# How to Add a Side Sunroom to a House
While it's perfectly all right to use recycled materials or build from scratch if you own a rustic home, be sure to plan a do-it-yourself sunroom meticulously so it won't subtract from the market value of your home. One important advantage of a top-of-the-line factory-built sunroom kit is that it is extremely energy-efficient. Build a sunroom on the side of your home that will look appealing from the front curb. Select a design that complements your home's original construction rather than one that looks like it was added on later. Obtain a building permit before you begin construction.
Things You'll Need
- Building permit
- Premade sunroom kit
- Rented trencher
- 1/2-inch plywood
- 10-inch stakes
- Concrete
- Concrete blocks
- Concrete cap blocks
- Metal gridwork
- Trowel
- Redwood or cedar framing
- Electrical wiring
- Plumbing materials
- Tongue-and-groove boards
- Premade glass sections
- Caulking
- Indoor/outdoor carpet
- Tile
- Portable oil-filled radiant heater
Instructions
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Select a premade sunroom kit that's manufactured by a company with a solid history of service -- and don't assume that a sunroom will be what it is advertised to be. Seek advice from a reliable contact person who can advise you on the size of sunroom that suits your needs, on a time line of construction, and on details for financing the sunroom if you need to pay over the course of time.
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Dig the foundation, which you will design thick enough to absorb full sun to keep cooling costs down in summer. Rent a trencher to create footers for a short block wall that will surround a poured concrete floor that's at least 18 inches thick.
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Build a form around the bottom of the trench perimeter to pour footers that will support the wall. Cut 1/2-inch plywood to construct footers 12 inches wide by 8 inches deep. Support the plywood form with 10-inch wooden stakes. Fill the form with concrete. Allow the concrete to dry for 48 hours. Install concrete blocks on top of the footers. Add cap blocks around the perimeter of the block wall.
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Roll out metal gridwork in the bottom of the sunroom foundation. Pour concrete to the top of the blocks and use a trowel to create a smooth finish.
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Construct framing from a premade sunroom kit, or use an appropriate type of wood such as redwood or cedar. Align each section of the roof, walls and corners with a carpenter's level to ensure all glass components will fit tightly. Run electrical wiring or plumbing inside ceiling areas or walls before sealing them with insulated panels or tongue-and-groove wood, for example.
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Install premade glass sections. Caulk around any sunroom windows or doors you build onsite. Follow your sunroom manufacturer's guidelines for aligning premade sliding doors or windows in framework tracking. Enlist the aid of assistants to maneuver the sections of glass.
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Cover the sunroom floor with indoor-outdoor carpet or tile. Install flooring that is of above-average quality, because the floor will receive a lot of wear in most cases -- especially if you have an outside entrance to the space.
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