Adding three season room

[dancingirl21]

Has anyone added a three season room to your home? We are throwing around this idea. It would likely be built off our family room, which looks out at our backyard. Currently we have 5 tall windows that go to the floor in the family room on one wall. We would add french doors there to open directly to the new room. I think we would build on a slab so we could do tile floors. And we will ideally add a fireplace. We have a fireplace in the family room too, but I would like one in the 3 season room. We would have screens and windows (?) on three walls of the room, except for where the fireplace will go. Our BIL/SIL just installed EZ Breeze windows on a similar build and love them. 

For anyone who has done this type of project, any tips or tricks? We are very early into thinking about this so haven't received any quotes yet. If you have done a room like this, care to share cost? I know this will vary widely, but we are not sure if we should expect $30k or $60k (or something else). 

[mccallister84]

I haven’t done this but a friend did a screened deck this year and that was 30k. And she already had a roof on her original deck.

[SusanBAnthony]

I want to but I'm terrified to even know the cost. I'm guessing at least 50k, maybe 100k.

We thought about exploring it this fall but with material shortages continuing we are waiting at least another year.

[maudefindlay]

A relative added one in the Midwest for 70k and theirs is similar to what you describe.

[froggy76]

My parents added a 3-season room to their house a few years ago for $30k. It is only about 10x10 and cheaply done- stick on vinyl tile floors, no fireplace, etc. With cost of materials today, it would be much more, and what you're describing is much nicer. I would think you're looking at at least 60-70k.

[dancingirl21]

That’s kind of what we are assuming with cost. We are very preliminary in planning and need to do a bathroom remodel first, so this is at least a year, and more than likely two, down the line. Hopefully by then material cost will have come down some.

[ellipses84]

I’m not much help on price. I bought a house that had one and loved it! It had screens and no glass. One thing to think about is that without glass year round it can get pretty dirty and occasionally wet if there’s a big rain. We used outdoor furniture in it and it held up way better than anything left outside. I would have preferred glass though.

My parents added one on to their house. I didn’t care for it because it was essentially a fully enclosed interior room addition with a lot of punched opening sliding windows, where only half of each window could open with a screen. Also, they refused to add a drain due to cost, against my advice, which meant we’d have to mop up water after they added a hottub.

[aprilsails]

We have a large screened in porch with a roof and cedar deck board flooring with screening underneath. To upgrade to a fully enclosed room with windows would have cost an additional $25k at the time of construction, and that would have only included the cost of the plywood flooring and floorboards, the wall framing, interior wall finish and windows. It is very large though at 11’ x 23’, but only two sides are open to the exterior. I would expect you would be looking at $50k minimum for an entire new construction space.

My big suggestion is to add a very large fan. Without AC and with all the windows the three season rooms tend to get pretty hot in the summer. Even with ours fully open with screens the fan comes in handy when there is no wind or it’s blocked by the house.

[dancingirl21]

Sept 8, 2021 2:23:05 GMT -5 ellipses84 said:

I’m not much help on price. I bought a house that had one and loved it! It had screens and no glass. One thing to think about is that without glass year round it can get pretty dirty and occasionally wet if there’s a big rain. We used outdoor furniture in it and it held up way better than anything left outside. I would have preferred glass though.

My parents added one on to their house. I didn’t care for it because it was essentially a fully enclosed interior room addition with a lot of punched opening sliding windows, where only half of each window could open with a screen. Also, they refused to add a drain due to cost, against my advice, which meant we’d have to mop up water after they added a hottub.

We definitely don’t want a fully enclosed interior space. I want all the benefits of feeling like I’m outside without actually being out there, and keep it clean. I mentioned my BIL/SIL just built on a similar room and did EZ Breeze windows, which almost fully open to the floor, but they close them every night. That’s ideally what we would do, too.

[mccallister84]

I hope you update as you work on this project! You’ve inspired me!

[libbygrl109]

My parents built one about 15 years ago. They installed a gas-powered stove and a ductless AC so they can use it all year round. The AC was necessary because the room warmed up significantly in the spring and summer. They don't have floor to ceiling windows, but split so the bottom part of the wall was solid, and the other half was windows. As it took over the space where a deck used to be, they originally had it closed off from the kitchen by french doors, but a few years ago when the AC went in, they opened it up completely. There is a sliding door to the outside, which is super convenient.

[dancingirl21]

Sept 10, 2021 17:55:07 GMT -5 mccallister84 said:

I hope you update as you work on this project! You’ve inspired me!

I definitely will! We need to do our kids’ original bathroom first but when (if?) we do this, I’ll update!