Sunrooms can bring light and life to a home no matter the time of year
Sunrooms offer flexible indoor/outdoor space that can increase the square footage of your home.
Not all sunrooms are equal.
Some sunroom additions can increase the home value by up to half the cost of the addition.
If you’re tired of dodging mosquitoes on hot summer days, a sunroom could be the perfect addition to your home. These light-filled spaces give you the ability to enjoy the outdoors without actually having to go outside. Whether you want to host an event in the sun or cozy up with a book and a full view of nature, sunrooms make it possible to do so without having to worry about a sudden downpour or an unexpected gust of wind. Use this guide to find out if a sunroom and all it has to offer is what’s been missing from your abode.
A sunroom is an extension of a home that’s walled off by either windows or screens and sometimes covered with a glass roof to create a never-ending stream of light. But not all sunrooms are equal.
Versions that aren’t equipped with wiring and heat can only be used during certain seasons, depending on where you live. Others are ideal for year-long use, but also cost more to build. And, of course, it's easy to confuse a sunroom versus solarium—which, while similar, are not often built with the same materials.
Sunrooms offer flexible indoor/outdoor space that can increase the square footage of your home and help you enjoy the sunshine throughout the year. In addition to creating a space that can be enjoyed for years to come, sunroom additions can increase the value of a home by up to half the cost of the addition.
As the name suggests, a three-season sunroom is only usable for three seasons of the year unless you live in a more moderate climate. It’s physically separated from the rest of a house by a sliding glass or French door and isn’t ideal for colder months because it’s not climate-controlled. Three-season sunrooms cost $10,000 to $40,000 on average to build.
Four-season sunrooms are equipped with heating and cooling capabilities and are built a little differently to accommodate these add-ons. They’re usually fitted with knee-high walls rather than floor-to-ceiling windows to allow for proper HVAC duct and wiring installation. Some may also rely on insulated windows to regulate the internal temperature.
Four-season sunrooms are generally more expensive than three-season sunrooms due to the cost of adding HVAC, differing architecture and installation, and insulated windows. Four-season sunrooms cost $25,000 to $80,000 on average.
Sun porches or enclosed porches are among the most affordable sunroom options because they’re exclusively surrounded by screens rather than windows. If you’re trying to decide between a sunroom versus an enclosed porch, know that transforming your preexisting porch is a relatively easy project to do yourself.
Sun porches cost $2,000 to $2,800 on average. While a sun porch is more specific than a sunroom, you'll find plenty of screened-in sun porch ideas to make the space your own.
Though many use the terms sunroom and conservatory interchangeably, there’s actually a difference between the two. Conservatories were originally intended to be used as greenhouses and are covered with glass ceilings to let as much light and heat in as possible. They can also get a bit stuffy in the summer for this same reason—great for plants but not so much for people.
Conservatories can range in cost a great deal depending on the size, architecture, and material choices. Conservatories cost between $5,000 and $80,000 on average.
You can truly let your creativity run free when considering all the sunroom ideas out there. Versatility is truly one of the top reasons to consider this type of home addition. However, it's important to know the downsides before building.
Morning cups of coffee, long nights chatting in the summer, and endless days hanging with friends—there's no question that adding a sunroom enhances how you use your home. Here are a few additional perks to consider:
May increase home value by adding more square footage and indoor/outdoor space
Offers a bug-free outdoor dining and hosting area
Increases the amount of natural light in your home's indoor space
Room can double as a dining area, children's play space, or entertainment room
Typically cost less than the price of other home additions
On the other hand, don't be fooled by a sunroom's seemingly simple construction. The building process can be lengthy and quite the investment. Here are some cons of building a sunroom to consider:
On average, the cost of a sunroom ranges from $21,000–$73,000.
Four-season sunrooms require additional insulation and HVAC access, raising the total cost.
Three-season sunrooms are not usable for a full quarter of a year.
The room will impede on outdoor space in your yard.
With greater exposure to the elements, the room is more prone to changes in temperature, leaks, and storm damage.
With all the sunroom styles available, it can be difficult to determine which is the best fit for you. As you consider your options, ask yourself the following questions.
The budget typically plays a major role in determining what sort of project homeowners choose to complete. Sun porches are generally the lowest-cost option for a sunroom, while four-season rooms (or some high-end conservatories) are the most expensive.
Building a sunroom on a budget often comes down to its size, the type of finishes you choose, and whether you opt for a prefab sunroom structure or a custom-built design.
It’s important to consider how you plan to use the space before you decide what style of sunroom is for you. If you plan to use the space year-round as an extra office space, playroom, or dining room, a four-seasons room is likely ideal.
