Selecting the right kit is essential to the sunroom of your dreams. Make sure that the size fits in all the furniture that you plan to place inside it. The size of the sunroom kits should be such that it compliments with the other rooms of the house. Moreover, it should not look as if it is an extra part of your house protruding outside, but it should appear as an integral part of the room beside which it is placed. The sunroom kit includes a number of items with the help of which even you can build your sunroom yourself. But, before purchasing sunroom kits, there are a few factors that you should consider.
Factors To Consider
One of the chief factors that you should keep at the back of your mind is the foundation of the sunroom. It should compile with the codes of the local building. Consider the climatic condition of your area. If in winter your area freezes, you need a foundation that goes around four feet deep below the frost line. This will ensure that the foundation of the sunroom does not contract and expand with the ground depending on the weather. If the area where you want to build the sunroom is a level land, it is best to place slabs to achieve concrete block foundation sunroom. If you can not do so, you will have to place a framed foundation and top it with footings that are concrete. The walls of the peripheral foundation should be of cement block or concrete.
The second factor to consider is the roof. Other than the roof of the prefabricated and all glass sunroom, the other ones generally have roofs that are framed with the aid of joists of varying spacing, sizes and insulation. You can also give skylight opening on the roofs. Make sure that the glass used in the sunroom complies with the safety codes of local buildings. Usually the windows of the roof and the set skylights meet the requirements of safety system.
The third factor to consider while purchasing the do it yourself sunroom kit is the type of wall that you will need. There are mainly three types - PVC, wood and aluminum. The PVC walls have good insulation and require very little maintenance. They are extremely economical and are available in varying colors. The walls of wood will lend an authentic look to the room and requires frequent maintenance. They are costlier than the PVC ones and can be easily painted or stained. The aluminum sunrooms are almost like the PVC ones but it does not have good insulation capability. They are less expensive than wood and more than the PVC ones.
Contents Of The Sunroom kit
Some of the common contents of the sunroom kit include the foundation material, the wall material, the doors and windows, the roofs, nuts and bolts, ball bearing wheels, panels and more. They include roof glazing, wall glazing, selection of single or double pane types, doors that can be easily fit into any place, aluminum frames with hollow tubes in white and bronze color. They are provided with clear wall glazing to allow maximum amount of light transmission. The panels also have solar guard glazing for reducing heat by the maximum amount. The frames can be purchased according to the design that will suit your house best. The frames in white and bronze can give you a finish of baked enamel. They are available in various sizes. You can opt for the Cathedral type with vaulted ceilings and slanting roofs. The Conservatory style uses numerous glasses in the roof that merge into a single beam. You can give a classic touch to your room by styling it in Victorian and Georgian models. They can also be styled in Straight and Curved forms. The Insulation Factor
A sunroom is built with the aim of providing round the year comfort. But to indulge in daily work or enjoy nature sitting in your sunroom, you need to make the glass enclosed area well insulated. In order to maximize insulation, you need to opt for an insulation material with a higher grade. As far as the studs are concerned, it is best to install larger size studs measuring 2X6 for enhanced insulation. Glazing is an important factor that controls the amount of heat and light in and out of your room. It is best to select a high performance material for glazing which can collect the natural light, block the rays of the sun and retain heat if you need it. Thus, make sure that before you purchase the sunroom kit, you have properly chalked out your requirements according to your budget on the size, style, color, walls, panels, and overall appearance of your sunroom. This simple task will provide you with an all season sunroom that will not only keep your comfortable and cozy, but will also enhance the overall appearance of your house.
Do it yourself sunroom kits are made offered by many different companies. Four seasons sunrooms are one sunroom that you can choose to build on your own. This will save you the labor cost of building your sunroom, which can often cut your cost by half. Do it yourself sunroom kits are packaged to help reduce your cost. They come in a variety of different designs and styles to allow you to find the right one for you. To get a quote for the four seasons sunroom kit that you want, you will have to have measurements for your particular sunroom, the materials that you want to use, and the windows that you want to use. What type of window do you want to choose? Will they open and close or have a special glazing? All of these choices need to be determined before you can get a true quote from the sunroom company. Most sunroom companies can walk you through the design process to help you determine the elements that you need for your sunroom. They may even have a website that can offer you an online design program to help you determine what features you need and want. The kit that you customize to your specifications will be shipped directly to your home, along with easy to follow directions.
