How much does it cost to repair a sunroom?

Sunrooms add a lot of value and additional space to a home. These rooms are primarily made of glass and designed for use in either three or four seasons. Like any part of the house, however, they may require repairs over time. The average homeowner spends about $2,000 on repairs to a sunroom, including fixing leaks, replacing screens, and replacing one broken window.

Common problems

Sunrooms can be built in many ways and styles. They can be year-round spaces, which typically involve insulation and a roof that is an extension of the rest of the home. Or, they may be three-season room additions that are primarily made of glass, which includes their roof and walls.

Sunrooms can develop a wide range of problems, including issues with the windows, roof, framing, and screens as well as the typical issues that any part of the home may have, such as problems with flooring, siding, or insect damage.

Some of the most common problems that a sunroom may encounter include:

Cost factors

Several things impact the cost of your sunroom repair. The first is the type of sunroom. If this is an all-season room, then the way that it is constructed and the materials used will be very different than those used to build a more traditional sunroom, which is usually made of glass panels connected to a frame.

Even among a single style, there are also factors to consider. For example, if you have a glass sunroom, energy-efficient glass panels cost more, so if one breaks and needs replacing, the price will be higher than for a basic glass panel.

The type of flooring you have, the kind of roof, and whether or not the walls are made of solid glass in a frame or whether they are framed with wood with glass inserts also impact your repair cost.

For these reasons, it is usually best to have your sunroom inspected and a custom repair quote generated to get the most accurate repair costs for your structure.

Labor

If your sunroom is the traditional kind with glass walls and a roof, then you should ideally have it repaired by a sunroom company. If at all possible, contact the same company who manufactured and installed it because they will be in the best position to assess the issue and make the necessary repairs. However, if that is not possible, a sunroom manufacturer and installation company is your next best bet at getting the work done correctly.

If you have an all-season sunroom, then a general contractor is probably the best choice for repairs. Again, if you had the room built, contact the builder, as he or she is already familiar with the room. But if this is not possible, a general contractor can assess the damage and coordinate the repairs on different areas at once.

If the damage is limited to one small area, such as a small section of a leaking roof or damaged flooring, then it is acceptable to simply contact a specialist like a roofer or a tile installer to handle the repairs.

In most cases, sunroom repair costs will be done on a flat-fee basis that takes into account the damaged area and the price of the parts to repair it. For example, a three-season sunroom with glass walls and roof that is experiencing leaks and has a cracked window pane will cost around $2,000 to weatherstrip the glass panels, replace the single panel that is broken, and replace the damaged screens.

Enhancement and improvement costs

Safety glass

If your sunroom is made of primarily glass panels, then you may want to invest in safety glass, which is either tempered or covered in a film that will stop it from shattering into sharp pieces. Safety glass can still break but does so in a way that is less likely to cause harm. Panels start at $300 per piece and go up in price depending on additional features you may want in the glass.

Add wall system with Thermal Break

A thermal break prevents heat transfer between the indoors and outdoors. This system is most often used in sunrooms that are four-season rooms with walls that can be given a tight building envelope, rather than simply using glass. However, it is also possible to install better glass, along with insulation in the frame, to create a thermal break that provides better performance and extended seasons in a non-year-round sunroom. Expect to pay at least $500 per panel for this feature.

Remodeling a sunroom

If your sunroom is old, you may want to remodel it rather than only making repairs. The cost of a new sunroom is around $360 per square foot, and a full remodel will likely cost in this ballpark, depending on size and features.

Additional considerations and costs

• Most people are aware that they need to clean the glass of their sunrooms, but it is equally important to clean the frames and gutters. Cleaning the gutters helps prevent leaks while cleaning the frames gives you a chance to inspect them and catch issues like deteriorating weatherstripping before it becomes a problem.
• Newer sunrooms have connectors between the glass panels that can reduce or eliminate leakage, but older sunrooms may have water or air leaks. Weatherstripping can help.
• If you invest in a sunroom with window panels, make sure they are at least double pane with argon or krypton between the panels to make the room as energy-efficient as possible.
• Many sunroom panels are made with safety glass, but if these become damaged, you may want to upgrade to glass that provides safety but also better solar protection and insulation as well.
• Adding electrical or HVAC vents to the room helps extend the use of the space and can help meet local building codes for an all-season room.
• Always make repairs as soon as the issue is detected. Many issues can grow and lead to further problems and need for repair, which can increase the cost.
• You will not necessarily need a permit for sunroom repairs, but major projects may. Always check with your town hall to be sure.

Remodeling Terms Cheat Sheet

² Subfloor: The bottom-most layer of a floor, supported by joists, over which finished flooring material is laid