What’s the Best Size for a Sunroom (2024)

FAQs

What is a nice size for a sunroom? ›

An 18-by-18-foot space should be roomy enough for a large couch, recliner, armchair, coffee table, television stand, and an end table. These dimensions are also a good fit for 42-inch television screens. For bigger screens, consider an 18-by-20-foot room or larger.

That means inspecting your property for potential locations that can accommodate the sunroom sizes—usually ranging between 10' x 12' and 16' x 24'. Typically, a sunroom addition is installed on the first floor of the home, near the kitchen or lounge, for optimal sunlight use during the day.

We define a medium size sunroom as one that is around 224 square feet. This is 14'x16′ which is roughly the size of a master bedroom. This size room is great for entertaining. It can comfortable hold 6-8 people for a social gathering or sit down dinner.

On average, it costs between $150 and $300 per square foot to build a sunroom. The price depends on a number of factors, including the type of sunroom you're building.

Four Season Rooms

If you are looking to add year-round living space to your home, a four season room is the best option for you. These rooms are manufactured with thermal breaks throughout the structure and double-pane, high-performance Comfort-Gard® insulated glass, so you can heat and cool your room cost-effectively.

When you place your home on the market after installing a sunroom, you'll find that your home gets more attention than comparable homes without a sunroom. By increasing the living space of your home, you make its overall value go up proportionally, typically by around 4 – 6%.

Sunrooms allow you to enjoy the benefits of being outdoors, such as open views and gorgeous natural light, without experiencing the downsides. Avoid the rain, snow, heat, cold and bugs while you're sitting inside your sunroom. It's the perfect compromise for nature lovers who want some protection from the elements.

A sunroom can appear as a cheaper alternative to a full-room addition. While that can be true, it certainly will not have the same return on investment as a full-room addition. Sunrooms usually don't get included in a home's square footage total, which appraisers use to help determine home values.

Cost: Versus standard room additions, sunrooms simply cost less. Unless the sunroom is very large and has many high-end features, a standard all-season sunroom can cost thousands of dollars less than a room addition.

How long does it take to build a sunroom? ›

The amount of time to build a new sunroom for your home is typically quick — with completion times ranging from two to four weeks — but there are several factors that determine how long you'll have to wait before being able to relax in your new living space.

On average, expect to pay between $150 and $300 per square foot for sunroom costs. A small 8-foot by 10-foot sunroom costs around $4,000 to $6,000, but a 12-foot by 20-foot sunroom might average around $20,000.

In order for a sunroom to be considered living space, it needs to meet certain criteria. First, it needs to be enclosed and covered. This means that the sunroom cannot be open to the elements or have any openings that would let in the rain, snow, or wind.

Do you need planning permission for a sunroom? Before the installation can begin, you might be wondering if you need to get planning permission for your sunroom. As a general rule, you won't need planning for a sunroom as long as it meets specific criteria, such as not being taller than the existing property.

Even when the temperature outside the sunroom is not very high, if the sunroom has inadequate airflow, it is going to get hot. Without sufficient circulation, hot air is going to be trapped inside the room. This makes the space both uncomfortable and unhealthy.

Costs of a Screened Porch or Sunroom Addition

Sunrooms are by far the more expensive option. The cost of a sunroom addition varies greatly depending on the square footage, materials used and house specifications.

The biggest difference between these two types of season rooms is the level of usage you will experience. A four-season room can be utilized all year long, while a three-season room does not have the same capacity to be heated and cooled and is, therefore, not usable space in too warm and too cold of climates.

Benefits of a Sunroom Addition

The room provides more living space for the residents and most homeowners will see an increase of the home's value by about half the cost of the addition.

For the majority of homeowners, sunrooms on the south side of the home will provide better heat and light throughout the year. South-facing rooms will absorb more heat and light, even in colder winter months, and many homeowners prefer the extra warmth these rooms provide.

The best sunroom heating method is radiant floor heating. Most sunroom heating solutions only work when the weather permits, while radiant heating works all the time, no matter how cold it gets outside. Plus, the installation process is much more straightforward than you might think.

How long do sunrooms last? ›

Sunroom Lifespans

That can be anywhere from 10 years through to 50 or even more. While this doesn't mean that you're entitled to upgrades or new technologies, it does mean that if there are any issues with your sunroom in that time, they will be put right at no extra cost to you.

Kitchen remodels: Kitchens are easily one of the most important rooms in a home, so it's no surprise people value a smart, modernized space, says Fisher. On average, kitchen remodels lead to a 72 percent ROI. The average cost of a kitchen remodel is between $25,000 and $40,000.

A full room addition, also known as a stick-built room, is an added room made from traditional building materials. Unlike sunrooms, which mostly consist of glass panes, a room addition requires a foundation, traditional doors and windows and interior and exterior finishes.

Having proper ventilation in your sunroom is one of the most important aspects in creating comfort. Along with cozy furnishings and a beautiful view, being able to create proper air flow will greatly aid in creating a relaxing and peaceful environment.

