Enclosed Patio Cost (8 Factors & Features Costed) RenoCompare

December 30, 2022 Author: Jamie

This patio cost report focuses on the average costs to build and install an enclosed patio. You can learn the price for different types of enclosed patios. We tackle the cost of different patio construction elements, including foundations, frames, insulation, siding, roofing, and flooring. We also cover heating and air conditioning costs, lighting, and permits for an enclosed patio project.

Average Costs | What is an Enclosed Patio | Foundations | Types of Enclosed Patio | Insulation | Siding | Roofing | Flooring | Heating/AC | Lighting | Permits

We are quoting prices for construction professionals to do the work in this cost report. RenoCompare can help match you with qualified contractors in your local area. After you’ve read through this post, click here for free, no-obligation quotes and quality home improvement services.

Let’s start with the average cost per square foot for a basic enclosed patio.

AVERAGE COST

The average cost for an enclosed patio is right around $72 per square foot for the most popular options installed by professionals.

For example, most homeowners pay around $12,900 for a midrange 12 x 15 enclosed patio.

Cost estimates are given below for each phase of the project, including the foundation, structure, windows, flooring, roofing, siding, etc.

WHAT IS AN ENCLOSED PATIO?

First, an enclosed patio is not a home addition. It is a separate living space with its own foundation and structure. Yes, the patio is tied into your home for weather tightness and easy access. But it is often constructed of materials such as aluminum or steel frames.

An existing patio can be the foundation, or a new patio can be installed as part of the project.

This page is about patios with a full enclosure rather than space like a screened porch or patio covered with a pergola.

ENCLOSED PATIO FOUNDATIONS

The most common foundations for a patio are concrete slabs and pavers. Both materials can be strong enough to support the weight of the enclosure. Depending on your enclosure design and its expected weight, it might be wise to dig around the patio’s perimeter and pour concrete footings for additional support beneath the footprint of the enclosure.

Because the patio will be roofed, and water will run off the roof when it rains, it is common to add drainage around the patio. French drains or drain tile running out and away from the patio are the most common.

Of course, gutters should be installed on all sides of the enclosure with downspouts to carry water away from the foundation and structure.

These measures are essential to prevent water from causing soil erosion beneath the pavers or concrete, potentially resulting in severe damage to the entire structure.

TYPES OF PATIO STRUCTURES

The most common structures are a stick-built patio enclosure and prepackaged kits, like a sunroom/solarium or three-season room with an aluminum, fiberglass, or steel frame.

Let’s consider each.

SUNROOM, SOLARIUM, AND 3-4 SEASON ENCLOSURES

These are the most affordable and common types of patio enclosures. Most are sold as kits. You select the enclosure size, usually around 8 x 10 or 10 x 10. The largest is more than 20 x 20.

From there, you have options for roofing, doors and windows, and other features such as color and whether the roof is one section with no peak or features a peak/gable.

Framing: Most of these patio enclosures are powder-coated steel frame structures with glass walls. The roof can be glass or polycarbonate, which is tougher than glass and doesn’t cost as much.

Solarium vs. sunroom – A sunroom with a glass roof is technically known as a solarium.

Roof options: A lightweight steel or aluminum roof is another affordable option that provides good weather protection for a sunroom enclosure. The roof can be constructed with a foam core for insulation, which will keep heat out in summer and warmth in if you have a heat source in cool weather.

However, many homeowners prefer a traditional roof with shingles or tile to match what is on the house, though the cost is higher than the options mentioned above.

SOLARIUM PATIO ENCLOSURE COST

This type of patio enclosure costs $48 to $85 per square foot. Sample prices for a solarium that is installed by professionals are:

A 10 x 10 ranges from $4,800 to $8,500, while a 20 x 20 costs between $19,200 and $34,000. A mid-range 12 x 15 solarium cost is around $11,000.

Cost is based on these cost factors:

• Quality of the structure
• Glass: Double-pane low-E glass offers better climate control than cheaper single-pane and untreated glass options.
• Roof structure: Glass costs more than polycarbonate. Also, a glass-only roof costs less than one constructed from wood framing with glass panels.
• Square footage: Cost per square foot drops a little as square footage increases.
• Roof design: Simpler designs with less slope cost less than complex, steel roofs.