Possible Problems With Do It Yourself sunroom kits
Some common problems may occur when you are building a four seasons sunroom. The first problem may come in when the person that plans to build the sunroom is not quite up to the challenge of building a sunroom. It will take quite a bit of time and effort to build one of these four seasons sunrooms. If you are not positive that you can handle this challenge, then you may want to rethink building the sunroom yourself. You will not have a warranty on a sunroom that you build yourself, so you want to keep this fact in mind as well. Most of the time, the materials themselves are covered, but if you do not install them correctly and they malfunction, then it will most likely not be covered under the warranty. Check with your homeowner's policy before you choose to build your own four seasons sunroom, because you may also not be covered if any accidents or other damage occurs to yourself your to someone else. This could end up causing you quite a bit of money in this instance.
Do it yourself:
If you have a construction background, the time, physical ability and permitting knowledge a do it your self project may save you up to 40% of your total sunroom project. A sample of tools you should have access to and understand how to use include but are not limited to the following: a measuring tape, metal break, cordless screw gun, circular saw, level, framing square and caulk gun.
General Contracting:
If you have an understanding of the construction process, time, permitting knowledge and the ability to schedule and coordinate trades, general contracting may save you up to 20% of your sunroom budget.
Turn Key:
Turn key is if you are willing to fully compensate the most qualified sunroom specialist in your geographic area to handle the sunroom project. You should expect top quality, knowledgeable service from the design phase, engineering, permitting, pre-construction meeting, construction process and final walk through.
There are many degrees between general contracting and turn key to explore. If you have strength in an area or would like to take an aspect of the project on yourself consider any savings that may be realized.
Many sunroom companies in order to sell more sunrooms are willing to help increase your probability of success if you decide on a do it yourself or general contracting option. sunroom companies are able to provide engineered plans for the foundation and sunroom that may be required by the building department. The electric can be put on the plans. Some companies will even walk you through the permitting process.
At Colorado Home Additions, LLC, we will provide do it yourself sunroom kits, general contracting assistance and full service turn key sunroom projects. We will constantly evaluate them so that we are sure to provide the best options for our customers.
It is rather easy these days for homeowners to build their own sunrooms, due to the use of modular components, but should a homeowner build their own sunrooms or hire a contractor to build it for them?
You decided to build your sunroom and have checked with your neighborhood association about the building codes and zoning laws in your area, and have been cleared to start your project. This task is fairly easy to accomplish. You can either look your local agency up in the phone book and give them a courtesy call, or go down to the local office where they will be more than happy to assist you in explaining the local zoning laws and building codes, that may or may not affect the construction of your new sunroom. They may even be able to help you find a local contractor, that they have had do business for them in the past, or even give you multiple contractors by printing you out a list of certified contractors that work in that local area that are very proficient in the zoning laws and building codes in your neighborhood. This step could be very beneficial to you in so many way, the more informed you are the better off you stand when it comes time to begin the construction of your new sunroom.
Several companies specialize in the design and construction of sunrooms, and do-it-yourself kits. These kits, which are the least expensive way to build your new sunroom, come already pre built in a modular type fashion, these kits, are also massed produced, which doesn't mean you cannot alter it in any way, customization of your sunroom kit may increase the cost of the sunroom.
When searching to purchase a sunroom kit you are going to want to provide the manufacturer you are dealing with as much information as possible. You want to be able to get the most accurate quote available to you so you are not spending any more money then you have allotted in your budget. The ways to provide the manufacturer with this information is to take accurate measurements, which is the most important part of ordering your sunroom kit. What type of materials are you looking for; there are different types of quality when choosing building material take this in consideration, especially if you are working on a budget. What type of windows would you like to have in your sunroom? What type of roof would you like on your sunroom? Everything should be pre-planned for the most accurate and affordable quote, depending on the material you choose may or may not alter the cost of your sunroom kit. Every aspect of your sunroom is important to you and your contractor. They will be more than happy to assist you in any means necessary.
