DIY: Sunroom Plans

Location

• Your plans must show where the sunroom will be located with regard to the house. Specify whether the floor of the new room will be level with or a few steps down from the main level of the house. Think about access from the house. Will the new room be separated from the house by a regular door, a sliding door, a French door or will it be open?

Construction

• The plans for a sunroom show how the platform will be built. You can build it on a cement foundation or a slab, or build a foundation out of cinder blocks. You can pour concrete footings, like you would for a deck, and build a platform on top of that. These decisions depend on your building codes, the climate of your area and whether it freezes in winter, your budget and the elevation of your desired location above the ground. Besides the foundation, specify the style of the roof and walls. Maybe you want an all-glass sunroom, or maybe you are building a more traditional roof with skylights. If the room comes as a kit, plans may be included that you can submit when you apply for a building permit. Detail how you will attach the sunroom to your existing house and how the roofline will tie into the existing roof and exterior walls of the house.

Electrical

• Include information about any electrical features. This includes whether you will need new circuits added to your existing circuit board. Outline locations of electrical outlets and light fixtures as well as ceiling fans and heating or air conditioning units, if applicable. If installing a hot tub or spa, it should have its own circuit.

Walls, Windows and Doors

• Besides access from the house, you probably want your sunroom to have an outside entrance and windows that open to provide ventilation. Specify whether the door will be a slider or a hinged door, and think about security as well as convenience. Show whether the outside door will lead to a deck or patio, and if it needs steps down to the ground. Give details about the outside walls--if they will be all screened, glass or if you will build knee walls with windows above.