Does a Sunroom Add to the Value of a Home?

I remember the house I bought when I was first married. The early spring day was cold. It felt like winter wasn’t quite over. Our realtor showed us this house she thought was perfect for us. I walked into the house and could see through the living and dining room out through the French doors to a sunroom. It was filled with light, and comfortable looking wicker furniture beckoned. I sat down and let the sun warm my face. I knew immediately that this house hit the top of our list.

It’s undeniable that sunrooms produce an immediate positive reaction in everyone who steps inside them. Whether the sunroom consists of a deck with screened-in walls around it or an upscale solarium whose glass walls extend all the way up the cathedral ceilings, this space has one main reason for being: To let in the light.

Does a Sunroom Add to the Value of a Home? It did in our case. Our lives were built around that sunroom. We read good books there cuddled in a blanket on the chaise lounge or on a nearby wicker chair, where we dined, enjoyed our morning coffee, entertained friends, and even took a nap in the sunlight. We enjoyed every day in that sunroom until we moved because we were transferred.

Some say the ROI is limited. According to SFGATE, “Homeowners who add a sunroom, while a popular addition, may only recoup a portion of the cost at resale. The 2013 Hanley Wood Remodeling Cost vs. Value report suggests nationally homeowners recoup an average of 47 percent on sunroom addition to their homes with an average cost of about $73,000 returning a value of $34,000 upon resale. While a sunroom addition adds to the home, it does not return the full project cost to the homeowner.



That survey may be true. You shouldn’t add a sunroom just for the ROI. You must also consider the value to your well being as a family. Think of the memories and enjoyment you will get while you live in that house.

Kissy Schwab says, “Sunrooms add value to your home through extra living space by increasing the square footage of your house. Some real estate experts suggest that the return on investment for a well-built sun porch can be as much as 80%, although the average tends to hover around 60%. Also, adding this type of porch on the front of your home can improve your curb appeal when selling.”

Let’s not forget one of the big values of a sunroom. You can enjoy the landscaping of your home through all the glass while it is freezing outside. And, you can grow at least nine plants all year round inside. You can enjoy their blooms and aroma while sitting comfortably with your tea and the morning newspaper.

Bottom line, I will never forget sitting down on my comfortable wicker furniture in the sunroom in my first house. It just felt peaceful, and I could imagine I would spend many hours here slowing the world down and exhaling the stress of a long pressure-filled week.