Patio conversion

We are thinking of having the patio made into an all year room. Need some input. Would you remove the shutters and siding and make a smooth wall? Also any other ideas you might have.

The shutters and siding may give character to the room. To leave them will certainly save a lot of money. You can always paint them to match the rest of the new room. If you want more privacy, put mirrors in the window panes.

That would be too cool to leave them. What room is on the other side? The window could be like a pass-through. :)

The dining room is on the other side.

The one thing that I would change in my sunroom would be wide window ledges for plants! I have 8 full size windows and 2 doorwalls going outside, plus I left a doorwall to the house, lol. Man do I hate to do windows!

Violabird what size is your room? Mine is 12 X 24. I don't know where to put the outside door.

After looking again at the photo, the patio is really wonderful. Not that the enclosure won't give you more time to use the space. Be sure to use outside windows with screens to still enjoy the outside breezes.

Gee Dot, Sorry I lost this thread! Mine is 14x28 and I even have my hot tub in there (my best idea). Why don't you post some more pics and we'll help (0;

The man gave me a price of $26,100.00. I guess this will make me think long and hard. (the first home we ever had cost $10,900.00, that was in 1954 and I know price have gone up but this does seem a little much for a sun room.

I think the quote you have is outrageous! I do a lot of that kind of work.

My house in Atlanta had a closed-in patio room, and I absolutely loved it! My computer room was the other bedroom which looked out into this plant room, plus the kitchen opened into it as well. The screened/closed-in porch then opened out down some steps to the pool. (I hated the pool. Too much $$ to keep it functional.) The porch, on the other hand, was just what I needed for my plants.

26 grand? Ouch! Is there another side of the house where you could put a sunroom? Maybe one of those curved-glass wall ones? I think I've seen them around here for much less than half that 26 grand. Of course, those were only about 8'x12', but they looked to be nicely built.

If that's not your cup of tea (and it wouldn't be mine if I had a porch like yours to enclose!), I'd just build walls where the white railings are and fill them with as many windows as you can ~ definitely don't forget the wide sills for plants! Everything else could stay and would add to the "inside-outside" feeling. If you don't like the colors, I agree that paint can do wonders and is something you can do yourself. Maybe just walls and a door would be cheaper?

Flooring ~ is the carpet covering up a cement slab? You can stain that slab using muratic acid wash, then wood stain and top it with some floor polyurethane. It makes the cement look like brown marble. Just gorgeous! And very tough and durable. And the more cracks currently in the cement slab, the better ~ adds more character. This is something else you can do yourself. Feel free to e-me for details if you want.

It looks like you already have a natural "door" at the right edge of the pic where the railing ends, right? I'd put the new door to the outside right there. Not only are you used to it, but it will save useable space in the new room. It may be nice to put a door straight across from those double windows, but then you wouldn't be able to put any furniture in the pathway between the current door and the new one.

BTW, how many estimates did you get? Just from that one guy or from a few others? They seem to vary widely from company to company. I used to do painting for a living and you wouldn't believe how much and how little some other people charged! Besides that, my sis got estimates on putting a metal roof on her house ~ they ranged from $3500 to $25,000! Yep, that's 25 thousand! Same metal and other materials in all estimates to cover about 1300 square feet of a straight-lined roof ~ no fancy split-levels or corners ~ just two straight sides that weren't even pitched very steeply at all. We ended up doing it for her for about $1200 in materials, so that first $3500 estimate was about right.

Whatever you do, good luck! What an exciting idea!

I am going to check with others. The first company I talked to never got back to me, he did some work next door and I thought he would be good. (And they say work is hard to get) I will keep trying, wish me luck as I really do want a sun room to enjoy in the winter.

About 4 years ago, we made our patio into a sunporch. We did the work ourselves.
We even had to build a roof over it, before adding the walls. We put in 6 inch insulation in the sidewalls and ceiling, 3-windows 5ft. by 5 ft. Our cost to do this ourselves was around $1,500.
I would definitely shop around, that price they quoted you seems extremely too high.
You already have the roof in place, would only need the walls and windows and door put in. We did keep the shutters on and siding. Gives it that country look.
My DH has his fishponds on it and I get to keep the waterplants growing in them till spring.

