As the cooler temperatures rush into the Charlotte area, many homeowners who want to spend more time outdoors and well into the holidays are considering building a sunroom. If you are one of them, you might be disillusioned with the varying price quotes and the wide range.
We understand that it is difficult to plan and budget for something if you can’t get a straight answer as to how much it will cost.
One of the easiest ways homeowners try to estimate the cost of a sunroom is by looking at the price per square foot. After all, it would seem logical that if you know how large you want your sunroom to be, then you should be able to estimate it according to the square footage. Simple, right?
Unfortunately, it is not.
While the cost per square foot can give you a starting point for estimating your sunroom project, there are several factors that can make two sunrooms that are exactly the same size have very different price points.
That can be very frustrating. If you are trying to determine how much a new sunroom will cost for your Charlotte-area home, it might help to break down what you can expect to pay per square foot and, more importantly, what actually goes into that number.
The good news is that we’ve developed our Outdoor Living Calculator so that you can get a ballpark figure. Although it limits the true nature of total costs, it can at least let you know if you are in the ballpark. That way, you can reach out and get a more detailed and accurate estimate from us for free.
What Is the Average Cost of a Sunroom Per Square Foot?
The cost of a sunroom per square foot depends largely on the type of sunroom you are building.
A screened room, three-season sunroom, and four-season sunroom may all provide additional living space, but you can’t enjoy them the same way, for the same amount of time, and at the same time of year. That means there really isn’t one price-per-square-foot number that will apply to all rooms.
If you are enclosing an existing covered porch, it may cost considerably less than if you are building a four-season sunroom from scratch. That’s why it becomes difficult to give a one-size-fits-all amount online that will be accurate. In fact, often, without the proper information, giving a cost can be very misleading.
Why Isn’t Sunroom Pricing as Simple as Price Per Square Foot?
Although it would seem intuitive that an addition has a cost per square foot, that is for a typical addition. With a regular addition, you know what needs to be factored in, and upgrades are often an afterthought to the building process.
The choices that you make to build an outdoor area, either a three-season or four-season, affect the total cost. The decisions you make, like flooring, HVAC and electrical work, ceiling, and roofing, are all major choices that will affect the total cost.
That is why, at Express Sunrooms of the Carolinas, we believe homeowners should look at price per square foot as a starting point rather than a final price.
What Factors Affect the Cost of a Sunroom Per Square Foot?
The reason why providing a one-size-fits-all cost is irresponsible is that there are so many factors that play into the total cost of building a sunroom.
1. The Type of Sunroom
One of the biggest factors that determines the cost of a sunroom build is the type of sunroom you choose. A three-season sunroom is generally designed to extend your time outside, but not for all seasons. It allows you to enjoy your time outdoors without pollen or stinging bugs ruining your good time.
A four-season sunroom differs because it has windows, heating and cooling, and it transforms your outdoor area into a fully functional extra area that you can use year-round. It also increases your overall square footage, so it adds equity to your home’s value. The additional work, however, means that a four-season sunroom will cost considerably more than a three-season sunroom or screened porch.
2. Whether You Have an Existing Structure
If you already have an outdoor area allocated to a gathering space, such as a covered porch, patio, or deck, portions of the existing structure might sometimes be valuable. Other times, it may be easier to start from scratch.
Before converting an existing outdoor space, you need to ensure that it is structurally sound and can withstand more weight. Things like determining whether the foundation is sound, whether the roof is suitable, and whether it conforms to your overall design plan need to be considered.
Sometimes they are helpful; sometimes they can cost more to use.
3. The Size of the Sunroom
Obviously, larger sunrooms will cost more than smaller ones, but assuming size is the only factor can be very deceiving. Some of the expenses that are involved in building a sunroom don’t increase proportionately with the size of the room.
Things like permits, electrical work, site preparation, structural connections, and other expenses may be necessary depending on what style of room you build. That’s why a larger sunroom doesn’t necessarily cost exactly twice as much as one half its size.
4. Windows and Doors
A four-season sunroom wouldn’t be much good year-round if it didn’t have windows.
But the number, size, style, and energy efficiency of those windows can significantly impact the total cost of the project. The same is true for doors.
Sliding doors, French doors, and other available options all add more money to the ticket price. They also greatly change the overall feel and use of the sunroom space that you build.
5. Heating and Cooling
If you are building a four-season room to use comfortably all year round, then heating and cooling are a must. How the space will be conditioned needs to be considered during the planning process, and that can add to the cost of the project.
6. What’s Underneath the Room?
It’s easy to focus on upgrades like windows and flooring, but what’s underneath your sunroom matters just as much, if not more. Putting the money in during building is important. The upgrades that can be added after the fact should be considered a post-budget item.
The condition of the existing foundation or deck, the type of new foundation required, grading, drainage, and site conditions can all affect the amount of work necessary before the room itself is even built.
7. Roofing
The roof is another factor that can greatly affect the overall cost of building a sunroom addition. If you are converting an existing covered porch, you may already have a roof that can be incorporated into the new space. If you are building a completely new sunroom, however, a new roof will likely need to be part of the project.
The style of your existing home, the size of the sunroom, the roof line, and the materials used can all affect the final cost.
8. Electrical Work
The most important question is how you intend to use your sunroom. You might not think that you need electrical work, but things like ceiling fans, heating and cooling, and even something as simple as a television all require electricity.
A simple three-season sunroom may have very basic electrical needs, but a four-season sunroom will require more electrical service. Again, two sunrooms with the exact same square footage can end up with very different price points depending on how you intend to use the functional space.
9. Flooring and Finishing Choices
The finishing touches are where you can really customize your sunroom to make it all you have dreamed of. Things like flooring, lighting, ceiling fans, door choices, and other upgrades will all make your room’s appearance different, and they will also affect the cost.
Choices you make regarding aesthetics will all add cost to the project. So, be conscious of what you really want and what you actually need to keep costs down.
How Much Should You Budget Per Square Foot for a Sunroom in Charlotte, NC?
This is one of the most common questions homeowners have, and we would love to give you an answer that isn’t “it depends.” But we can’t.
You will find plenty of websites that will quote the national average for the cost of a sunroom per square foot. The problem is those numbers have very little to do with the actual cost of the sunroom you envision in Charlotte.
There are simply too many variables for a rough estimate to really help you decide.
At Express Sunrooms of the Carolinas, we know how frustrating it can be trying to figure out how much a sunroom addition will cost in your particular case. So, although we can’t give you an actual or real estimate, we have added our Outdoor Living Calculator to act as a guide.
Since it is just a starting point for the conversation about what things cost, if the calculator gives you a cost that makes sense, then we offer a free in-home estimate that can give you real and actual costs in writing. So, schedule yours today.
If you aren’t sure you have it in the budget right now, the good news is we offer zero-down financing options, and you don’t pay until the sunroom is complete. See if you qualify by filling out our financing form today!
