When you need extra room in your home, it’s time to consider building an addition. Home additions increase your available space and your home’s resale value. Two types of home additions are sunrooms and room additions. There are many benefits of adding a sunroom or room addition to your home. Once you know their differences, pros and cons and various uses of each, you can decide which is best for you.

What Is a Sunroom?

A sunroom is an enclosed room with full or partial glass walls. Sunrooms allow natural light through the glass and ceiling if they have one. Because natural light illuminates the room, they are often places for relaxation and rejuvenation. The main types of sunrooms are:

What Is a Room Addition?

A room addition is a room contractors build onto your home using traditional construction materials. Room additions are enclosed and require a foundation, interior and exterior finishes, doors and windows and a connection to your Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system. You can use a room addition as a spare bedroom, an office, a home gym, etc.

Pros and Cons

When deciding between a sunroom and a room addition, it’s necessary to review the pros and cons of each. Here are the pros of sunrooms:

  • Cost: Sunrooms need fewer building materials than room additions, making them cost less. Plus, manufacturers can pre-cut the sunroom materials to arrive on-site ready for assembly.
  • Room flexibility: You can use a sunroom for anything you want. For example, you can use it as a workout room or a space to entertain guests.
  • Lower electricity bills: Since a sunroom lets in natural light, you don’t need artificial lighting, especially during the day.
  • Adds luxury: A sunroom adds luxury to your home by allowing you to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors year-round from the comfort of your home.
  • A green room: Converting your sunroom into a green room brings more greenery into your home. It could also be a place for a culinary herb garden, saving money and flavoring meals.
  • Efficient construction time: Building a sunroom usually takes less time than building a room addition, depending on your property and design.

The cons of sunrooms are:

  • Not insulated: You need to opt for an all-season sunroom if you want insulation. Without it, your sunroom may be too cold during winter.
  • Limited privacy: Since sunrooms feature glass walls, privacy is limited unless you have a privacy fence or use shades.
  • May not include wiring or connections: Depending on how you customize your sunroom, it may not include electrical wiring or access to your HVAC system.
  • Limited placement options: Sunrooms must be on the side, front or back of your home.

The pros of room additions are:

  • Placement flexibility: Unlike sunrooms, you can add a room anywhere. Sometimes you can even build up instead of building out.
  • Privacy: Room additions have solid walls all around, ideal for privacy and versatility.
  • Increased square footage: Contractors usually convert another room into a sunroom, like a patio. Room additions are new add-ons that increase the square footage of your home.
  • Insulation and HVAC: A room addition is insulated and connected to your home’s HVAC system.

The cons of room additions are:

  • Expensive: Room additions are generally more costly than sunrooms because they require more building materials and a longer construction time.
  • Less natural light: Because they are enclosed, room additions feature less glass and natural light than sunrooms.
  • Increased taxes and insurance: The extra square footage can raise property taxes and homeowners insurance.

Sunroom vs. Room Addition — Which Is Right for You?

When determining whether you should get a sunroom or a room addition, the three factors you want to consider are the room’s purpose, your budget and the climate in your region:

  1. Purpose: Sunrooms are mainly glass, offering less privacy than room additions. Using them as a playroom, sitting room, green room or communal space is best because the natural light creates a comfortable, relaxing atmosphere. Room additions are best as private rooms, such as a bedroom, home gym or office.
  2. Budget: Room additions cost more than sunrooms because they require more labor, insulation and materials and an HVAC system connection. Sunrooms give you the extra space you desire at a more affordable cost.
  3. Climate: All-Season sunrooms are insulated to maintain a comfortable temperature all year. Uninsulated sunrooms work best in warmer climates because you can easily maintain a comfortable temperature in them. Since you connect room additions to your home’s HVAC system, they are always temperature controlled.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding sunrooms and room additions.

1. Is a Sunroom Just a Room Addition?

While sunrooms are rooms attached to your home, they feature different building materials than room additions. They also tend to serve different purposes.

2. Are Sunrooms Worth It?

Determining if a sunroom is worth it depends on how you intend to use it. Sunrooms are worth it if you want an extra room for socializing and relaxing. They are warm, inviting and comfortable and offer you additional space at a more affordable cost.

3. Which Side of the House is Best for a Sunroom?

A north-facing sunroom receives little direct sunlight, which is beneficial if you live in a warmer climate. If you enjoy watching the sunrise, choose an east-facing position. A south-facing sunroom gets the most light and heat, so it’s ideal for homeowners in colder climates. You’ll want a west-facing sunroom if you prefer the late afternoon glow and watching the sunset.

Get the Sunroom of Your Dreams With Evolution Sunrooms

A sunroom is the perfect addition when you want to add a bright, open room to your home. Sunrooms let you bring the outdoors inside to enjoy the natural world’s beauty from the comfort of your home. You can use a sunroom however you want, especially when you work with Evolution Sunrooms to design the sunroom of your dreams.

We hold ourselves to a higher standard than other sunroom companies. Our sunrooms surpass all building codes in North America. They feature an Amilock system to hide fasteners and create a strong seal, and thermally-efficient Pultrex framing that has the structural integrity of modern homes. Additionally, our sunrooms can add square footage to your home and allow you to remove the wall between your home and the sunroom.

Request a free quote today to begin your sunroom addition project.

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