you can enjoy it for as long as you own the home and likely make some of your money back on that investment later.

If you're looking for a comfortable way to enjoy the outdoors without having to worry about the weather or what kind of critters are flying around your landscape, a sunroom is a great way to do that. And, if you're looking to add something to your home that could help its resale value later, a sunroom is probably a great choice.

Managing Labor and Material Costs of a Sunroom

There are two major factors which contribute in the prices of sunroom one is cost of materials and the other is the cost of labor. Combining these two costs might show a big figure but spending this amount is obviously worthy. Constructing a sunroom in front of your house can increase the beauty of your house and if the area of sunroom is bigger then the beauty of your house increases to a great extent. The cost of building a sunroom is much less than the cost of a building a traditional house that is what attracts more homemakers to build sunrooms. The beauty of sunroom is also more than a traditional room made of mortar and bricks. The shiny glass and windows used in construction of the sunroom helps to attract people at the first sight.

It takes months to build a house made of bricks and it is also difficult to construct and manage. The sunroom is comparatively easy to construct and is constructed in not more than 2 weeks time.

Normally, constructing a sunroom can take not more than a few weeks.

But as the sunroom is constructed you can get lured by the looks of sunroom and ignore the costs of building it. The internal environment of the sunroom gives you a natural feeling, you feel like you are somewhere at your ideal place and taking sunbath. In order to construct a sunroom you need to consider the quality and the cost of the material. If you want your sunroom to be an ideal place for you, you don't have to compromise on the quality of the material used. The first thing you need to do before constructing a sunroom is to make a budget plan according to the prices of the sunroom You should look for the material and labor costs so that you don't have difficulty or budget constraints at the mid of the construction. There isn't any fixed cost for the sunroom but a good quality sunroom with a particular size costs almost similar to everyone. The cost can be variable if the size of the sunroom varies. Material used for construction, drainage, ventilation, style and design can also vary in the cost because of its quality.

If you have budget constraints then you need not to compromise on the quality of the material but on the labor cost. There are sunrooms available which can be fixed by an individual on a do-it-yourself basis. This will cut the labor cost and is the best way to reduce the price of a sunroom There are many do-it-yourself sunroom kits available at the showrooms of leading companies. All you need to do is to choose a design for the sunroom and purchase the material. The flooring system can also contribute in the reduction of the total costs you can purchase a low quality flooring system but this is not the best way. The material used for roof and flooring should be according to the climate and the terrain of your region, otherwise you can suffer during the weather fluctuations.

Four Seasons Sunrooms-Skill and Dedication To Detail Needed

Once you've decided that you'd like to add a sunroom to your home, and ascertained that you can do so as far as the zoning laws of your community are concerned, you'll have to decide if you want to build the sunroom yourself, or if you'll hire a contractor to do it.

Many companies provide do-it-yourself sunroom kits. They have a number of standard sizes and types already pre-built in modular fashion. These do-it-yourself kits are the most inexpensive option of sunroom, because they are mass-produced. The manufacturers are th us able to pass along the savings to their customers.

Just because the kit is mass-produced, it doesn't mean that you won't be able to alter it in any way, although of course making customized requests on certain material will increase the overall price of the sunroom.

Before you purchase your sunroom kit, you'll have to ask the manufacturers a few questions, and provide them with as much information, so that you might get as accurate a quote as possible . You'll want to compare quotes before you decide on which kit to order.

Conducting proper measurements is perhaps the most important process preparatory to ordering your sunroom. If you give the contractors the wrong dimensions, and thus get the wrong material, and put it up and then find that it's not right, it is you who will be out of pocket. So always follow the old adage: measure twice to cut once.

What materials will you want for the frame? A variety of qualities will be available, from the good to the best. Considering how important an investment your home is, chances are you'll want only the best, but if you have to work within a budget there are issues to consider.

What type of windows do you desire? If you're going with an unusual roof - such as the cathedral style or split-level California style, the cost of at least a few of the windows will be that much more than the majority of them. Do you want to be able to open any of these windows, and if so, how many? That also will affect the price.

