A sunroom is a major investment, not only in its cost but also in its longevity. A sunroom that is unattractive or has little things wrong with it will not help the value of your home. So it's important to hire a contractor who knows what he's doing.

If you live in a location where the summers are oppressively hot, or the insects really get on your nerves, or you simply want a place to go to bask in the sun but not feel the heat of the sun, then the addition of a sunroom to your home may well be the solution for you.

The addition of a sunroom to one's home has become very popular, and there are quite a few businesses in the field. Some handle all kinds of building projects, others specialize only in sunrooms. Depending on your home, your budget and your needs, you will be able to find the right sunroom for you.

The first question you have to ask yourself is, will your new sunroom fit the building code and zoning regulations of your neighborhood? Even if you're having the room built onto a pre-existing structure such as a porch, there are some neighborhoods that have restrictions on what you can and cannot do to your home, so make sure you investigate this very first thing, so you know what you can do.

The second question you have to ask yourself is, are you going to "do-it-yourself," or are you going to hire a contractor to do the installation for you. It's important that you make the right decision, because the addition of a sunroom will affect the value, and tax estimate, of your house. If you do it yourself and the work turns out to be shoddy for any reason, you'll also have no recourse but to get it redone by a professional.

Installing a sunroom

installing a sunroom onto an existing base is different than constructing one. Kits are sold so that you can build on top an existing deck or patio. While it's true that you won't be making changes to the existing structure of your home, it is still imperative that you make sure that this existing base is constructed well enough to take the additional weight of a sunroom. And even though you're not altering the existing structure of your home, it is still best to check with any neighborhood association that you are allowed to add what you want.

If your sunroom is going to be built as a true addition to your home, meaning that your wall or roof line, heating and cooling system, or other existing structures in your home will be altered, then it is imperative that the sunroom adhere to the building codes and laws in your own area.

Questions for Potential Sunroom Contractors

Once you've decided that you'll have a contractor to build your sunroom, there are many questions you must ask.

Don't let any contractor bully you into choosing them because of a sale that will be ended within the week, or because they won't have time to start on your job unless you have them start immediately, etc. These are pressure tactics and anyone who tries that should be dismissed out of hand.

It is always best to choose a company that has been in business for a long time - with the same people in charge for all that time. If a company has just gone under new management, this should be a red flag that much more research into their company should be done.

Even if a company has been in business a long time, it's also a good idea to make sure they're not resting on their laurels. Ask about their licensing, certifications, membership in different associations and any other legal or professional accreditations that they might have.

But don't stop there. Ask them to provide you with the names of satisfied customers - and go and talk to those customers to make sure all went well with their project. Also, check with the Better Business Bureau to make sure that no one has made any complaints against them.

And one question that you should not forget to ask is...is this contractor going to be the one doing your work...or do they give the project to a subcontractor. That's a situation that usually should be avoided.

The more you know before you start, the more chance that you will have a sunroom installed with no problems, either with its construction or with its future use.