A new year calls for a new look in your home. After being cooped up with the in-laws over the holidays, consider adding space and functionality with a three- or four-season sunroom.
A sunroom can transform a home, adding a bright, casual space to gather. These glass-enclosed transitional spaces offer a connection to the outdoors, letting in tons of natural light while also protecting you from the elements of nature you don’t want.
These flexible bonus spaces can be used for anything, like a home office, playroom, lounge, art studio, or music room.
Available in traditional and contemporary designs, sunrooms can be purchased as kits or prefab units, or they can be custom-built in many sizes, shapes, and materials, including aluminum, vinyl, fiberglass, or natural wood. Typically, these glassed-in living spaces are attached to a house and can be made accessible from inside.
Most homes can be a good candidate for a sunroom, especially if the side of the home that works best gets good natural light in the morning or throughout the day.
Sunrooms are generally either three-season or four-season rooms. Three-season sunrooms usually aren’t insulated or hooked up to your home’s HVAC system, so if you live in a cold climate, you probably won’t be using this space during winter months. In warmer climates, however, three-season sunrooms can often be used year-round.
Four-season sunrooms have more insulation and heavy-duty, double-paned glass, so they can be enjoyed year-round, wherever you live. These spaces, which are often built on floating concrete slabs with a foundation, are generally considered a true extension of the main house. Often, 2-foot-high knee walls are installed to accommodate electrical outlets and baseboard heaters.
When getting estimates on the cost of adding such a room, don’t forget to factor in added expenses such as a possible increase in your property taxes, insurance rate, and extra utility expenses if you opt for a four-season sunroom.
But on the flip side, sunrooms can boost a property’s value, because having a bonus space appeals to many buyers.
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