Custom room additions are a great way to get more space in a house. Most people look to get a contractor for said room addition so that the house gets an extension or bump-out. However, bids from general contractors usually lead people to get incredibly stressed over their budget. That’s not weird: custom-built additions can be well over a hundred thousand dollars. The minimum is usually around half that, $50,000-which is quite hefty for many people still.
Alternatives are then sought quickly; one of the most popular ones is the sunroom.
What is a sunroom?
‘Sunroom’ usually has a lot of wall space that’s basically glass, up to 80 percent of it. Building codes usually don’t require central heating or cooling or electricity in sunrooms, but it should be looked into. Supplemental heating and cooling is still possible and sunrooms can absolutely have electrical services.
They’re usually built with shallow perimeter foundations on concrete slabs that are floating. If it sounds like a garage structure, that’s because they have some aspects with similarities.
It’s basically a way to bridge indoor spaces with outdoor ones through a living area that’s basically supplemental. Cost-wise, it’s around half of the usual stick-built addition. This is why so many people prefer this alternative option in particular.
That said, it’s rare to find full basements under sunrooms.
Custom-Built or Prefab Sunrooms
Sunrooms can be custom-built by a general contractor local to the area. This person will not just build but also design the sunroom according to the homeowner’s specifications. They generally have traditional shingle roofing and stud-and-truss framing. The walls, however, are mainly glass. It’s either a matter of windows that are full-length or patio doors.
Modern day sunrooms generally come with prefabricated (often shortened to ‘prefab’) kits nowadays. The framework included is made of fiberglass, steel or aluminium. There are also glass panels across the walls. These sunrooms, prefab, are puzzle-like additions by technicians with the right qualifications. Don’t be fooled by the terms “kit” and “puzzle,” however. They are not a simple DIY (do-it-yourself) project.
Let’s look into the components:
- Construction costs – The construction cost per square foot of a sunroom is far less than the usual room additions that general contractors and subcontractors build. Like mentioned above, $100,000 for full-on additions general contractors and subcontractors gets cut down to $50,000 or so with sunroofs.
- Electrical service – As previously mentioned, it’s usually not a requirement for sunrooms to have electricity. Even the prefab kids can have provisions for electrical services to be added.
- HVAC – Central heating and cooling (HVAC) is generally not required of sunrooms. Custom-built ones generally have fan-driven heaters, electric baseboards or some type of heating. On the other hand, true room additions need a central HVAC service.
Conclusion
Custom room additions are a great way for a home to get more space through an extension. However, many people are generally turned off by the six-figure cost that usually comes with this. A great alternative is getting a sunroom, whose construction costs are far less and come either prefabricated or custom-built.
Trying to find sunroom contractors that can give you a full-room addition alternate? Reach out to Titan Sunrooms! We’re the go-to for Gulf Coast homeowners looking for premier sunrooms, patio covers, screen rooms and more.
