Are you ready to build a porch? We have been a custom porch builder for
more than 25 years.
If you’ve come to this page, you are considering adding a new screened
porch to your Chicagoland home. If you’ve taken a look through our
porch photo gallery, you will see we’ve built porches in many shapes
and sizes throughout the Chicagoland metro area. There are many options
and factors to consider when adding a new porch to your home. Working
with Archadeck of Chicagoland to design your new porch, we work carefully
to match size, placement and options with how you want to live in your
new space. Here are some of the options and considerations for adding
a porch to your home.
If you are going to add a porch to your home, which porch roof is best for you?
There are several porch roof styles. A gable roof is the most popular roof
style. The gable roof creates a vaulted ceiling within your porch providing
a very open and airy feel within your porch. In recommending the best
porch roof style for you, we look at the configuration of your home. First
and foremost, the back of your home may pose constraints for a particular
roof style. For example, if you have a number of second story windows,
this may prevent the use of a steeper roof style and may dictate using
a shed roof or a flat roof. Another consideration in roof selection is
the roof style(s) of your home. We want your porch to look original to
your home so we look to match or complement the existing roof on your home.
What is the best place to attach your porch to your home?
Like roof selection, porch placement will largely be dictated by the configuration
of the back of your home and which area best accommodates the room addition.
Additional factors are taken into consideration including from which interior
room you want to access your porch. If you plan on using your porch mostly
for outdoor meals, it is important to ensure your porch has direct access
from your kitchen. If you are hoping to use your porch for living room
overflow, you will want direct access from the living area within your home.
How many seasons do you want to use your porch?
When we are fortunate to run into past porch customers, they always tell
us that their porch is the favorite room in their home. Wouldn’t
it be great to use your favorite room throughout as much of the year as
possible? There are a couple ways to extend the use of your porch as it
gets colder in our Chicago area climate. One way to extend the use of
your porch is through integrating an outdoor fireplace into your porch.
Another way is through using a retractable window system such as Eze-Breeze
windows. These attractive, light weight windows allow you to easily close
up the room to protect against rain or snow or open them fully to allow
a warm breeze in on sunny days.
What’s your porch style?
After determining the placement, roof style, and other structural considerations,
we can have fun with the interior style. How formal or informal do you
want your room to be? While rustic porches are perennially popular, there
are now many options for having a more finished room. If you are looking
for a rustic space, we may recommend an exposed ceiling with open rafters.
Opting for an enclosed ceiling creates a more finished look. Similar options
in flooring will determine the style of your porch. You can opt for anything
from treated wood flooring to composite flooring or even paver flooring.
Make it a great pair
When adding an outdoor living space to your home, think about how you want
to live outdoors. How important is it to eat outdoors? Do you envision
private family dinners outdoors or do you regularly want to entertain
in your new space? Would you like a great outdoor seating area? Is this
to entertain friends or will one member of your household use a seating
space to steal away with a good book or cup of morning coffee? While you’re
building your space, make sure you build it to support your lifestyle.
Very common today are combination outdoor spaces that include a porch
along with a patio or deck. This not only allows for different types of
activities in your new outdoor area but also allows different uses of
your outdoor space at the same time. Allow the kids to play games in the
screened area while you and a couple friends enjoy a meal under the warm sun.
It’s all about living
Your new porch can have any number of amenities to support your outdoor
living. Options abound with lighting, fans, and electrical. Larger options
can include adding an outdoor fireplace or bar to your screened or open porch.
Give us a call for a complimentary consultation about your new outdoor living area at
(847) 250-4100. We look forward to hearing from you!
Enjoy some of our most popular videos of open porches and screened porches:
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