Every Calgary homeowner knows the importance of getting extra space in your home. For some, this just means a good clear out of your things and positioning the furniture to generate more room. However, this only works so many times before you need to expand the footprint of your building. A full extension can be costly and time intensive, while adding either a screen room or a sunroom are both cheaper and better overall investments. However, it can be difficult to know which will be the better option for your home.
What Is A Screen Room?
A screen room is exactly as it sounds: a room where the walls are entirely made of mesh screens. It typically sits on top of your existing deck or patio, and the walls and ceiling are supported by wooden posts. It doesn’t require any heating and allows you all the benefits of sitting outside all summer, such as the heat and the warm breezes, without the bugs or harsh sunlight bothering you or your guests.
What Is A Sunroom?
The other option for expanding your home without a full renovation is a sunroom. Again, this can be built on top of your deck or patio, but can also be installed with foundations if you only have grass outside. It’s a full room with walls, windows and a roof, but typically it has large glass windows to allow as much sunlight as possible in (hence the name). You can choose between a three season sunroom, which doesn’t require heating, or a four season room, which connects to your existing HVAC system.
Factors Affecting Your Decision?
So how do you choose between a screen room and a sunroom when you’re looking to expand your home? Here are some of the factors you’ll need to consider when making your decision:
- What’s your budget? – the biggest driver in your decision between a screen room and a sunroom will be how much you can spend. A screen room is cheaper both to build and to maintain, but doesn’t add as much value to your home as a sunroom.
- What are you using it for? – if you’re looking for a sheltered outdoor indoor space to entertain your guests, a screen room is the right choice. If you have goals of growing indoor plants, creating a new dining room or providing a much needed guest bedroom, consider building a sunroom instead.
- How much space do you have? – finally, your available space will play a decisive factor about which home extension you choose. A sunroom will be the bigger project as you’ll need certain minimum wall lengths to support the windows and external doors, while a screen room can be built on a relatively small deck or patio.
Whichever option you choose, our team of local experts will be able to get your screen room or sunroom project up and running in time for summer.
