Getting Started on a Sunroom Action Plan

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Is a new sunroom addition or pergola on your home horizon this year? If so, you’ll want to get serious about moving your plans out of the daydream stage and getting into the actual designing and planning your space.

Adding outdoor sunrooms, decks and pergolas are the most popular home improvement projects we do each year so our installation schedules are booking up fast for 2016. If you have a specific event or deadline this year, you’ll want find your contractor and get your estimates early this year or you may have to wait longer than you would like.

Getting Down to Brass Tacks

Flipping through glossy design magazines or cruising houzz.com on the internet is a great way to get ideas for home improvement projects. However, once you decide that this is the year to get ‘er done, the sooner you start working with a professional, the better off you will be.

Few things are as frustrating for homeowners than knowing exactly what they want the final product to look like only to find out that their structure or site isn’t suitable for the project. At Home Town Restyling, every sunroom project has a project manager who will walk you through the planning process step-by-step so you’ll know exactly what you can do and how the project will unfold. And even if you can’t have exactly the project the way you saw it on HGTV, an experienced contractor can help you to design something that fits your home (and budget) like a glove.

Goal Setting

Sunrooms come in a variety of styles and sizes but before you even start looking at structures and materials, you should think long and hard about how you plan to use the new space. A designer/project manager will likely prompt you to think about practical considerations that hadn’t occurred to you before.

For instance, the traffic flow and egress from the room will make a big difference in how you build the room. You’ll also need to think about the weight of the room, possible snow load and local building code requirements. With years of experience under their belts, a good project manager can help steer you away from common mistakes in the planning stages.

Location and Site Planning

There are many factors to consider when deciding where to locate your sunroom or deck. Obviously, you’ll want to have some sun exposure – but so much that the room isn’t usable for much of the day. Consider how the structure will affect your landscaping and other outdoor amenities. Your view and privacy may also be affected so consider that as well.

If you are replacing or adding on to an existing structure, a professional will need to assess how your new plans will integrate with the existing foundation, roofline, and exterior of your home. If it doesn’t you may have to tear off some or part of the old and replace it.

These considerations just scratch the surface of a sunroom or deck project. An experienced, reputable contractor can help you with a realistic assessment of your options as well as providing the latest information in trends and materials for your home.

If it’s time to upgrade your outdoor living space or look into adding a new sunroom, you have many decisions to make. For more information, you can download our free eBook, Complete Guide to Sunroom Styles, to get started.