A sunroom brightens a home's value

Over the years, homeowners have sought a balance of open space, natural sunlight and a fusion of indoor and outdoor living features. This has led to a rise in popularity of sunrooms.

Sunrooms allow homeowners to enjoy the outdoor landscape unconditionally, regardless of weather, temperature or time of day. They also can increase a home's value and are in many ways more cost-effective than building a traditional addition to a house.

You can opt for a simple, predesigned sunroom or hire a contractor to design a sunroom specifically for your house. Prefabricated sunroom additions start at about $10,000 and average between $15,000 and $35,000, while custom-built sunrooms usually range between $45,000 and $70,000.

The National Association of the Remodeling Industry estimates that, in the Northeast, a sunroom will repay nearly 49 percent of its investment cost when the home is resold.

There are many options, from solariums or conservatories that feature an exposed glass roof and windows all around to a conventional cathedral roof with full-length windows. There also are many different material choices, both for the interior and exterior, depending on taste, budget and room function.

No matter what shape or form, a sunroom can bring a little life into a dreary winter. Here are five Long Island houses for sale with sunrooms that aim to do just that:

Hampton Bays, $3.2 million 

ANNUAL TAXES $19,147

LISTING AGENT Constance Porto, Village Real Estate of the Hamptons, 631-728-1900

WHAT HOMEOWNERS LOVE ABOUT THEIR SUNROOM What's better than feeling warm and cozy inside when you know full well it's below freezing outside? Pat and Neil Goodman, both 62 and retired from a business they owned together, say they love this feature about their sunroom - being able to look out at the ominous winter weather, safe and secure within their windowed walls looking out on Shinnecock Bay. They also say they get excited at the thrill of an intense storm, where the sunroom offers front-row seats and a haven from the rain and wind. Pat, a former clothing designer, says she cherishes the newfound space. "It really opens up the house," she says. "The dogs really love sitting in there, too, soaking up the warmth of the sun." The bright sunlight allows the sunroom to double as a greenhouse.

Woodbury, $1.599 million

ANNUAL TAXES $39,788

LISTING AGENT Fran Mazer, Shawn Elliott Luxury Homes & Estates, 516-364-4663

WHAT HOMEOWNER LOVES ABOUT HIS SUNROOM Just completed two years ago, this four-season sunroom has been a magnificent addition to the almost 6,000-square-foot home, says co-owner David Winograd, 58, a college professor and writer. The house is on one acre, and the room, with mostly windows on three sides, looks onto a wooded landscape. Winograd says he has breakfast and reads the paper there most mornings, taking in the natural setting. The sunroom was incorporated as part of the house, which required removing the sliding doors that once led to the outside, and it now opens up to a sun-filled family room used mostly for relaxing. "The room provides nice light for reading," Winograd says. "Morning is my favorite time of day in the sunroom."

Wading River, $994,000

ANNUAL TAXES $16,096

LISTING AGENT Theresa Rottkamp, Coldwell Banker Premier Homes, 631-929-3700

WHAT HOMEOWNERS LOVE ABOUT THEIR SUNROOM Rebecca, 33, and Shaun Golden, 35, who own a business together, say they decided to incorporate a sunroom into their house plan from the start, and it was built during construction in 2004. They use their sunroom as an open space where the children play, where the couple entertain guests and where the family witnesses the change of seasons. The room has windows on all three sides and overlooks a bluestone patio. A firepit outside creates a glow inside when lit at night. During the day, the room has an aura unlike any other room in the house, they say. "The sunroom has a different feel with all the natural light it lets in," says Rebecca. "We get to enjoy the outdoors without having to bear the elements." Their backdrop includes a wooded area that allows undisturbed observation of nature and wildlife. 

Glen Cove, $825,000

ANNUAL TAXES $13,770

LISTING AGENT Carmen Carciu, Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty, 516-674-2000

WHAT HOMEOWNER LOVES ABOUT HIS SUNROOM Originally from Manhattan, Larry Dluhy, 60, a business owner, decided that to get a true sense of the outdoors all year round, a sunroom would be a great idea. So he sat down with an architect to discuss an addition to his home. Primarily all windows except for the roof, the sunroom houses a hot tub, table and chairs, and furniture to relax on. The interior walls are untreated cedar instead of Sheetrock to capture a bucolic feel. "My family is from Oregon," he explains. "They use a lot of natural wood products there." Dluhy says he is grateful for the room in all seasons - in the summer, sheltered from the blazing heat, and in the winter when he can watch the snow fall all around.

Miller Place, $549,000

ANNUAL TAXES $17,100

LISTING AGENT Ray Manzoni, Manzoni Real Estate, 631-928-1188

WHAT HOMEOWNER LOVES ABOUT HER SUNROOM The sunroom has become Beate

Salveson's favorite room in the house. Situated right off the kitchen, the all-glass octagon conservatory offers unobstructed views of the landscape and sky. Salveson says she loves her sheer surroundings now, but in the planning stage she had some concerns. "I thought privacy would be an issue," explains Salveson, 57, a registered nurse. "But it hasn't been." The house is on a cul-de-sac with lots of trees and not many neighbors or passersby. She has spent some July 4 holidays inside the sunroom, looking out at the fireworks, and, she says, "a moonlit night is incredible."

Why add a four-season room?

Some homeowners shy away from sunrooms because they think they may be too cold in winter or too hot in summer. To take advantage of year-round use, especially on Long Island - where temperatures range from subfreezing to oppressively hot, - the best option might be the four-season sunroom, which can be used throughout the year because it is made from materials that keep out cold temperatures in winter and keep the room cooler in summer.

If a four-season sunroom is of high quality and designed correctly, the temperature should be manageable. During the planning stage, construction materials should be considered as well as proper ventilation. For example, in very warm climates, a sunroom with appropriate heat-resistant glass panels and shades can regulate the incoming rays of the sun. In cold climates, a sunroom should be positioned to take advantage of available sunlight and incorporate a suitable heating system.

Skylights can be added if your roof is solid and not all-glass, which will allow more light to enter the room. Ceiling fans can improve air circulation, while shades or blinds can retain heat in winter and control glare in summer (they also offer some privacy).

Bring the sunshine in

Before you dive in to begin construction on your sunroom, think about what exactly you will use the space for. It could be as simple as a family room or as extravagant as an entertaining arena or lavish pool enclosure. You can eat under the stars and create a glass dining area, or even sleep under the night sky with a bedroom bubble of your own.

Many people also use sunrooms for home offices, exercise rooms and greenhouses. The possibilities are endless, and Richard Harris and Jeanne Fontana, of Four Seasons Sunrooms in Holbrook, advocate creativity.

"Let your imagination go," says Harris. "There are many interesting concepts that can work for you."

Harris stresses the importance of tying in the sunroom to the rest of the house to make sure it flows and makes sense, in addition to choosing a style to match the architecture of the home.