Explore a variety of manufacturers so you can compare quotes, it is usually common to check with two, or three different contractors to get a general idea what price range you are looking at, when you go to purchase your sunroom kit. Another good source of information is located on the web; you can search different manufacturers and check to see if there is a showroom close to where you live, so you can begin planning your new sunroom.
Once everything is completed and you have placed your order with all your customizations, your new sunroom kit will be mailed to your home ready to be built with full instructions and all your customization done prior to shipping. It is important that once you receive your sunroom kit in the mail to check for complete accuracy of materials before you begin construction. It will be easier to call the company and get them to ship you your missing pieces, then to be half way through your construction and realize that not everything that you ordered was shipped. This may cause problems in construction and time trying to wait for arrival of the missing material.
Do-It-Yourself Dangers
Many homeowners believe that they can build their own sunroom, but have little to no experience building anything themselves. If you are one of these homeowners that think you can build your sunroom yourself, stop, and think for a minute. What guarantees do you have for yourself? Can you afford any mishaps or damaged materials? When your project is finished, will it add value to your home or decrease the value of your home due to poor artisanship? These are the types of things to consider when thinking of building a sunroom or any addition by you.
Manufacturers offer warranties, they are insured and boned; their crews are licensed in their particular craft. If anything goes wrong or breaks, they cover the costs not you and the value of your home will increase. In addition, most manufacturers will have your sunroom built in a matter of a few days so you can begin to enjoy all of its hidden pleasures. Consider these things before you decide to build the sunroom yourself, and then make an informed decision that will benefit you and your home in the end. Do not make a silly decision based on your thoughts of building this sunroom in one weekend with a few of your friends helping you. You could be spelling out disaster, and you do not even know it yet.
If you decide that you will chose, a contractor to build your sunroom for you it is important that you chose a reputable manufacturer, a company that has a solid reputation a company like Betterliving out of New York they have earned a reputation for quality sunroom, patio, conservatory, and awning products since 1946. Your sunroom will be built from the highest quality vinyl, reinforced with aluminum. With color options, which can complement your existing home color nicely? Betterlivings designs contain UL approved wiring systems for your electricity needs. (UL stands for Underwriter Laboratories.) and all, Betterlivings windows have an Energy Star rating, so you can be assured you have quality in your home and your new Betterliving sunroom (Energy Star is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.)
Betterliving has a presence on the web so look them up and visit a dealer near you.
There are also several other manufacturers available to choose from so do your research and find the one that is right for you, remember to research the web, your local paper, and speak with a few people that your or one of your friends or family members know that have recently built an addition to their home you will be surprised how much information you will obtain from just taking time to plan and research before you get this projected started, and by the time you are finished you might even be a subject matter expert on sunroom additions.
Once upon a time, if you wanted to build a sunroom onto your home, you would have to hire and pay a contractor to do it for you. But with the introduction of sunroom kits, that is no longer necessary. You can order a do it yourself sunroom kit from any number of sunroom manufacturing companies, who will then ship to you the elements that are necessary to put the room together. The idea behind sunroom kits is that you should be able to save money on getting your sunroom installed by putting it together yourself. Not only are you providing the labor, but you are also cutting out the 'middle man' in the process of building your sunroom. This allows you to save money on the materials as well. Plus, depending on the do it yourself sunroom kit that you choose, you can also save money on future energy and maintenance costs.
First, understand that the price of a do it yourself sunroom kit will vary depending on your home's particular situation. For example, if you are choosing to build a small, aluminum sunroom on top of an existing deck or cement slab, it will be much less expensive than building a block foundation sunroom with more windows and wood framing. If you have an existing deck or slab, then it makes sense to choose that location for the sunroom because it is already properly graded and prepared. In that case, you can measure the deck or slab and get the proper measurements for ordering your kit. But if you don't have a slab or deck already, then you will need to decide on the proper location for your sunroom. You will also need to grade and prepare the area before you can begin construction. This obviously changes the amount of work that you will be requiring of yourself when installing your do it yourself sunroom kit. Of course, you could always hire a contractor to put in the slab for a block foundation sunroom, and then build the rest of it yourself.