Apart from the window frame - wood, aluminum or vinyl, the type of glass is important also. Glass comes in all sorts of qualities and glazes, to ensure that just enough light enters the room but not too much, that warm air is allowed in and cold air kept out, and so on. If a high wind has a tendency to blow around the corner of your house you don't want windows that are going to rattle all the time. If it rains a great deal, or even if it rains at all, you don't want windows that will allow leaks around the frame. You'll want windows designed securely so that someone with a screwdriver can't come along and pry them out of the frame.

Sunroom manufacturers will be more than happy to answer your questions on the best materials for your particular sunroom - but it's always a good idea to talk with two or three manufacturers so you can compare the vast range of information given.

Another helpful tool are the websites of these manufacturers. Quite often they'll have the lists of specifications for their glass and their frames, and even design pages to show you what can be done.

Finally, the end result, the kit based on the design you created, will be shipped to your home. The plans needed to built the room, complete with your customizations, will include as well.

Do It Yourself Dangers

Have you ever purchased an intricate model of a ship or a car, intent on building it yourself. Have you worked on the project for all of an hour before deciding that the level of work needed - the care, the precision, the attention to detail - is simply not you?

Believe it or not, many people with no experience in building anything of any kind, believe that they will be able to build their sunroom addition with no problems, and simply with the help of a few friends. Well, if you're a great one for attention to detail, this is perhaps true.

But think about this carefully before you begin the process. You are adding on a room that is costing you a minimum of ten thousand dollars, it's going to affect the tax value of your home, it's going to affect the re-sale value. Do you really have the skill to know that the foundation has been properly poured and will withstand the weight of the new structure? Do you have the skill to ensure that all wiring is done up to code? Do you have the tools necessary to do the job in a professional manner? Perhaps most importantly, if something happens and you or one of your friends get hurt on the job, do you have insurance to cover it?

Designing The Sunroom - Find A Floor That Retains Heat

Converting extra outdoor space into a sunroom adds a characteristic touch to your home and helps increase your home's overall energy efficiency. A form of passive solar heating, sun rooms are designed to absorb solar warmth during the day and distribute that warmth throughout the house at night. The heat collected in sun rooms can flow to the rest of the house via entryways and connective air flows. Because sunroom flooring is often installed over old concrete slabs or preexisting decks, it's best to consult with a certified flooring contractor to avoid issues with unevenness, peeling, or cracking.

When it comes to deciding on a sunroom floor, a number of options are available. Prerequisites for your potential sunroom floor include the ability to withstand many hours of direct or indirect sunlight and extremes in temperature. Because water, dirt, and mud can be tracked indoors through the sunroom, the flooring should endure moisture and be easy to clean.

The most popular flooring choices in the sunroom are tile, hardwood, and laminate floors. Use wood flooring that can easily be used outside. Fading and drying are important considerations with wood and all other types of flooring. Prior to making your decision, consider how a glass roof will affect your floor and decide whether or not your windows will include UV protection. This can affect how quickly carpet will fade and wood will dry.

Like wood, tile can be used quite readily. Dark colored tiles will absorb heat during the day and give it off in the evening. Tile can also resist moisture well and is easy to clean. When installing tile, plywood is generally used as a base to provide support and prevent cracking. Other flooring options, such as brick, stone, or concrete, can increase the thermal mass in the sunroom and improve energy efficiency.

Laminate flooring can imitate the appearance of wood or tile, handle lots traffic, and is easy to clean after spilling or staining. Laminate flooring is increasing in popularity in sunrooms because of its affordability, durability, and ease of maintenance.

While carpeting is another popular choice in the sunroom, one drawback is that it can get dirty easily. However, it installs over existing decks and concrete slabs with relative ease. It is also affordable and for the most part, can withstand the effects of the sun.

If you want to explore alternate flooring options, bamboo and cork are increasing in popularity and have environmental benefits.