Last year we decided to commit to something we’ve been daydreaming about for a few years.  We wanted to add a 3+ season sunroom to the house and replace the house’s vinyl siding, soffit, and fascia. We contracted with Crown Construction and we are very pleased with the whole process and the finished job.

Interior of sunroom addition.

The sunroom has a radiant heat floor, is well-insulated, and uses triple-pane energy-efficient windows.  We hope we can use it year round. So far it’s been a joy and we’re using it extensively.

Replacing the vinyl siding is something Lori, in particular, wanted to do.  Close up it looked cheap, extensive insect nests were populating all the gaps and crevices, and some bad installation was a real eyesore in some spots.

We chose to replace with engineered wood and changed the color while we were at it. The very skilled and experienced guys did a great job.  It looks as good as we dared hope.  The big surprise is how tight everything is, eliminating the fly and wasp issues.  The combination of the wood and the backer board they used also very noticeably makes the house quieter.  We’re also aware of a drop-off in micro-drafts during windy days–we’re hoping this makes a big difference in the winter.

Finally, we also replaced the siding around the front door with a stone facade which we like a lot.

Financially this overhaul may only add to our tax assessment and insurance costs and do very little to enhance the value of the house here in upstate New York’s perennially dismal housing market.  But at least it was expensive.

All told, it was a great quality-of-life investment and an efficient way to get rid of some of those burdensome retirement savings.

Stone facade replaced vinyl siding around front door.

Southeast corner of house showing new sunroom addition.

East side of house with sunroom addition (left) and new siding.

West side of house with new siding and stone wall around front door.

West side of house with new siding and sunroom addition (right).