Allowing more natural light into a house and mixing the outdoors with indoor living spaces are two of the strongest trends in home design. So it's no wonder that sunrooms are receiving a warm welcome from homeowners across the United States. Adding a sunroom has become the fifth-most-popular remodeling project, according to the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.
If you're shopping for a glassed-in room today, you'll find the terms conservatory, solarium and sunroom used almost interchangeably. What they all imply, though, is not glassed-in porches or decks livable when the temperature allows, but insulated rooms that are livable year-round.
Sunroom companies will design, build and install the new room. But you're responsible for hiring a contractor to construct a foundation — either a ground-level concrete slab or an elevated foundation to match the rest of your home. Installation means attaching the room to your house. You will also need to hire an electrician for outlets, fans and lighting, and contractors for heating, air conditioning and flooring.
For a room with so much exposure to the sun, don't underestimate the importance of climate-control systems. The power to regulate temperature and humidity inside a sunroom will determine whether it's a cozy addition, or an icebox in winter and a hothouse in summer.
Prices for the sunroom itself range from $15,000 for a simple structure to six figures. Site preparation and installation cost extra. A good rule of thumb is to double the price of the sunroom to arrive at the bottom line.
Four Seasons Sunrooms, www.four-seasons-sunrooms.com, is a nationwide franchise that offers two conservatory options — a Victorian model, with a rounded, faceted exterior, and a squared-off, Georgian style. A typical 156-square-foot room, which has a glass roof and aluminum structure, costs $19,500. That price includes installation. In some markets, franchisees offer vinyl-clad aluminum structures.
Tanglewood Conservatories, www.tanglewoodconservatories.com, is a Maryland-based company that builds custom-designed conservatories made of glass and Honduran mahogany. Average size is about 250 to 300 square feet, and the cost is $100,000 to $150,000.
Town & Country Conservatories, www.townandcountryus.com, a Chicago-based company, imports conservatories made in England. A typical 250-square-foot room made of mahogany and glass costs $70,000. In vinyl-clad aluminum, which is well suited for pool or greenhouse use, the price drops to less than $50,000.
Patio Enclosures, www.patioenclosures.com, is a Macedonia, Ohio-based company with franchises that service most of the United States. A 144-square-foot, greenhouse-style, insulated aluminum solarium with glass ceiling — curved or straight-edged — starts at about $15,000.