Here it is one year later. I signed a contract with Patio Enclosures in February and gave a deposit of $10,000.00.
We have had problems that I did not anticipate. We found we had to get a variance from the county even though the covered deck was there and the sun room will be the same size.
Since it will be considered an additional living space with windows, air condition and heat this was a requirement.
I called them today and was told it will be within the next two weeks.
I will not tell you the cost of this project until it is finished and have photos which may explain why it cost so much.LOL
I will try and take photos along the way.
Maybe I can have the christmas tree in there this year...
I am really looking forward to spending the winter in this room, it gets the evening sun. I will go to the library and get some good books and relax.

Good luck sgtdot! Looking forward to the pictures... :)

Day one.

sgtdot:
Hooray, your doing it. you won't regret it, you will love it.
Keep us posted on the progress.

Shirley, I know it will be lovely when you finish...as you have great taste in decorating....Jo

I've been a Builder for many years... and in fact posted when you first mentioned this project last year. I have some clue what your final bill will be... but I also believe you will be pleased with the space, and untimately it will be worth it.

Dollars don't go as far as they used to , do they?

We'd like to do something like this with our patio. It's in the shade in the afternoon, but still...Sure would be nice to have a big spot outside. We'd knock out our current kitchen window and put in French doors leading to the new sunroom. I can't wait to see this patio enclosure of yours progress!

We are also talking about doing this. I anxiously await your pictures.

Started work today.

Keep the pictures coming!

Do you have an estimate of how long the project will take?

Neato! Can't wait to see the finished product.

This is great......I love watching your project.

Darius, since this started in February I would hate to guess. They are here again today and may get it all framed up and ready for the windows and door.

Keeping an eye on your progress Cousin!! Jo

Camera went on the fritz today. Must go out and get another. The frame work is all done and the glass will be installed on monday, tuesday the electrician will be here, then the dry wall.
I have a question, look at the first photo and the double window. It was suggested that the windows be taken out and when he frames the outside make a wide ledge to display flowers, etc. The sofa will be under this and it would look like a sofa table of sorts. Note the distance from the bottom of the window to the floor. We are removing the french doors so the room will flow . There are two steps and a hand rail will be installed. Does this make sense?

Oh, poo...Withdrawal symptoms here in Ohio. :jitter:

I like the ledge idea. I wish we could re-do our front window similarly.

I'm not sure how close to the ledge the sofa could get. It doesn't look like a very high area from the floor to the potential ledge. I know our sofa comes up higher than our window ledge...high enuff to the point that we don't put the sofa on that wall cus it blocks out light.

If there was a ledge there, and plants on it, I think the sofa would have to be away from the wall and thereby removing a bit of floor space in front of it.

Maybe some shelves could be placed within the window frame higher up than the window sill...this would allow the sofa to be flush with the wall and you could still have some shelves for putting plants on?

Sgtdot: We took our window out and also took off the door from the kitchen. Makes it look much better. Also good for air circulation for heating and cooling.

Today they finished with the windows and door. The carpenters will do the drywall,painting, etc. I think I will have the window removed and maybe have a wide ledge on the dining room side. We are having the overhang and eaves replaced and have the overhang under the new windows. Will it ever end LOL here are photos taken today

Your Yard Sale $$ won't be a drop in the bucket for this, will it? LOL.

Looking good, I should add!!

I hope to do the same thing next spring. Your's is looking positively wonderful.

This is the side the heating and aircondition is on it's made by Amana Heating & Air Condition located in Tenn.

These are the very good carpenters. The pipe up the wall is a Radon Reduction System. When we bought the house 5 years ago they detected radon and this contraption has been running every day for 5 years. It is connected to the sump pump and the covered over with heavy clear cover and then sealed around the edges.
Guys, I will tell you the final price when the job is completed.
I will probably have to rob a bank to pay for it. LOL

Wow! It's looking wonderful. And you'll get to enjoy it this winter even! :)

guessing 3k for windows, 10k by finish? Frank

Waaaay too low, Frank.

That is a good looking room! $$ will be worth it to do it just like you want from the get go! I learned that by experience.