There are a few options you can choose from when looking into room additions including: sunrooms, four-season rooms, and screen rooms. Your decision on when you want to use your addition and what you will be using this new space for will help you choose between prefabricated and stick built.
Types of Room Additions
If you plan on using your space all year round, a four-season or sunroom will be your best options. Just like the rest of your house, a four season room will have plenty of insulation to make sure that it’s comfortable all year. A sunroom won’t have the same level of temperature control since they consist of mostly windows. But this is the sacrifice that you will make for letting in all that beautiful sunlight. There is a way to negate most of the issue and create temperature control that closer to a four-season room. At our company, Shakespeare Home Improvement Co., we use triple pane windows which help insulate the room based on the U-Factor and SHGC (if you would like to check out what goes into these factors, check out our window blog).
If you would prefer a space that will be used in the warmer weather, then a screen room will be perfect as it keeps the bugs out and lets the warm air in.
Since you now how often you want to use your addition, you probably have a good idea what you would like to do in this space. Depending on what you want to do will help you decide whether a stick built or prefabricated room addition.
Prefabricated Room Additions
Prefabricated additions tend to be cheaper than stick-built additions, but remember to also take into account the price of making a foundation, permits, labor, and any other costs. Unfortunately, prefabricated rooms don’t meet national energy codes, meaning there needs to be a thermal doorway between the addition and the rest of the house. As well, your options for building materials and dimensions will be restricted. If you are looking for a quick turn around and don’t want anything that a prefabricated addition doesn’t have, then this will work fine.
Stick Built Additions
Stick built room additions, although more expensive, will tend to your best option if you are looking for a space that fits specific needs. Also, you will be working along side a contractor that will ensure that your vision will be able to become possible. Taking this into account, you can create the best space for your wants and needs. This includes if you want to match the style of your home, the siding, need certain dimensions, or even have it raised off the ground. To top it all off, stick built additions tend to add more resale value.
So depending on what you are looking for, either prefabricated or stick built may work better than the other. Don’t forget the design and resale benefits of a stick built room addition. You will end up loving your room addition and can be sure that it will fit your life perfectly. If a stick built room addition is not in the budget, that doesn’t mean your out of options. that a You may still find a prefabricated room addition that fits your life just fine.
Shakespeare Home Improvement Co. works along side Sunspace Sunrooms to provide our clients in Lancaster, PA with quality stick-built room additions for their homes. If you would like to have a room addition added onto your home contact us today for a free estimate.