Can I Afford It?

[wolf]

I'll be interested to see how this project turns out. I have a similar problem with my deck...sun beats down on it in the afternoon and evening, although there is a momentary reprieve in the later afternoon as it passes behind a Maple tree.

I'm thinking of just going a cheaper, basic route though. Put up a framework, and then attaching some shade netting, both to the sides and roof. I figure that way it'll still get some sun for the plants, and rain, but it'll cut down on the full force of the sun. Won't do anything for bug protection though, and I doubt that what I want to do would fly in most neighborhoods that have an HOA!

Anyway, good luck with your project. Personally, it sounds to me like you can afford it.

I also went the cheaper route. Currently enclosing aluminum patio cover.

Paid, approx. $2400 for aluminum patio cover.

Bought 2 x 4 Home Depot/Lowes. (lumber quality very poor nowdays).
(lumber warped and twisted).

Bought, 2 six foot and 1 eight foot sliding door. Home Depot. approx. $1400.

South facing, got very hot under the Aluminum roof.

Just installed the reflective
foil. 2 layers of foil with plastic bubble in between. 4 ft x 50 ft, Amazon.
Foil does work, which surprised me.

12 x 16 feet, size of patio. Doing work my self, when I have the time. If you
are handy, you can save a lot my doing it yourself.

By using store bought sliding doors, they come with screens, and are "e" coated, it does keep the sun out.

Still not finished yet, .....Figure, will have spent at most, $5000 in materials when I am finished.

 

[Badger]

We had a 16' X 16' screened in porch but it was very dusty and sandy all the time so it was not used much (we live near the beach). So my wife decided we should close it in as a more usable part of the house. A year after I finished enclosing the porch she decided we needed a screen porch. So I worked on a simple 3 sided design to attach one to the rest of the back of the house. Code said the concrete footers had to be deeper for screen than for an enclosed structure so I changed the plan for a glassed in sunroom. Had a 12' X 24' slab poured. It was an easy frame with 4" X 4"s and filled in the long wall with double glazed sliding glass door replacements and the ends with 6' sliding glass doors. The eaves hang over enough to prevent direct sun from heating it too much during the summer but allows it to come in during the winter so we have passive solar working to our advantage. The ceiling is insulated and I installed a small rarely used air conditioner unit in one end wall. Tiled the floor so it is easy to keep clean. I didn't keep records but I'm sure it was no more than $10k total expense.

Cheers!

 

[Beryl]

I'm planning to sign up for a ~$20K contract.

• Screened in 10X16
• 7X8 additional concrete slab in front of current slab for grilling/sitting
• 3X3 slab on the right side
• shed shingled & insulated roof - 18 inch eaves
  (30"-36" eaves would make it cooler but would take out more sun from the family room behind that sliding patio door.)
• 2 skylights over the existing patio door to bring light back in (and help warm it up in the colder months).
• Ceiling fan on the right side

It would cost me a little more for the ceiling fan, put down the laminate flooring and stamp the concrete slabs.
I talked to this architect who graciously gave me some ideas -- hiring him to design it would cost more than the enclosure.

I should have asked him this:
What if I put glass on the right side ONLY? I know it would eliminate the cross breeze with the windows open but it would help keep the area cleaner and warmer in the colder months.

Has anyone here done a combination of screen and glass?

 

[Beryl]

We had a 16' X 16' screened in porch but it was very dusty and sandy all the time so it was not used much (we live near the beach). So my wife decided we should close it in as a more usable part of the house. A year after I finished enclosing the porch she decided we needed a screen porch.

This so reminds me of this blog.

 

[Tom52]

I didn't read all of the above comments but looking at the picture shown early on, it reminds me of the 4 season sun room my parents added to their house about 10 years ago. It is one of those with glass on the sides and curved over the lower side of the roof. They loved it but to heat it and cool it added about $300 per month to their utility bill. Just too much glass for weather ranging from -10 in the winter to 100 in the summer.

If it is to be used 4 seasons and if you get extreme temperatures you may want to consider something with a normal type roof over it with appropriate overhang on the eves. Lots of high efficiency windows would be great and still have that wide open view.

 

[Beryl]

Privacy ideas are needed. On the right side of the enclosure, I'd like to block out my unfriendly neighbors.

 

[Nords]

[*] Ceiling fan on the right side

Check into a ceiling fan using a DC motor. They electronically rectify the AC voltage into the fan, so it converts to DC with very high efficiency and very low power consumption. It's more expensive but it's also EnergyStar so your local state or utility may give you a rebate.

But it's a better idea to spend extra money on roof insulation and reflective shingles. That way the ceiling fan doesn't have to deal with hot air in the first place.

I should have asked him this:
What if I put glass on the right side ONLY? I know it would eliminate the cross breeze with the windows open but it would help keep the area cleaner and warmer in the colder months.

Privacy ideas are needed. On the right side of the enclosure, I'd like to block out my unfriendly neighbors.

If you use windows, you could go with double-pane low-e tinted glass. You could see out but they'd have a hard time seeing in unless you were backlit.

Another option would be ol' fashioned venetian blinds.

 

[Beryl]

Thanks. Shades or blinds will work fine.

BTW, the Champion salesman "loved" your suggestions. He had to address each point.

I'm still debating on using glass at all. I probably won't and just enjoy the porch in the winter with socks, blankets, hotter tea, and a radiant heater.

 

[Beryl]

Contract signed with Champion.