The difference is that a screened porch will let air pass through the room, giving you the feeling of being outdoors while keeping out the bugs. A sunroom is a roofed structure that is glass enclosed. A sunroom is more like your living room with a better view.

By the numbers, some real estate experts say the average return on investment for a sunroom addition is about 60 percent. When you consider that alone, you might be asking yourself why you haven't already gotten it started. Here are some of the ways it adds value to your home.

LivingSpace Sunrooms offers walls, floors, and roofs with R-values ranging between R-24 and R-52. Consequently, a LivingSpace sunroom is able to withstand the most inclimate weather.

It almost always takes an architect to get it right. Consider salvaged materials - A sunroom is going to have a lot of windows and while you may want the sizes and styles to match those in the existing home, the units themselves should be constructed to meet modern energy efficiency standards.

Can you build a sunroom on an existing concrete patio? ›

It is possible to build a sunroom on an existing concrete patio, though there are some important considerations to keep in mind when doing so. These include ensuring that your patio is strong and level enough to support the weight of your sunroom, as well as verifying that your structure has proper drainage in place.

Three-season sunrooms are generally used spring through fall, whereas all-season sunrooms are used year-round. All-season sunrooms are more expensive, but add value to the home. Both three-season and all-season sunrooms can be constructed to match the look and style of the home.

The optimal season to consult with a sunroom installation company and begin designing your ideal sunroom is during the late fall or winter season.

Most sunrooms are traditionally designed to be used in the summer when the sun is brightest, and the weather is warm. It is sad when the summer season is over, though, and you have to stop using your sunroom. Is it possible to make your sunroom a space you can enjoy all year? Fortunately, the answer is yes!

Sunrooms can create a charming and livable bedroom space, but they significantly differ from standard lodgings. To turn your sunroom into a bedroom, you can optimize your space by keeping a variety of crucial elements in mind when making furnishing and decorating decisions.

Depending upon their size, the kind of materials they are fabricated from, and the methods used in their construction, sunrooms can be erected on three different foundation types: a preexisting deck, a poured concrete slab, and a crawl space.

Sunrooms feature tempered glass in the windows because it's safer and stronger than standard glass. Double pane glass with Low-E coating helps insulate a sunroom, especially if the space between the panes is filled with gas.

Prefabricated or 'Prefab' Sunrooms

Your sunroom is designed to your specifications and constructed completely in a factory, then deconstructed into easy to move pieces and shipped to your home. This type of construction generally allows for more glass and window visibility.

But there is one main reason why going this route will cause problems. Placing furniture in a sunroom means exposing it to constant sunlight during the day. This long exposure can damage furniture that is meant for the shaded indoors rather than designed to withstand the elements.

Sunroom: This type of room (also called a solarium or conservatory) is a glassed-in living space typically attached to the house and accessible from indoors. It's designed to function as an additional living area during mild weather.

What is a Florida room vs sunroom? ›

Today when people refer to a Florida room, they generally just mean a sunroom—either a three-season sunroom or all-season one. And they are not limited to Florida.

An 18-by-18-foot space should be roomy enough for a large couch, recliner, armchair, coffee table, television stand, and an end table. These dimensions are also a good fit for 42-inch television screens. For bigger screens, consider an 18-by-20-foot room or larger.

While many sources advise outdoorsy type furniture, you needn't be constrained. Most types of furniture can be used. If you like the idea of bringing the outdoors inside, wrought iron, wicker and rattan are popular choices for sunrooms.

Although there are usually fixed windows in both four- or three-season sunrooms, they also have windows that can open and close to provide cross ventilation and fresh air.

Even the highest quality floor-to-ceiling windows can't completely safeguard a sunroom from overheating. Therefore, curtains or shades are must-haves for the times it gets too warm. To keep it light and airy, opt for something like bamboo shades, linen curtains, or sheers.

Even the best sunrooms can get cold in a place with frigid winters, so homeowners in northern latitudes might not be able to use their sunrooms year-round, especially if they opt for a less-insulated three-season room.

A sunroom can appear as a cheaper alternative to a full-room addition. While that can be true, it certainly will not have the same return on investment as a full-room addition. Sunrooms usually don't get included in a home's square footage total, which appraisers use to help determine home values.

Most SunSpaces sunrooms can be installed without a foundation.

On average, expect to pay between $150 and $300 per square foot for sunroom costs. A small 8-foot by 10-foot sunroom costs around $4,000 to $6,000, but a 12-foot by 20-foot sunroom might average around $20,000.

How long does a sunroom take to build? ›

The amount of time to build a new sunroom for your home is typically quick — with completion times ranging from two to four weeks — but there are several factors that determine how long you'll have to wait before being able to relax in your new living space.

Consider Your Space

For example, if your sunroom is on the narrower side, you might want to purchase a twin-sized bed or a daybed rather than a queen-sized mattress to maximize space. If your sunroom is larger, you can add bulkier pieces such as vanities, desks or wardrobes.

A room that's too cold or too warm is not conducive for sleeping. A four-season sunroom, on the other hand, is fully climate controlled by your home's HVAC unit, so keeping guests comfortable no matter what time of year they visit shouldn't be a problem.