When choosing a sunroom, you should ensure that the company stands behind not only their products but installation as well. A dealer who uses factory trained employees as opposed to subcontractors is a better choice and the manufacturer should include a warranty to cover parts. Your warranty is only as good as the company that offers the product. You should be able to count on the manufacturer of your sunroom to be in business should you ever have need of the service warranty. You can visit the website of the manufacturer to see what the warranties cover in most cases and determine how long they have been in business, their agreement with your specific dealer and how long that relationship has been intact. A strong and long enduring relationship between the dealer and the manufacturer helps to guarantee you much better service.

If you are using a contractor for your sunroom, ask if there is a showroom available where you can see models that the company has built. Some contractors may be able to show you homes where they have installed sunrooms. This allows you to see a bit of their past work and gives you the opportunity to speak with other homeowners to see if they were happy with the contractor.

Doing a comparison is important. When comparing, think about both value and cost. While you certainly do not want to pay more than you have to for your sunroom, it is important that you do not choose the cheapest contractor simply because they offer the lowest cost. You have to consider the quality of the room that you will be adding to your home. Most sunroom contractors will offer a no obligation consultation for free. This gives them the opportunity to offer a pricing quote for building your sunroom. Beware of gaining pricing quotes or estimates over the phone as this does not give the contractor the ability to truly judge just how much your sunroom will cost. The only way that you can truly know what your sunroom will cost is to schedule an appointment to compare value and cost with each contractor that you consider.

Find out what type of insurances the company has in place. Worker’s Compensation is often an expensive insurance for contractors to purchase but without it, they may simply hire subcontractors who do not have insurance at all. If one of these workers is injured while working on your property, you could be held liable.

Find out if the company offers UL approval and Energy Star products. If your sunroom will be designed to accommodate comfortable temperatures throughout the year it is essential that any products used in its design are Energy Star approved. All windows and doors should bear this approval in order to help you to keep your energy costs down once your sunroom is completed.

Roller wheels are an excellent choice on doors and windows. The rollers in these products help to ensure smooth operation for many years. Find out if window rollers are the same quality and size as door rollers. The best system for heavy doors and windows is steel rollers on stainless steel tracks. Rollers need to be adjustable and should be covered under your warranty. Be certain that the frame is sturdy and well-built. There are a number of sunroom and patio doors and windows that use a roll formed aluminum frame. These frames are not nearly as strong as extruded frames and can cause your sunroom to give out long before its time. Frames have to be high quality and strong in order to last for many years and bear the constant use of doors and windows in the sunroom.

The handles on your windows and doors need to be high quality as well. They should be easy for you to use but offer strength. When visiting the demonstration model, take the time to try out all of the door and window handles to check their strength and durability.

Screen material is typically nylon or fiberglass. These materials however are easily stretched and can be burned or torn easily as well. The screens that you use should be free from glare in order to keep sunlight from being a burden when you are sitting in the sunroom. Flat black aluminum is a good material for sunroom screens as it lasts much longer than nylon or fiberglass and deters glare from sunlight. Aluminum screens are designed to be durable and will not burn, tear or stretch. They require replacement much less regularly than other materials and are often the most attractive choice for sunroom windows and doors.

When you choose a contractor you have to know who will be on your property working on your sunroom. Find out if subcontractors are typically used by this company and which specific part of the work these subcontractors will be performing. If they are used, make sure that they are fully insured and that the sunroom company you hire stands behind the quality of their work.

Getting the right permits and inspections is essential. Find out first what permits are required for building in your area and how those permits will be processed. Also find out who schedules the inspections for building and when those inspections are scheduled.

You have to carefully consider the floor channel when adding a sunroom to your home. Most sunroom floor channels are either attached to the foundation or to a deck. Water can easily collect in a channel that is flat. You want a floor channel that has a slope toward the sunrooms outside. If water does get inside it will flow toward the front of your sunroom and not simply sit in the channel or worse, back up into the sunroom itself. The floor channel should be thoroughly sealed in order to prevent water from seeping under it. You should also ensure that the same type of channel is used under the main frames of the windows.

Weep holes are another consideration in controlling water in your sunroom. These are elongated holes that the factor pre-punches to prevent water from clogging. Weep holes that are drilled in the factory are more favorable than those drilled onsite because drilling can be better controlled in the factory. Drilling through the aluminum onsite can cause dirt to clog the holes.