If you plan to use the space for entertaining or as a true bonus room and are comfortable using it less during the cooler months, a three-seasons room is likely a good option. If you’ll use the space for gardening, a conservatory is your best option.
The climate of your area will likely play a part in your decision of what style of sunroom is for you. If you live in an area with a long winter, you’ll likely want a four-season room, since you won’t be able to use a sun porch or three-seasons room for long stretches. If you live in a particularly hot or humid climate, a conservatory might get quite uncomfortable during the summer months.
If you’re adding a sunroom onto your home, you’ll likely want to think about what style matches well with your existing home design. A lower-cost sun porch likely won’t look natural when added to a high-end custom home, while a conservatory won’t make visual sense in a new-build neighborhood with limited backyard privacy.
In addition to being available in a range of styles, you can customize sunrooms to add a variety of features that tailor the space to your exact taste and needs.
Adding a fireplace to your sunroom build can help the space feel cozy and comfortable all year long. A wood-burning fireplace will work to heat your room during the winter months as well as provide ambiance when the view outside is gray or dreary. Gas fireplaces don’t usually produce as much heat but are often sleek and ideal for smaller spaces.
A wet bar can elevate your sunroom and make entertaining easy. It takes up minimal square footage and has the power to add style and class to your space, as well as make it easier to serve guests (or enjoy the space yourself) without ever stepping foot outside of your sunroom.
Privacy shades can be helpful on particularly sunny days when you want to keep the sun out of your eyes or if you live in a more populated area and want to shade yourself from your neighbors’ view. Privacy shades vary in style and price point, from custom full panel curtains to automatic smart shades you can set to raise and lower at different points during the day.
Adding a mounted television or smart speaker system to your sunroom is a common, relatively simple customization that can help set the tone for using the space in a variety of ways. You can add smart speaker entertainment systems when you build your sunroom or later as a simple add-on.
A sunroom can be an excellent choice if you’re interested in adding flexible space to your home. Sunrooms are a good fit for homeowners who:
Appreciate light, airy spaces
Have a budget that allows for the type of sunroom they’re interested in
Live in a neighborhood that does not have a homeowners association (HOA) or has an HOA that allows sunroom additions
Enjoys spending time in indoor/outdoor spaces year-round
If you’re considering building a sunroom, you’ll want to design a room that meets your exact needs. As you work with your builder or architect, consider the following:
How many electric outlets will you want, and where will you place them?
What sort of light fixtures and fan do you want?
Are there any custom features that will allow you to use the space exactly as you desire?
Do you plan to incorporate living plants into your design?
Does your architect or builder have the expertise to create the sunroom you want?
There is no right or wrong location to build a sunroom, though you’ll want to be thoughtful about how you plan to use the space. However, a westward-facing sunroom is likely the least common because westerly sun is often intense. If you’re a morning person, a sunroom built on the eastward-facing side of the home will allow you to enjoy the morning light each day.
A sunroom placed on the south- or north-facing side of the home avoids direct sun exposure throughout the day, but will generally be light and bright all day. Sunrooms built on the west-facing side of the home may have nice golden light during the afternoon and sunset hours but will not have the traditionally bright and sunny feel of a sunroom throughout the day.
Because sunrooms are built with lots of windows, privacy is often a concern for homeowners, and many prefer to build their sunroom on the back of the home rather than on the sides or front.
Whether it’s a good idea to learn how to build a sunroom yourself will depend on how much work is involved. If you need to build a complete structure from the ground up, recruiting a pro will ensure the job is completed properly.
On the other hand, experienced DIYers may be able to assemble a prefabricated kit for as little as $500 in tools and supplies—much less than the $5,000 to $25,000 it’ll cost to hire a local sunroom contractor. At the end of the day, adding screens to a preexisting porch will be the least-expensive and easiest option for most homeowners.
Julia Pelly contributed to this piece.
A sunroom offers an additional indoor space to rest, dine, or host guests, all while inviting in as much sun as possible. Either built like an enclosed porch or a fully insulated home extension, a sunroom typically features floor-to-ceiling windows that create an open, bright design while still remaining protected from the outdoors.
Yes, sunrooms can count as a living space—and therefore count toward your home's square footage—if they are properly insulated and equipped with electrical and HVAC access. However, in many cases, three-season sunrooms that function more as enclosed porches will not get included in the square footage count and fall into the exterior living space category.
Yes, sunrooms often add some value to a home, but the amount will depend on the design of the sunroom itself. Fully insulated four-season sunrooms, for example, include enough protection from changing weather that they will get included in the total size of the home. If they are not included, they may add value—albeit a bit less—simply due to increasing curb appeal and overall outdoor features.