SUNROOM PATIO ENCLOSURE COST

Prices range from $55 to $95 per square foot. Sample costs are:

A 10 x 10 ranges from $5,500 to $9,500, while a 20 x 20 costs between $22,000 and $38,000. A midrange 12 x 15 is about $13,500.

The roof structure and roofing material are major cost factors. Cheap steel “kit” roofing is more affordable than a wood-framed roof with quality asphalt shingles, clay or concrete tiles, or even residential-grade steel or aluminum roofing.

Other cost factors are similar to those of the solarium cost factors above

SUNROOM & SOLARIUM DIY KITS

These are generally 3-sided structures that attach to the house where a sliding glass door or other entry door is already in place.

The roofs of the DIY kits must be tied to the home’s roof or flashed and connected to the home’s siding. For this reason, you might still need to hire a contractor for the connection, even if putting the kit together is something you’ve got the skill set to do.

COST OF DIY KITS

Expect to pay $1,800 to $4,500 for DIY kits based on square footage, quality, number and type of windows, and general design complexity.

This works out to around $11 to $18 per square foot.

PATIOS WITH WOOD FRAMES

These provide additional living space that “feels” more like the interior of the rest of your home and offers more privacy than glass enclosures for you and your guests.

Framing: Wood frames are constructed of dimensional lumber – wall studs, headers over doors and windows, ceiling joists, etc.

The walls are often covered in drywall, though wood planks or panels provide a homey, rustic feel.

Related Reading: Shiplap Vs Drywall Cost

Windows: While standard residential windows can be used, many homeowners opt for vinyl windows designed for garages and outbuildings because they protect against the weather better.

And if the enclosure isn’t heated, these vinyl or fiberglass frames handle thermal expansion and contraction associated with temperature fluctuations.

Whatever window type you choose, screens are essential for keeping out bugs in warm weather.

Doors: Standard entry doors provide better security and have a higher heat-resistance value, aka R-value. However, sliding glass doors are popular because they offer more glass – a better view of the surrounding landscape.

THE COST OF PATIO ENCLOSURES WITH WOOD FRAMES

The cost of patio enclosures with wood frames is on the high end of the spectrum, from $70 to $110 per square foot for most projects, but when you add in high-end materials, accessories and components, the cost can quickly rise above that.

A 10 x 10 ranges from $7,000 to $11,000, while a 20 x 20 costs between $28,000 and $44,000. A midrange 12 x 15 costs approximately $16,500.

INSULATION

A solarium enclosure can’t be effectively insulated in any climate. They are difficult and costly to cool where summers are hot. And the opposite is true – trying to heat one in cold weather. At best, they function as a three-season room.

A sunroom with an insulated ceiling gives you a better chance for year-round climate control, especially where temperatures aren’t extreme – neither very hot nor very cold.

Enclosed patios with wood frames similar to home framing are often insulated, heated, or air-conditioned, depending on your climate demands. This turns the space into a four-season room. Walls, ceilings, and the floor can be insulated in these projects.

PATIO ENCLOSURE INSULATION OPTIONS AND COST

You have a range of options, and the cost varies. Foam is the most expensive but gives you the highest R-value.

The R-value of wall batts or blown-in cellulose should be R-13 to R-20. In ceilings, it is recommended that you have R-30 to R-60, especially when you are planning to heat and air condition your enclosed patio.

www.energystar.gov

If you’re handy, you can install the insulation without a contractor. Batts and rolls of fiberglass insulation, bags of blown-in cellulose insulation and blower rental, rigid foam board, and spray foam DIY kits are available at your local home improvement store. Additional types might also be available.

Here are prices for DIY and pro installation:

Walls

• DIY fiberglass and cellulose: $1.35 – $2.10per square foot
• Contractor installed fiberglass and cellulose: $2.00 – $3.25 per square foot
• DIY foam: $2.40 – $3.15 per square foot
• Contractor installed foam: $3.00 – $4.50 per square foot

Ceilings

• DIY fiberglass and cellulose: $1.90 – $3.00 per square foot
• Contractor installed fiberglass and cellulose: $3.20 – $4.75 per square foot
• DIY foam: $3.70 – $5.15 per square foot
• Contractor installed foam: $5.35 – $7.50 per square foot

EXTERIOR SIDING OPTIONS AND COSTS

Enclosure patios with wood framing are sided, of course. Most homeowners choose a siding to match or at least complement their home’s siding.

Here are common siding options and their cost per square foot when installed by a contractor.