Find out from the sunroom contractor what types of house gutters are used and look for an aluminum gutter that is extruded and fits into the roof when finished. Extruded gutters are more durable than standard gutters and can be purchased to perfectly match your sunroom roof.

Finally, find out what warranties are available and how long they last. You want to know what type of manufacturer’s warranty is available and who stands behind this warranty.

It is important that you place more emphasis on the quality of work that a contractor offers as opposed to cost and completion time. You want to be certain that you choose a contractor that you can trust to provide you with quality work. A bid that seems ridiculously low should send up a red flag. Remember that you get what you pay for and since a sunroom is an addition to your home, it is important that you get the highest possible quality.

Any contractor that you use should be licensed and insured. Ask about their membership in any local or national remodeling and/or homebuilder’s associations. Find out how long the company has been in operation. An established company with many years of business history is typically the best choice.

The contractor should readily answer any question that you may have and make it easier for you to make an informed decision. If you have concerns about a particular contractor you can check with your local BBB or Better Business Bureau to see if any complaints have been filed against this company.

If there is a showroom available from a contractor, go and take a look at other projects that they have done. You can look at the quality of their craftsmanship as well as the quality of the materials that they use. When it comes to cost, you should receive an accurate quote that includes everything with no hidden costs. Estimates are often not the best way to go. An estimate can be fine for determining the approximate cost of a project but when it comes to hiring a contractor, you want to be sure that you get a fixed pricing quote.

A professional contractor will have his own crew that will be used to install your sunroom. The project should be supervised by a foreman or the contractor himself and there should be a process in place to provide you with instant notification if a change or delay is found. The building permit and final inspection should be taken care of by your contractor but it is up to you to ensure that the permit is actually provided. Keep in mind that if you do not have a valid building permit when you add the sunroom, you could have difficulties down the road should you ever decide to sell your home with the sunroom installed.

A thorough walkthrough inspection should be provided to you when the project is completed. Check to ensure that a warranty is offered for materials and that your satisfaction is guaranteed.

There are a number of options when it comes to heating and cooling a sunroom. For sunrooms that are attached to your home, you can simply integrate your current heating and cooling system into the sunroom. You just need to run the duct work from your home into the sunroom. This enables you to easily control the temperature of your sunroom and keep it the same temperature as the remainder of your home. You can even install a separate thermostat so that you can specifically control temperatures within the sunroom. You just have to ensure that your current heating and cooling system is powerful enough to add this extra square footage without causing problems. Adding additional duct fans will allow air to heat and cool the room efficiently.

If you prefer a bit more control for the temperatures in your sunroom or if your sunroom is not attached to your home then you can have an independent system installed. Baseboard or radiant heating units that use electricity to run are good choices for independent heating. For cooling, you can add a window air conditioner and adding ceiling fans will help to circulate both cool and warm air to help keep the temperatures comfortable at all times.

You can speak with an experienced heating and cooling contractor to learn more about your options when it comes to effectively and efficiently heating and cooling a sunroom. Adding the right options will allow you to enjoy your sunroom all year through.

1. How much size do you have available? This is an important question to consider when choosing between a sunroom and a gazebo. Most manufacturers offer three different sizes; small, medium and large. The smaller sizes typically run about 7.5 by 6.5 feet. The medium or family size normally runs around 11 by 9.5 feet and the larger or grand size runs approximately 18 by 15.5 feet. You have to keep these measurements in mind when choosing the structure that will work best on your home. A gazebo offers a bit of an advantage because they are a bit more size flexible and you can have a gazebo shaped virtually any way you want because it is not attached to your home. Sunrooms are a bit limited with regards to size so this may have a bearing on which room is best for your needs.
2. You have to consider whether or not you need the structure attached to your home. If you want to be able to walk into your relaxing place, particularly during the cold winter months, without having to first walk outside then a sunroom is the better choice. Sunrooms also give you the opportunity to enjoy your area without having to walk through rain or snow and without worrying about insects during the warmer months. Gazebos expose you to the outdoors entirely so if you want an area that is a bit closed off from the outdoors while still enabling you to enjoy those outdoors, sunrooms have the advantage.
3. Finally, you have to think about what each room will cost. Gazebos cost less than sunrooms as a general rule. The one thing that drives up the cost of a sunroom the most is the fact that it has to be attached to your home. Because of this, you have to have a special foundation laid so that the sunroom can be properly attached without causing damage to your home’s structure and without worries of the room shifting in the future. Sunrooms also cost a bit more because they have windows whereas gazebos are virtually unenclosed. Sunrooms allow natural light into the room while protecting you from the elements. Gazebos do not have windows as a general rule and have more screens than sunrooms although there are a few gazebo designs that do incorporate windows although these are much more costly.

