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If you’re trying to decide between a sunroom and a screened-in porch, the right choice will depend on your priorities. A screened-in porch costs only a fraction of the price of a sunroom, but in exchange, it has much more limited use. A sunroom will add more value to your home, but at a much higher up-front cost and longer construction timeline.

Yes, enclosing a patio to create a sunroom or three-season room is often a good idea that adds value to your home. This project increases your home's usable square footage and creates a versatile space for relaxing or entertaining that is filled with natural light and can be used in various weather conditions. Homeowners may see an average return on investment (ROI) of around 70%. The final value added will depend on factors such as the quality of the materials, the level of finish, and the amount of yard space that remains after the enclosure.

While there is no one size that’s considered best, the sunroom size that’s best for you will come down to the size of your home and how you want to use your sunroom. Smaller sunrooms under 120 square feet provide a nice semi-outdoor sitting area, medium-sized sunrooms between 120 and 200 square feet can house an outdoor dining area and a small area for additional seating, and large sunrooms over 200 square feet can serve multiple purposes and even include an outdoor kitchen.

In almost all cases, you will need permits if you plan on building a sunroom over your patio, but regulations and requirements will depend on your municipality. Permits to enclose your patio will usually cost between $300 and $1,000. Since navigating local building codes and zoning requirements is challenging—and the consequences of not following them can be extremely expensive—we strongly recommend hiring a sunroom builder to complete the work and pull the permits for you.