How To Know If Your Existing Porch Is a Candidate for a Four Season Porch Conversion

Here in Wisconsin, we love our three-season porches. Relaxing on a warm summer night while enjoying the company of friends and a cold beer is the perfect way to spend an evening. For some of us, however, space might be better utilized by converting your porch into a year-round four season room.

Remodeling your three-season porch into an actual year-round living space means making the space snug, safe, warm, and dry. You need to look at several areas both inside and outside when planning your conversion.

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To utilize your room year-round, you'll first need to heat and cool the space efficiently. Best case, you can tie your ductwork and venting to use your current system. You'll also need to examine and evaluate every aspect of the porch structure to make sure your project is successful.

From the outside perspective, you'll need to examine the foundation, exterior siding, roofing, and any windows already in place. You'll do all of this so that your new room looks original to your home's construction. You'll also want to blend the interior of the space with nearby rooms.

Let's go through the process step by step to help educate you about the process. Here at Degnan Design-Build-Remodel, we believe that an educated homeowner is our best client!

A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating a Four Season Room

While converting your three-season porch into a year-round space, you can often save money compared to adding an addition to your home – much of the infrastructure is already in place – you'll need to assess your room's current condition carefully.

Here's a step by step look at what you'll need to examine, and prepare as you begin the construction process for a four season room.

Step 1 – Checking the Foundation

The first step is to assess the existing foundation of your porch. You'll want to make sure that you're building on a solid base. To improve energy efficiency, install needed insulation under the floor joists and enclose the sides of the foundation. You'll want to make sure that the sides are snug so cold air will not be channeled from the bottom of the room. Plan to use materials like stone, brick-covered cinder blocks, or siding that matches your home's exterior to encase the foundation's perimeter.

Step 2 – Routing Systems

You'll need to install HVAC ductwork and electrical systems into your space. Your electrician will determine in you can tie your electrical into your existing breaker box, or if you'll need to upgrade or add a secondary box. They can also help you with the best ways to run wiring and outlets to meet your town's existing building codes. You'll also need to extend the ductwork from your home's present heating system if no new unit is required. Another option is to have an HVAC professional or your contractor install a more significant system as an option if the new room puts too much demand on your existing unit.

Step 3 – Insulation

If you're converting an existing three-season porch or sunroom, you may have some insulation currently installed. To make the conversion to a four season room, you'll need to remove the interior drywall, if present and add additional insulation to the walls and ceiling. You may also consider installing smaller windows, reducing the size of the glass to make your exterior walls less susceptible to losing heated or cooled air. If you'd like to keep the larger windows, consider replacing them with double or triple hung windows to maximize energy efficiency.

Step 4 – Matching Your Homes Exterior

It's time to update your exterior design. If needed, work with your contractor to design and build new exterior walls. You want your exterior walls to blend well with your home's existing exterior. Consider changing the design to include a combination of materials to give it a more contemporary look. Stacked stone, brick veneer, or tongue and groove boards can give your home a pleasing and inviting look. Make sure you blend the exterior to make it look as though the room has always been there, as opposed to looking like an addition.

Step 5 – Matching Your Home's Interior Finishes

Finally, you'll want to remodel the interior space to match and blend with your home's other rooms. For example, creating flooring that matches, or works design-wise with your home's existing hardwood or tile flooring. You'll want to finish installing any drywall and painting it a color that matches or blends with the adjoining rooms. Match your home's baseboards, crown molding, interior doors, and millwork to increase your home's value.

Enjoying Your New Four Season Room!

While your home's three-season porch has been a welcome addition where you've often gone to unwind at the end of a long day with guests, here in Wisconsin, we're lucky to get three seasons of use from them. Converting your three-season porch to a four season room can increase your ability to enjoy the space year-round. With new large, insulated windows, and screens, you can still open the area up to enjoy an indoor/outdoor experience when the weather is beautiful.

This article was updated by Abe Degnan on 8/28/2022.

About Degnan Design-Build-Remodel

If you're considering converting your screened-in porch to a four season room, and you live in the greater Madison, Wisconsin area, give the award-winning design team at Degnan Design-Build-Remodel a call at (608) 846-5963.

We're always happy to answer your questions. You cam also schedule an in-person or virtual meeting. Let the Degnan design team help you to build the perfect four season room to commune with nature, sit back and enjoy a good book and a glass of wine, or gather with family and friends on a chilly autumn night. Call today for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your creative vision!