• Vinyl: $4.75 – $9.50
• Wood: $6.25 – $12.00
• Fiber Cement: $6.85 – $10.50
• Stucco: $4.90 – $8.50
• Brick or brick veneer: $9.00 – $21.00
• Faux stone: $5.85 – $8.00
• Genuine stone: $12.00 – $30.00

Related Reading:
Fiber Cement Siding Vs Vinyl
Aluminium Siding Vs Vinyl

ROOFING OPTIONS AND COSTS

If you choose your roofing, rather than it being part of a sunroom/solarium kit, then here are your options and costs per square foot when contractor-installed.

• Asphalt shingles: $3.50 – $8.00
• Composite shingles: $3.25 – $9.35
• Aluminum shingles: $7.00 – $12.50
• Wood shakes and shingles: $5.85 – $10.00
• Steel: $6.85 – $9.50
• Clay and concrete tiles: $12.00 – $21.00

FLOORING OPTIONS AND COSTS

Many homeowners use their concrete slab or pavers – the original patio surface – for the floor.

However, if you want something different, you can use the patio as the subfloor and install flooring over it. Not all flooring types are appropriate for the patio, even if enclosed, especially if it isn’t heated or air-conditioned.

Before adding flooring, you may need another layer of plywood or other appropriate subfloor on top of the patio.

And if you want to raise the floor to be level with your home’s flooring so you don’t have to use steps to access the patio, then flooring joists on top of the patio will do the job.

The flooring cost ranges include everything needed, depending on what you install – just flooring (low on the range), a subfloor or joists (midrange), subfloor and flooring (high end of the range).

Cost is per square foot:

• Sheet vinyl: $3.50 – $12.00 per square foot
• Luxury vinyl tile and planks: $4.95 – $16.00
• Marine or indoor/outdoor carpet: $3.90 – $11.50
• Ceramic or porcelain tile: $10.50 – $26.00
• Engineered hardwood: $8.75 – $21.00

HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING COSTS

If you’re installing an insulated full enclosure, then adding heating and air conditioning allows you to enjoy the living space any time of the year.

Here are common options and their costs.

• Electric space heaters and fireplaces: $30 – $1,500. This covers a wide range of products. In mild climates in the south, a cheap space heater might be all you need for occasionally chilly weather. If the weather is a little cooler or you want some ambiance from your heat, an electric fireplace ranging from 1,500 to 4,500 watts is a good choice.
• Portable ventless or vented propane or gas heaters: $450 – $1,200 installed. 30,000 BTUs is a standard size and produces plenty of heat for any patio enclosure with at least some insulation in the roof.
• Ductless mini split heat pump: $1,400 – $3,700. DIY mini split heat pumps are available starting at around $1,400 (MrCool, Klimaire), but to have a 9,000 – 24,000 BTU mini split installed by a contractor begins at about $2,500.
• Ceiling fans: $650 – $1,400. If creating a breeze is all you need, these are a cost-effective alternative to ductless mini split heat pumps.
• Pellet or wood stove: $1,850 – $4,000. This is a favorite in cold climates when homeowners intend to make good use of the patio, even in the fall and winter months.
• Two-way outdoor fireplace: $1,400 – $3,500+. If an outdoor patio area surrounds the enclosed part of the patio, then a two-way outdoor fireplace can be enjoyed from either side and at any time of the year.
• Window or portable air conditioner: $300 – $1,000. Small window ACs cost the least. Large, portable ACs are the most expensive, with an average cost of around $525 to $600.

LIGHTING OPTIONS AND COSTS

Light fixtures and skylights are common options when you want something permanent.

Unit and labor costs are:

• Light fixtures, wall or ceiling: $125 – $400 each.
• Skylights: $1,200 – $2,100 depending on the size and features, such as motorized operation, are cost factors. The upfront cost is higher, but natural light is free.

THE COST OF PERMITS

You might not need a permit for a sunroom or solarium but check with your local authority. They’ll want to know you made the improvement so that they can raise your property taxes!

If you are installing a stick-built enclosed patio, you will need these permits:

• Building permit: $90 – $175 based on the size of the structure.
• Electrical permit: $75 – $150 based on size and number of outlets.
• Mechanical permit: $80 – $125. This permit is needed if you’re installing a permanent source of heating and/or cooling, such as a mini split heat pump, vented heater, pellet or wood stove, or fireplace that burns wood, natural gas, or propane.