Choosing the Type of Do It Yourself Sunroom Kit
When you are ordering a sunroom kit, realize that it is usually designed for a sunroom that is not going to be connected to your HVAC system. If you want your sunroom to be heated or cooled by your existing system, then that is likely not a project you will want to take on with your do it yourself sunroom kit. Otherwise, you'll be relying on fans and portable heaters or coolers to keep your sunroom comfortable. Depending on the climate where you live, this may be just fine for you.
Getting a Quote for Your Sunroom
Companies that provide do it yourself sunroom kits have a number of standard sizes and types that they are ready to provide for you. These are the least expensive options because they are able to mass produce them and package them at a savings to them, which they will then pass on to you. However, that doesn't mean that you can't find the right kit for you and the design that you have in mind. If you find that the standard kits you can find don't fit the sunroom that you are looking to create, then you can certainly get a custom kit created, but you need to realize that it will cost more to do so. In order to get a quote for the sunroom kit you want to order, you will have to provide them with the measurements that you have selected for the design. This doesn't just include the dimensions of the sunroom itself; it also includes knowing how many windows you will have and where they will be placed. You will then also have to choose the materials that you want the sunroom to be built from, and the types of windows that you want. Will they all be stationary or will they be movable? What kind of glaze will they have on them? If this seems like it's an overwhelming number of decisions to be made, don't worry; you can get a great deal of help from the sunroom manufacturers themselves. Many of them have online design pages that will walk you through all of the choices you will need to make for your custom sunroom kit. The final kit, based on the design that you created, will be shipped to your home and will include customized installation plans as well.
Possible Problems With Do It Yourself Sunroom Kits
Probably the most common problem with a do it yourself sunroom kit is that the person who ordered it is simply not prepared for the type and amount of work that is involved. If you are not absolutely certain that you have the time and know-how to install the kit, you should think twice before attempting it. Also, remember that if you are doing the installation yourself, the work is not going to be covered by a guarantee of some kind. The materials will be, but the actual construction itself will not be. Plus, if you do make an error, any damages to your home may not be covered. In fact, it is a good idea to check with your homeowner's insurance policy before deciding to install your own sunroom so that you know whether or not you are covered for accidents that damage your home or cause injury to yourself or others. Otherwise your 'savings' could quickly become extremely costly if you have an accident.
Adding on a sunroom to your home can definitely be a wonderful choice, since these sunrooms have so much to offer. Of course once you decide that you want to add on a sunroom, you may try to figure out whether you should have a contractor do the work for you or try to do it all yourself. Well, it's a whole lot easier to build your sunroom yourself these days with the great do it yourself sunroom kits that are out there for you to purchase and use. You'll find that they are reasonably priced and come in a variety of different sizes for you to use; however, in some cases you may want to get a custom kit that will meet the specific needs that you have in the sunroom of your dreams.
Precise Measurements are Needed
If you are not planning to go with a standardized do it yourself sunroom kit, you'll need to provide the company with specific measurements of the home. These measurements are important so that you get the kit that you need to suit your home. Also, not only will they need to have the measurements, but you'll need to let them know the criteria that you have for the sunroom that you want. This includes letting them know the style you want, the materials you prefer to use, and more. While it may sound like a lot of information to keep straight, the companies can help you with this process so that you are sure that the kit you purchase is going to be just right for the room that you want and need added on to your home.
There Can Be Problems
Of course it is definitely important to note that when you go with do it yourself kits that you can use to build your own sunroom, there are some problems that can crop out along the way. In some cases when you make the order there can be some misunderstandings that could lead to you getting the wrong kit. Also, you may think that the project is easier than it really is, only to realize about halfway through that you are in over your head. It's important that you realize that the materials that you get in these kits are going to be guaranteed, but since you are doing the job yourself on the construction, problems that are construction related are not going to be covered and you will be liable for anything that happens.
The Savings of Doing it Yourself
While there definitely are some problems that can occur, when you decide to use a do it yourself kit for your sunroom, there are some great benefits as well and one of the main ones is the great savings that you can enjoy when you do it yourself. You'll find that these kits are so much cheaper than having to hire someone to do the job for you. However, you have to consider whether the price savings is worth you having to spend the time working on the sunroom yourself. If you think so, then these kits are a wonderful idea that makes the process much easier for you than having to start from scratch.
