Things to consider in designing and building a quality durable, valuable, livable, sunroom.

Designing and building your new sunroom can be exciting and fun. The results can be enjoyed for many years as well as add to your property value.
There are many steps in the process and here are some guidelines you will want to consider. Some of these may seem like common sense but are vital to the success of any project.
 Choosing a contractor; choose a contractor with experience, a contractors license in good standing, BBB Trade Associations.  Ask for a copy of their license, Workers Compensation Insurance, and Liability insurance (If your contractor is not insured with workers compensation and liability insurance you will be responsible for all the workers safety and you will be responsible for all work that is done). Look for a Class A State license and city business licenses.  Choose a contractor you are comfortable with and you feel you communicate with.
  Look at their work, see results with pictures, in person or contact references. Contract; Always have a specific description of the work that is to be done, the materials to be used, how much it will cost, and how long it will take. Trust; most legitimate contractors will require a portion of the construction cost as a down payment, typical is 20% to 30%, Never pay in full for any work not completed or not completed to your satisfaction.

1. Location: Choose a preferred  location of the new space.
2. Use: What is the room or space to be used for? Will there be furnishings in your new room, be certain you have adequate space? Often it is helpful to use an existing room of your house as a reference of size.
   
3. Envision: Do you want this structure to blend in with the rest of your home or do you want the structure  to make a statement of its own.
4. Floor height: If your home has a crawl space or is raised above the ground, will the new space floor match the existing level or be lower to the ground?
5. Foundations can vary widely, additions can be built on your existing deck or patio (in most cases there will need to be some modifications to meet modern codes). Continuous concrete footing and piers are the base for all above ground additions. Monolithic concrete slabs for on the ground or jut above ground building.
6. Floor structure can be a traditional stick built ( 2x8 or 2x10 framing) with plywood sub floor and  fiberglass  insulation, spray foam insulation, or engineered  structural foam floor systems that are a strong energy efficient structure and insulation all in one.
7. Access the room? is there currently a door to this area or does a new opening need to be framed in an existing wall?
8. Materials:  Sunrooms  can have framing made of strong and versatile aluminum,  formal, efficient Vinyl and warm beautiful natural wood
9. Windows and wall space, back to the furniture question will you need wall space with no windows for tall furniture or a knee wall below the windows for low furniture like tables, chairs and sofas?
10. Roof Design: single/straight eave, cathedral, Both available with a pre-finished structural solid foam roofs or finished with shingles to match existing home shingles or the open outdoors feel of a glass roof, Curved eave designs, elegant  Victorian conservatories, and  Majestic Georgian designs.  Keep in mind all glass and glass roofs are not created equal. If you plan on building a glass Roofed room to use as living space choose a manufacturer that uses glass designed specifically for glass sunroom roofs, Four Seasons Sunrooms roof glass is shaded and made up of 8 different layers that will make your sunroom energy efficient as well as comfortable all year round.
11. Electrical: more and more sunrooms are being used as living space, having adequate electrical outlets and lighting are necessary. If your sunroom  roof height allows, ceiling fan are useful and popular ways to add comforting airflow.
12. HVAC: Sunrooms or any room with two or three outside walls a roof exposed to the temperature and  elements outside will naturally be cooler in the winter and warmer in the summer than the main body of your house for this reason a  thermostat controlling the temperature is needed in the room to keep this exposed room at the desired comfort level. We have repaired and upgraded sun rooms built by lots of different company's,over the years, many of these sun rooms for one reason or another were never heated and cooled or at the least adequately conditioned with a separate system. In visiting these under conditioned rooms the maximum value and enjoyment of  the room is limited by the comfort level. If the room is not comfortable people have a tendency to stay out, as a result  many of these rooms were used for storage and not used as intended. My advise is to invest in a high efficiency (as high as 20 SEER) mini splits.  For a room you are only going to use on occasion install a through the wall "PETAC"( 10.5 SEER)  heating and cooling unit. With adequate HVAC the new room can be used comfortably 24/7 every day of the year.
13. Keep in mind a conditioned space (a room with heat and or AC) is valued as living space. In most cases this conditioned (HVAC) space is a much higher value per square foot than a space without HVAC.
14. Floor coverings: ceramic tile, wood tile, engineered pre-finished wood, carpet, vinyl. and many more choices.
15. The most important thing!  Enjoy your new room addition, enjoy your family and enjoy your friends.

Beautiful Energy Efficient Maintenance Free Living Spaces With Your Budget In Mind Is Our Specialty!

Serving Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Newport News, Hampton, Franklin, Northeastern North Carolina, Virginia's Eastern Shore

Envision-Elchin Inc. Ph. # 757-548-2367