(ARA) – Today’s seniors are more active than ever, taking advantage of something they didn’t have in their younger years — time to do the things they really want to do. For some, that means traveling around the world and seeing new things; but Patrick and Virginia Carmody, both 67 of Fenton, Mich., would just as soon spend more time at home.
“Those snow bunnies pay to go to Florida. We get to enjoy the warm temperatures and beauty of nature right here in the comfort of our own home all year long,” says Patrick. The Carmodys added a 12 foot by 15 foot SunPorch onto their lake home in southeastern Michigan about a year ago, and say they don’t know what they ever did without it.
According to the National Sunroom Association, adding on a sunroom is one of the most popular home remodeling projects these days, particularly among seniors. Between 100,000 and 200,000 of them are added onto existing structures in the United States every year.
“It’s great. In the wintertime, it can be 20 degrees outside with snow on the ground, but we can sit out on the porch and watch the wildlife scamper around in 80 degree temperatures,” says Patrick. “In the summer time, we can take the windows out and turn our porch into a screen room, using the breeze coming off the lake to cool us off. The screen also keeps the bugs out.”
The system the Carmodys decided to go with is one designed by SunPorch Structures, a Connecticut company that offers a ready-to-assemble kit for homeowners. All parts are pre-fabricated for easy on-site installation, and as the kit is sold directly from the factory to the homeowner, the savings can be quite enormous. A standard kit includes a roof, front and end walls, and a door ready to mount directly on an existing deck or patio. The assembly process requires basic handyman skills, which include site leveling and squaring.
“Many of our customers hire handymen to do the installation for them, but it’s simple enough that you can do it yourself in your spare time,” says Dean Schwartz, customer service manager for SunPorch Structures, Inc., the only convertible sunroom/screenroom system on the market today. The Carmodys hired someone to build them a deck and install the SunPorch on top of it, but Patrick says he’s confident he could have done the job himself if necessary.
If he had to name one thing that sold him on the system, he says that would be its flexibility. “The reflective sun shades it comes with are great in the summertime for keeping intense heat out, and the insulating blankets make a big difference in the winter,” he says. “Warm air stays trapped inside.”
The Carmodys have their SunPorch furnished with soft rocking chairs, a bistro table and a few chairs, and say they love being able to have a comfortable party when there’s a foot of snow on the ground or when it’s 100 degrees.
“My only regret is that we didn’t get it sooner,” says Patrick. “It has added a lot of quality to my life and value to my home.”
For more information about SunPorch Structures, log on to www.sunporch.com. There you’ll find a virtual catalog which includes a design and price list, a step-by-step guide for installation of your sunroom, and an order form for a sample kit which includes a video tape.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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