Making the choice between a gazebo and sunroom will simply come down to what you can afford and what you want. Sunrooms allow you to sit and enjoy the sunlight without worries of weather elements while gazebos are often the least expensive option.

1. You have to know how much you can afford to spend. Setting a budget is the first step in selecting the right sunroom for your home. You need to determine if financing will be needed and how you are going to provide that financing. Setting your budget and getting financing in place is essential before you begin choosing the sunroom that you want and long before you begin construction.
2. Find the “true south” location in your home. This is not the south that you will see indicated by a compass. True south can be found by hanging a plumb bob on the corner of the house and following the direction of the shadow at the precise midpoint of a day between sunrise and sunset. If you ensure that your sunroom is aligned with the true south, you can enjoy the optimal lighting and heating potential of the room.
3.  Determine where your sunroom will be installed. Keeping in mind that you want it as close as possible to the true south position, you also have to ensure that you are installing your sunroom in a location that will be used and in one that offers the least impact on your home’s structure. You may be faced with the choice of installing it in the best true south position or installing it in an area that best suits your specific needs.
4.  You should ensure that you have contacted your local zoning board to inquire about any permits that are required. You can learn more about specific zoning laws and building codes to see what you need before you begin construction.
5. Think about what specific features you want in your new sunroom. When choosing features, you should also determine the size of the room that you want, how you are planning to access your sunroom from your home and various design aspects like the type of flooring you desire, how you want to heat and cool the sunroom and other elements of design. When choosing the heating and cooling process, keep in mind that the specific system you use for heating and cooling will have a major impact on the cost of building your sunroom as well as keeping it comfortable in the future. Stone or tile are good choices for flooring as they capture the energy of the sun to provide heating. Thermal glass is also a good idea and adding ceiling fans and a few vents will allow you to easily cool the room without having to add venting from your primary heating and cooling system. Think about what types of windows and doors that you want. French or sliding doors placed on the wall between the sunroom and your home allow you to ventilate it easily during the summer when temperatures are higher. Glass windows tend to trap more heat energy so these are better choices than plastic and will allow you to keep the room warmer during the winter months. Also, skylights can help you to ventilate the room and allow additional sunlight in.
6. Finally, begin your design planning when you have the other elements worked out. You can use computer assisted design programs to help determine what size and shape of sunroom will work best as well as where it will easily fit into your home’s overall design. Software programs can also create the specific design plans that your contractor will need when building your sunroom. You could also hire an architect to draw up unique designs for your sunroom. The architect can use your own desires and ideas and incorporate them into a design that the contractor can use to build the room. Fees will vary depending on the architect and likely the complexity of your design. The software program is a much less expensive option but using an architect can ensure that the building process runs a bit smoother.

First, you will need to determine whether you can build the room yourself or if you will need to have professional installation. If you are planning to have a contractor build the room for you, you may not need a kit. Contractors can typically build a sunroom easily without the assistance of a pre-manufactured kit so check with your contractor to see what option is best for you. If you are planning to build it yourself, keep in mind that you must do so properly to prevent losing energy and lowering the value of your property. If you know that you can install the kit properly, you still have to ensure that you choose the right sunroom kit for your unique needs. These kits are available in a wide range of sizes and shapes so it is essential that you spend a bit of time researching your options before you buy.

Next, you will need to think about where you want your sunroom kit installed. If you do not choose the right location, you may find your energy bills skyrocketing during the winter. Of course, if you install it in an area that gets maximum sunlight, it may become too hot to enjoy during the summer. You want to be able to enjoy your sunroom throughout every season so do a bit of research to determine which area of your home is the best choice for installation.

