Cost to Convert Screened Porch to Sunroom

You love your screened-in porch, but it is only useable a few months a year. The option is to convert your screen porch to a sunroom. There are several options to consider as you ponder the possibilities. Each option comes with pros and cons and, of course, a price tag. Here are what we think are the average costs for converting a screened porch to a sunroom.

On average, converting a screen porch to a sunroom runs between $100 to $300 per square foot. A three-season room conversion will cost about $8,000 to $50,000. Turning your screened porch into a four-season room can cost $20,000 to $80,000. As with any remodel project, the size, scope, and amenities you include affect the final cost.

There is no doubt that converting a screened porch can be expensive. However, it would be best if you balanced the cost against the ability to use the space more often and the quality of the time you spend in the space. Upgrading the livability of your screened porch can add value to your home as well.

Often, a sunroom is a covered porch that has been enclosed with fixed window units to create a space for plants or seasonal living space. Enclosing a covered porch or patio can cost between $100 and $300 per square foot. The actual costs vary depending on the size of the porch or patio and the type of enclosure.

The lack of heating and cooling in the space may make it unusable during portions of the year. Winter months are understandable, but the summer months may make the space too hot to use effectively.

One of the disadvantages of a sunroom upgrade to a porch or patio is the lack of heating and cooling. By adding one or the other, you can effectively use the space during three seasons of the year. If you add heating, you can use the space in fall, winter, and spring. A cooling system allows use of the space in spring, summer, and winter.

Often, the heating or cooling capability uses a standalone through the wall AC or heater. Adding a standalone system is often a much more economical means of creating a three-season sunroom than extending the home HVAC system into the space.

Almost everyone upgrades the windows of the enclosure as well. Adding window units that open can extend the useable seasons. A three-season sunroom upgrade is a bit more expensive than a regular sunroom upgrade. Typically, three-season sunroom upgrades cost between $8,000 and $50,000, depending on the size and complexity of the remodel.

A four-season sunroom remodel includes all the amenities of a three-season sunroom but with full HVAC capabilities. The addition of full HVAC capabilities allows the use of the space year-round. These kinds of remodels are usually more expensive than the other types.

The HVAC system can be a standalone dual-use unit or the extension of your home’s HVAC system. Unfortunately, extending your home’s HVAC system to the new space usually requires upgrading the HVAC system as well. Often, it is more economical to install an HVAC unit to service only the four seasons sunroom.

Typically, enclosing a porch or patio and creating a four seasons sunroom costs $20,000 and $80,000. As with any remodel or home addition, the size, complexity, and finishes included in the project affect the price.

There is an old saying that nothing is impossible and the impossible only costs more. If you have carpentry skills and know construction techniques, you may successfully perform your screened porch project. However, if the job requires electrical work or plumbing work, you may get a permit for the job without a licensed plumber or electrician.

In most cases, the scope of a screened porch conversion is beyond the skills of most homeowner do-it-yourselfers. The services of a proven contractor can make the job much faster and, in some cases, less expensive than DIY jobs.