For homeowners that are seeking to add space in their home, a great option would be to hire a contractor to construct an additional room that adds a bump-out or extension to the existing footprint of their homes.
The only problem with this is that it can burn a hole in your budget as it can cost you quite a lot of money. A home addition can typically cost more than $100,000 and it is nearly impossible for you to get a customized addition that is below that amount.
This is the reason why many people search for alternatives to create custom room additions. Today, a very popular and trendy alternative method is building a sunroom as part of the main house. A sunroom is usually used as a comfortable supplemental living area but can also be used in various ways depending on what the homeowners want.
So for those who are opting to build a sunroom, here’s what you need to know.
What is a Sunroom?
A sunroom, also known as a solarium, is a space or room in the house that provides abundant daylight and relaxing views of the landscape outside the home. It is usually used as a recreational space where you can do various activities such as relaxing, gathering, socializing, and many more. It is consists of mostly a wall space that is made from thermal glass.
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When it comes to building codes, a sunroom doesn’t need to have electricity or a central heating/cooling service yet most people find this hard to follow. Today, most sunrooms are built with supplemental heating and cooling and have electrical services to make it more comfortable and relaxing to stay inside.
Sunrooms are usually built on floating concrete slabs that include shallow perimeter foundations which are quite similar to those used in garages. Also, sunrooms that have full basements beneath them are very rare.
Stick-Built Addition vs Sunrooms
Stick-Built Additions are defined as any kind of building or structure that is built from scratch. They are often referred to as either house additions, bump-outs, or room additions. They are composed of the regular materials usually needed to construct a home. These include concrete, glass, wood, shingles, and many more.
Unlike sunrooms, this type of Stick-built addition usually includes full basements beneath them to accommodate extra space for storage or extra room space. It also requires an electrical service and HVAC service to make it function effectively. Its space is included to the official square footage of the homeowner’s house.
In contrast, sunrooms are typically cheaper and more affordable. They are also easier and much faster to build compared to full room additions.
How Much Does a Sunroom Cost?
The cost of sunrooms can vary depending on various factors such as their building materials, size, equipment used, and many more. Small sunrooms typically cost around $8,000 while large ones that include a slab-on-grade foundation will cost you about $80,000.
Below is an estimated cost for a 15-by-15-foot sunroom:
- A wooden kit sunroom that is built from standard materials cost around $15,000
- The cost for high-quality aluminum and glass kit sunrooms is around $22,000.
- For those who want a four-season space that includes finished walls, wiring, and heating service, it will cost you around $20,000 to $35,000.
The Elements of a Sunroom
With the advancement of skills by sunroom builders, the elements of a sunroom have been constantly changing and have been continually updated to make room for various improvements. Traditionally, sunrooms don’t have electricity wired inside it. It also does not include any heating or air conditioning.
However, to accommodate the needs and enhance the comfortability of homeowners, these can now be applied as options when building one.
Below are some of the updated elements of a sunroom:
- Electrical service: As mentioned above, a typical sunroom do not need electricity. However, they have become recently popular addition especially when it is custom-built.
- HVAC: An HVAC is also an updated addition to a sunroom. Most recent sunrooms now have central heating and cooling to accommodate comfortability during harsh weather.
- Construction costs: Compared to full room additions, Sunrooms have fewer constructions costs as they typically amount to half the cost of full room additions.