Finally, you need to consider the actual type of sunroom kit you want. There are a number of options with basic kits offering plastic windows and aluminum frames. These kits are very easy to install and typically convert into a screen porch for warmer weather. There are a number of kits that offer more than just the basics as well and all of them will arrive at your home ready to install. Think about your options and ensure that you select the right sunroom kit for your home and your sunlight enjoyment.

It’s all going to come down to the quality of your materials, and the company creating a new sunroom or patio. The ideal choice is a company that only uses the best materials in the industry. After all, this is an extension of your home! A big investment like this shouldn’t come with a lot of problems. In order to find the right match, it’s a good idea to know the common uses of a sunroom:

* Ability to use your deck without weather interference.
* Adds extra space to the home
* Area for your pets
* Brings the outdoors, inside.
* Becomes a breakfast room
* Can be a dining room
* Definitely a place to relax
* Entertainment area for anniversaries, birthdays, etc.
* Family room
* Game/Spa room
* Hobby/Crafting/Exercise room
* Keeps bugs out
* Nap area
* Playroom for children
* Television Room
* Work area

Did you know sunrooms increase the resale value of your home? It’s true, and it can help you sell the home quicker.

Installation and Service Nightmares

The best sunroom companies will take the time to educate you on their process. For instance, the first thing they will do is measure the area and assess the area themselves. This is usually done by the company’s technical staff. This gives them a chance to go over any concerns they might have before the installation takes place.

Anytime you hire a sunroom company, they will (should) prepare the engineering documents and permit applications. Once prepared, this paperwork needs to be submitted to the local building department. The good companies offer this service and arrange everything for you.

When watching the contractor in action, all employees should treat you with respect, be well mannered, and work hard to complete the job. The supervisor/foreman should also come by each day to look at the progress.

Warranties

Anytime work is performed on your property by an outsourced company, they should offer manufacturer and service warranties. These should cover the materials used during the installation and the labor that takes place. Hopefully the materials are guaranteed for several years and the labor for at least one year. Keep in mind; some companies have separate warranties for the manufacturer side and the service side.

We strongly believe companies should stand behind their products and installation. This means you should stay away from contractors that use sub-contractors

If a company doesn’t stand behind their warranty, it’s probably not worth using. After all, a warranty is only as good as the company who stands behind it. Counting on the manufacturer to still be around if an issue with the sunroom surfaces is very, VERY important. We also recommend finding a manufacturer that has been in business for a long time and also has an exclusive agreement with local dealers. When manufacturers and companies have strong relationships together, it can make you feel much more comfortable about the work being performed on your new sunroom. In the end, it means better service and installation.

Companies should come with quality and trust. While your budget and the timeline is important, quality and trust is essential to the finished product. This is going to be a large investment on your part, so trusting the contractor to do the job right will be essential. It might be tempting to go with a company that offers a cheaper price, but don’t forget; “you get what you pay for.”

Any contractor you use should also come fully licensed and insured. The good companies are members of the local or national homebuilder’s and remodeling associations. Another good thing to know is how long they have been in business. Oh, and if a future problem develops, you want a company that will be around to help.

Before you interview any contractor, take the time to write down all the questions you want to ask. When going through each question, keep a note of how each company answers them. If they don’t have all the answer you seek, it’s probably not the right company to be dealing with when building a sunroom. If you’re still skeptical then a trip to the Better Business Bureau website will be helpful. You will be able to see the amount of complaints filed and if they were ever resolved.

We also recommend working with a company that has a showroom. It gives you an idea of the kind of workmanship you can expect. Once the decision has been made and you choose a contractor, they should offer you an exact quote. A company with an estimate or bid usually ends up going over. If you’re on a tight budget, this isn’t going to work, because it will wind up costing more money.

Ask the contractor if they will be using sub-contractors to install the sunroom. The best companies use their own crews and have supervisors on-hand throughout the project. If there is a change or delay that needs to take place, the contractor must be willing to notify you immediately. Sometimes an issue occurs if you’re waiting on the building permit or the final inspection. Good quality contractors take care of this for you. Plus, if something isn’t valid, you could end up with a problem when trying to sell the home.

Once the project has been completed, the contractor should take you through a complete walkthrough. All materials used to create the sunroom should come with a warranty. You should also be 100% satisfied with the new addition to your home.