When it comes to expanding your home space, there are a lot of ways to go about it. But the final decision relies on factors such as the amount of space available, budget, needs, and preferences. The most common expansion ideas usually revolve around sunrooms and room additions. However, most homeowners cannot differentiate between the two or can’t decide between the them and ask home addition contractors for advice. To help you out, we will discuss both options in detail so that you know what you need for the house and your family.

What Is A Sunroom?

To pick the best option between a sunroom or room addition, you need to learn the difference. In simple words, a sunroom is designed to enjoy the peace and tranquility of nature while being in the comfort of your house. You can say it is like a patio with walls and a roof.

Considering the fact that a sunroom as the term suggests is a room that allows you to enjoy the sun may have cooling or heating systems as well. But, in most cases, homeowners tend to allow natural sunlight to warm up the room. Additionally, sunrooms are also usually made of walls or windows instead of a solid material.

Generally, a sunroom is a separate addition to the main house using sliding or stylish French doors. The purpose of adding a sunroom is to come up with a nice place to relax and spend some time with friends and family members. However, there are advantages and disadvantages attached to it as well.

Pros Of A Sunroom Addition

The biggest advantage attached to sunrooms is that they require minimal energy as they utilize natural light from the sun. If you wish to spend a considerable amount of time inside your future sunroom, you can take it a step further by adding solar panels.

In addition to that, sunrooms are cheaper to build when compared to a room. But, remember the total cost of building a sunroom depends on the design of the project. The more expensive the taste, the more will be the total cost.

Cons Of A Sunroom Addition

While one of the main advantages of sunrooms is energy efficiency, it could easily be a con as well. If you plan on using the sunroom for natural sunlight, your plans might be thwarted by the fact that extreme weather conditions might leave you with little to no sunlight at all.

If it is raining or snowing, there is probably not going to be sunlight. So, if the temperatures were to drop, you would be left out in the freezing cold. Furthermore, if you have neighbors nearby, having a sunroom might not be a good option as it does not provide optimal privacy. To kick back and relax.

Since sunrooms mostly comprise windows, you might want to invest in curtains or blinds to prevent the public from invading your private space while you relax with your loved ones. Plus, sunrooms can also help add value to your house. However, it can also raise property taxes.

If you are transforming an existing room into a sunroom, there may not be any tax raises. However, if you are building an entirely separate room, you will have to pay taxes as well.

What Is a Room Addition?

A room addition as the term suggests is simply a new addition of space to the house. The basic difference between a sunroom and a room addition is that a room addition does not involve working on an existing room. You have to build it from scratch.

Furthermore, a room addition contains all the right amenities that are usually found in regular rooms such as electrical and plumbing systems, etc. If you plan on adding a room to your house, you might have to find out what the local laws state about it.

Some states have different codes and rules that must be followed. However, it is also critical that you consider the pros and cons of adding room to your house before going ahead with the project. Moreover, if it’s condo remodel DC, you should also keep in mind the condo rules and regulations as well.

Pros Of A Room Addition

The best advantage of adding a new room is that you get to have an extra space for whatever your plans or needs are. If you want some space for reading or carrying out your hobbies, you can do that by adding a room. Plus, if your children are growing up and need their space, you can build a new room from scratch.

In addition to that, building a new room creates more space, which attracts more potential customers if you intend to sell the house in the future. In addition to that, it also increases the resale value. And, finally adding a new room means you can design the room in whatever way you have always dreamt of. This can make this home remodeling project more interesting and exciting for many homeowners.

Cons Of A Room Addition

Building a new room requires a lot of time and effort. This holds true even if you hire a company or plan on building it yourself. Depending on your needs and preferences, it might take a few days to months to complete such a project considering several external factors.

Moreover, building a new room from scratch creates a lot of noise and disturbance. This means that if you are living with your family members, you might have to find some other temporary location to stay until the project is completed.

On top of that, adding a new room surely increases the value of the property but also likely increases the property taxes as well. Therefore, it will be wise to get help from an expert before involving any builder. And, always hire a licensed and certified contractor.

You might want to ask around for referrals as hiring an inexperienced team might make things worse even before the project takes off. Pick a team that offers insurance against unexpected damages or complications if something were to go wrong during the building or conversion process.

Should I Add A Sunroom Or A New Room?

You should make the final call based on the purpose they will serve and what you intend to achieve. If you simply want an extra space to spend some relaxing time with your loved ones, you can go for a sunroom. However, if you want a separate space like an office, library, gym, or storage space, you will have to add a new room.

Plus, the decision also rests on the budget you have and how much you want or can spend on it. Building a new room from scratch when compared to converting an existing room will be a lot more expensive. So, make your decision wisely.

Conclusion

Both sunrooms and new rooms tend to offer a fair share of advantages and disadvantages. Sometimes, either of the options might be difficult to opt for considering the circumstances. This is why you should always contact home addition companies McLean to get advice and cost estimates for any kind of home addition or remodeling you want to be done.