Estimate on winterizing a porch

7/31/2015 at 12:26:30 PM

Hi Mike,

I think you need to take a step backwards and find out if it can be converted to living space. The way you are describing it, it sounds like a deck that has slowly been converted to a sun room. If that is the case, you need to upgrade the foundation and floor system before considering anything else. Then it will depend on how the walls are currently structured and if the roof is suitable. Lots of other items like HVAC, electrical, insulation, etc have to be considered before anyone can give you numbers.

Good luck with it.

Jim Kuzma

Kettleby Handyman

7/31/2015 at 1:13:58 PM

Hi Jim,

Thank you for your response. I appreciate it. I had another contractor already come to see the porch in person. He felt that the job could be done for $10,000 - $12,000. He took a look at how the walls were constructed. It looks like it's just framed in with two by fours at the moment. There is already an electrical outlet in the porch and there is a heating vent right next to the two double doors shown in the photos. I believe he was going to tap into that for the heat. The porch was always a porch and never was used as a deck. We have a deck off of the porch already. For the flooring it is just a piece of pressure treated plywood supported on blocks. I'm not certain what he intends to replace that with. I just wanted to get a second opinion on a price for a project like this.

Thanks. All advice is welcomed!

7/31/2015 at 1:20:08 PM

Mike,

As Jim mentioned, the foundation is the first area to look at. It must follow safety and building codes, regardless of where you live. You can contact your local building inspector to find out mote information ... usually free. Remember that a porch isn't part of the original structure and items such as heating, electrical, plumbing all should be considered in some detail. I might also assume, being a porch, that the walls are 2x4 construction versus 2x6, which should be the primary house walls thickness. This too makes a difference in the long term heat loss and general comfort of the room. Take some time and do a little more research using what you already know and what the final structure should look like (in you vision).

Regards,

Mark

7/31/2015 at 1:26:14 PM

Thanks Mark for your response. Assuming the foundation was done properly and the walls were the appropriate thickness and insulated along with everything else what price should a job like this cost? Also, in terms of the foundation should I be expecting something like poured concrete to be the only opinion? Thanks again. The advice on here really helps me!

7/31/2015 at 10:17:23 PM

Hi Mike,

Call your building inspector before you do anything else. You don't even know if they'll allow any further work to it without certain criteria. The contractor may not be able to "tap" into the existing HVAC duct. It might require a new run. And don't forget, your taxes will increase because now you have a heated addition.

Do your homework before you consider how much it'll cost for everything. It's not the price of the job to consider, but the value. Whether it's worth the money or not.

Mike.