How to Plan Porches

Decide what type of porch you are going to build. For example, an indoor sunroom style porch with windows will have a completely different set of required materials in comparison to an open-air porch as there will be no exposure to the elements. Different materials have varying outdoor and indoor elements; knowing which ones are best for an application can affect the longevity of your porch.

Determine if you are going to do the work yourself or hire a professional. While you can generally build a porch on your own with a little bit of trial and error, there are certain aspects of porch building that may be easier for a trained professional. Your budget will also determine this factor. For example, you can set the tile on a porch floor on your own, but a professional will be able to do it in a fraction of the time, although it may cost you 50 percent more to hire a contractor.

Set your budget and understand that not all design concepts can fit within your budget. While you may want flagstone or bluestone on your porch floor, for example, you may find that the costs of natural stone are far outside of your budget. Instead, you will need to use a look-alike product. Also, you may want custom iron-wrought railings for your outdoor porch, but it is cheaper to use regular wood bannisters.

Get the necessary permits and inspections. While certain areas may not require it, such as if you live in the countryside, most houses will require some form of local building permit and inspection by the local government. Your city, county and state guidelines will be different depending on where you live, but inspections and permits are a requirement for almost all porch projects.