How to Add a Sun Room to a Home

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

Rate: (0 Ratings)

A sun room provides an area to read, enjoy a meal and relax in your home while you enjoy the beauty of nature. Your sun room may feature a panoramic view of your backyard or a clear ceiling through with you can enjoy the sun and moon. However, you need to think carefully about the exterior appearance of a sun room before you add one to your home.

Flag Article

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

Building permit from zoning office
Quotes from competing contractors
Windows that allow for lots of light
Sun roof
Roof materials
Furniture
Notated floor plan

Step1

Consult with your city's zoning office to obtain a building permit to add a sun room. You need to indicate that your addition is a sun room, because most cities separate small additions from larger rooms.

Step2

Request quotes from specialized contractors in your community in order to add an affordable yet high-quality sun room to your home. You should look for architectural firms that specialize in cutting-edge porches to build a high-end sun room.

Step3

Buy windows that allow a great deal of natural light to enter your sun room. Choose windows that slide sideways, windows that slide up and down or cranking windows that rotate outward.

Step4

Place double-paned windows along the top of your sun room ceiling to create a great place to catch some sun. You can install a sun roof that allows light to warm the room during the winter season.

Step5

Expand your electrical wiring from the main home to your sun room to allow for a high number of outlets. You should be able to place a television, DVD player and other electronics in your sun room to increase its usefulness and your enjoyment.

Step6

Note the pattern and construction of your home's roof to replicate the same design on your sun room. You need to locate ceiling tiles, gutters and other materials that match the snow-load level of your home to avoid structural problems brought on by excessive rain or blizzards.

Step7

Shop for comfortable furniture that matches the motif of your sun room. You can even move furniture from your home into the sun room if you're working on a tight budget. A quick examination of clearance sales at furniture stores may yield inexpensive additions to your home.

Tips & Warnings

Develop a floor plan that places your sun room in context with the rest of your home. You should select a place in your home that allows for the natural addition of a sun room without harming your interior design. This floor plan should include measurements and notes so that your contractor can make changes on the fly.