Fully glassed-in (with screens) in 10x16 patio room, skylights, shingled shed roof with extra 7x8 concrete slab - ~ $24K. Visited with neighbor with similar South-facing room using the same vendor and was convinced that this is the best way to go for almost year-round enjoyment. I'll post pics when completed.

 

[jeeper]

Make sure the ground around the new patios (and even old if you can get to them) is compacted well. My patio has sunk about four inches so far because the dirt was not compacted well when the house was built.

 

[obgyn65]

Congratulations. Looking forward to the pics.

Contract signed with Champion.

Fully glassed-in (with screens) in 10x16 patio room, skylights, shingled shed roof with extra 7x8 concrete slab - ~ $24K. Visited with neighbor with similar South-facing room using the same vendor and was convinced that this is the best way to go for almost year-round enjoyment. I'll post pics when completed.

 

[Beryl]

Make sure the ground around the new patios (and even old if you can get to them) is compacted well. My patio has sunk about four inches so far because the dirt was not compacted well when the house was built.

Thanks. Will add this to my list.

The existing patio has been in place for over 20 years. Should that help?

 

[Nords]

The existing patio has been in place for over 20 years. Should that help?

It's the extensions that might move or sink.

If they're not attached to the original structure (and they probably will not be) and if they're not supporting roof pillars or other loads (other than a BBQ grille and some chairs) then you should be fine.

 

[samclem]

Make sure the ground around the new patios (and even old if you can get to them) is compacted well. My patio has sunk about four inches so far because the dirt was not compacted well when the house was built.

This is difficult to fix after the fact. When houses are built the builders typically just dump the soil back in and don't compact it well. The proper way to do this would be to dump the dirt back in in small amounts and compact it after every 4-6" of loose soil. It's not practical to compact it after all the soil has been dumped into the trench around the foundation. This soil settling is one reason for damp basements in many homes-- the soil next to the basement over the years and the top of the soil ends up sloping back toward the house, and that's where the runoff settles.
If the house has been in place for 20 years, it's probably done settling. Disturb the soil as little as possible when you lay the new foundation or piers for the patio, and be sure they pack things down well before adding the fill. Also, while they may want to use pea gravel or other smooth gravel (it can be cheaper in some places and is easier to move with a rake), the foundation and slab will be less prone to further settling if they use sharper stones that lock together more effectively ("limestone 411," "chips and dust" or other sharp crushed rock fill). On top of all the fill and just before they pour concrete they should put in heavy plastic to reduce the chances that moisture from a fully saturated soil will be pulled up into your concrete slab. This only costs a few dollars. Lastly, make sure you specify that you want the soil compacted around the foundation when they are done and the final grade should slope away from the foundation for 15' minimum at slope of at least 1/2" to 1" per foot.
Finally, they'll have some big digging equipment out there for this project--they'll be tearing up the yard. But if there are other projects around your house that might require use of such equipment (drains, re-grading of portions of the yard, etc) you can save money by getting this done while the heavy iron is already there. Finally, they will probably have extra concrete--got a use for it? It might not be much, but if there's a small project (a pad for the trashcans, a small step off of an existing porch, etc) this is a good way to get it filled. They'll be happy to have a place to put the extra concrete and it is much easier than mixing the stuff yourself with bags of Sakrete.

 

[Free To Canoe]

.... I don't travel much since the bed bug outbreak in hotels a couple of years ago. Therefore, I want my home to be very comfortable.

ER, Can I afford it?

Seriously, you cannot afford not to do it.
Besides, everyone likes a good project thread. Sounds like you are well on your way!

 

[samclem]

Here's the patio and patio cover I put in two years ago. It's not attached to the house, it's just supported by the four 6x6 treated wood posts in concrete piers. The roof (12' x 14') is a simple metal concealed-fastener type (snap-down) shed roof on treated plywood sheathing. The patio itself approx 20' x 12' plus a walkway) is dry-laid brick pavers with polymeric sand swept into the joints (all laid over a crushed stone base, then sand). I built it myself, and the cost was limited to the materials and the rented skid-steer loader and plate compactor. It's been through two winters and some storms and so far it has stayed up and there aren't any signs of frost heave issues, etc (but the winters have been mild).

Beryl, it's not at all what you have in mind--you'll be able to use your space for a longer period every year. But it's been good for us--nice to sit out and watch the wildlife in mild spring and autumn days, and even in the hottest part of the summer the mornings here are pleasant. It's not big, but there's room for the hanging "porch swing" and some aluminum patio furniture. It was a fun project, and--like all of them--took longer than I'd planned.

 

[Beryl]

Here's the patio and patio cover I put in two years ago. It's not attached to the house, it's just supported by the four 6x6 treated wood posts in concrete piers.

Nice. I can imagine lounging under there reading on my iPad until I go to sleep.

 

[Beryl]

Following up with pictures of the completed project. It is glass and since there is southern exposure, it doesn't get very cold so I've been using it with subzero temp outside. Hopefully the windows, shades ceiling fan, and screens will keep it from becoming an oven in the summer.

I love it.

 

[W2R]

Very nice, Beryl! Thanks for the follow-up.

 

[eytonxav]

Looks really nice. I better not let DW see this or you know what.

 

[Nords]

Excellent. I appreciate the followup.

 

[powerplay]

It looks very nice and thanks for posting your pictures of the finished project.
Enjoy your new space!

 

[rmark]

Looks nice.