There are many options when it comes to enclosing a porch or undergoing a large-scale residential remodel to enhance a home’s outdoor living space. Those options are often accompanied by an overwhelming amount of information - often conflicting - from various providers in the field; it can be difficult to know what and who to trust. As a team with decades of cumulative experience and thousands of successfully built sunrooms and enclosures under our belt, we have noticed some common themes and questions that nearly every client we’ve had the privilege of serving asks. As such, we thought this might be a good opportunity to highlight some of those questions and provide some clarity and guidance to help you make the best decision for your home and needs.
I want to enclose my porch, what are my options?
While your options are really only limited by your imagination (and wallet), we have found three different systems that work well for the overwhelming majority of our clients within the Southeast North Carolina region, and allow us to serve a wide variety of needs and lifestyles:
So which of these options is right for me?
That is going to be different for each and every person. The exercise that we recommend is to think about how you are going to use the room; what are your goals for the space? Do you want a room where you can enjoy a cup of coffee on a frigid morning while watching the sunrise? If so, we would strongly recommend considering a glass sunroom. If, however, you want to be able to hear the birds chirping and feel like you are out in nature without having to endure the bugs and bites that often accompany said nature, a screen enclosure might be best. Are you looking for something that allows you to keep your space free of bugs, lizards, water, and that ever-pesky pollen, but don’t want to spend the money that might be required for a glass enclosure? Eze Breeze might prove to be the best option.
Eze Breeze, what’s that?
The Eze Breeze enclosure system utilizes a 10 mil polyvinyl ‘memory film’ that has a unique ability to absorb force and impact, and form back into place over a short period of time. Try to picture a clear, plastic material with the stretchiness of a pair of yoga pants and you are pretty close. While it does not have the ability to control the climate of an enclosed space the way a glass sunroom might, it will perform much better than a standard screen enclosure. Think of it as a happy medium between glass and screen.
Am I going to need a permit for my project?
The short answer is: maybe. There are some circumstances when a permit is absolutely 100% necessary due to both state and local regulations: nearly all glass enclosures, additions (meaning we are interfacing with the home’s foundation, roof, or impervious surface), or any project that is affecting or changing the function or usability of a space from a structural perspective. Generally speaking, the more extensive (and expensive) a project becomes, the more likely it is that various permits will be required to bring the project to completion; a Licensed General Contractor (such as Porch Conversion) will be required to supervise any construction or remodeling project in excess of $30,000.
All that being said; don’t fret! This is, ultimately, a good thing. Going through the permitting process protects the homeowner, and ensures that the work being performed is up to an acceptable, industry expert-established standard. Further, most professionals within the industry will handle the permit application and manage any necessary communication with the municipality necessary to bring the project to completion.
