So you’ve decided to add a sunroom to your home. Or maybe not, and you’re in the market for one? Either way, you’re going to want to know how much it’s going to cost you, now and later. That’s what a cost calculator is for. Even the best calculators can’t predict every last variable, so it’s still an estimate – but here at Elite Gutters and Sunrooms, we strive to be the best in the business in that regard. Let’s get on with the calculations, shall we?
Variables For Cost Calculation
There’s multiple variables that affect the cost estimate you’ll receive. Let’s list some here. Total square footage of the prospective space, type of building (addition, remodeling, expanding, etc.), your ZIP code, local labor costs, finishing details, type of sunroom (more on that later), scope of the change (for instance, if you’re doing remodeling, you could do a touch-up or totally strip it down to the foundation to make room for something new), materials used (higher-end materials cost more but look better in the end), local building codes for your area, the exact location of the sunroom in your home, how the sunroom ties into your home in general, and any special touches all affect the eventual cost.
Sunroom Types
When thinking about a sunroom, the type of sunroom you’re getting is one of the higher-priority decisions to make, as that can affect the cost considerably. Sunrooms do add value to your home, so that changes your property taxes and insurance, as well. The various types of sunrooms are screen rooms, integrated sunrooms, three season and four season sunrooms, conservatories, solariums, and curved eave sunrooms. Let’s look at each in turn.
Screen rooms are probably the simplest: rooms with screen in them, allowing sun in and keeping annoying pests out. As would be expected, screen rooms are good for otherwise-open spaces, like porches and balconies.
Integrated sunrooms are part of the existing house, usually built with the same materials that part of the house in question is using.
Three season sunrooms are separated from the main house by an entry door; they’ve got less insulation than other types and aren’t designed to be cooled or heated, instead gaining their temperature from the outside air. Such a sunroom isn’t particularly enjoyable in winter, hence the name.
Four season sunrooms can be used year-round, and unlike three season sunrooms, are designed with cost-effective heating and cooling in mind. You can also add a patio, folding, or French door to one of these.
Conservatories are yet another type of sunroom – they’re mostly used for growing plants, and have a large repertoire of sizes and shapes available. Depending on personal tastes, they may also add elegance to your home. You might have seen some of these in well-known mansions that have become historical sites, such as Biltmore.
Next up, we have solariums: glass-enclosed sunrooms intended for nature views and astronomy, or just wondering at your significance in the universe. The walls and even the roof are all composed of glass. Heating or cooling is also available. Curved eave sunrooms tend to look more graceful than others, so if fashion is a big thing for you, you might want to consider these. They have a glass roof that curves into the walls.
So what does this have to do with the price? Turns out, it has a great deal to do with it. Screen rooms might range from around $5,000 to $25,000. Conservatories, the most variable of the bunch, can range from $18,000 on the lower end of things all the way up to $95,000.
If you’re adding, renovating, or expanding a sunroom because you want to sell your house, a quick touch-up or low-cost but elegant sunroom is likely to be a good investment.
What Should I Expect?
The precise cost of any sunroom depends on what you want done with it and how that’s going to affect the resulting price. There are a few averages, however, to potentially go by. For instance, a sunroom addition may cost $100 to $350 per square foot, on average. Low-end sunrooms may tend more toward an average of $15,000; sunrooms in the middle toward $45,000; and high-end sunrooms toward $80,000. Needless to say, you’ll want to budget appropriately. The national average cost of a sunroom is approximately $45,000, though this varies from year to year. The general living cost of your state can also change the price; if you happen to live somewhere like California’s Bay Area, sunroom costs could go up quite a bit. On the other hand, if you live where general living costs are low, sunrooms might also be lower-cost. Setting aside about 20% of your intended budget in case of unexpected costs is probably a reasonable idea, as well. You wouldn’t want to get a nasty surprise down the line, would you?