Deck-to-sunroom conversion in Irvine CA - a room built on a deck that can carry it
Got a deck you'd use more with walls and a roof? We check whether it can hold a sunroom, then build one that fits.
Can I turn my deck into a sunroom in Irvine?
A deck-to-sunroom conversion encloses the deck you already have in Irvine, CA with a roof, walls and windows, so you get a real room on the same footprint, as long as what's underneath can carry it.
Most people who call us about this already like their deck but lose it to the afternoon sun, the wind or the bugs, and they want a room they'll use every day. The price moves mostly with the room type, especially whether it's heated and cooled, and with how much work the deck needs underneath before it can hold a roof and glass. The schedule turns on that same check and on any permit steps with the city, and your own figure comes from the written estimate after I've seen the deck. If you're starting from a slab at ground level instead of a raised deck, patio-to-sunroom conversion is the closer fit.
What our deck-to-sunroom conversion work looks like
A deck built for chairs isn't built for a room, so the first thing I do is check the framing, the wood and the footings before I tell you whether yours can carry one. One contractor warns that boards or joists over ten years old can hide rot, so on an older deck we pull a few boards and look at the joists, because damp wood is the last thing you want sealed under a new floor. If something comes up short, we reinforce or replace it first and tell you why. Then our crew lays the new floor, frames the walls and roof, sets the windows and ties the room into the house so it looks like it belongs there, and we clean up as we go.
Some owners want the room to work in August and January alike, and for them we build it as one of our all season rooms, made to be lived in every month of the year. If the deck can't take the weight, or there's a ground-level patio right beside it, one of our enclosed patio rooms may make more sense, and I'll tell you that straight.
Permits and fire zones for deck-to-sunroom conversion in Irvine
Whether your conversion needs a permit is the city's call, and the City of Irvine's Building Permits and Inspections page lets you check whether your work will require one. When a project calls for it, we take care of the permit steps with the city. The city's updated fire hazard map also expanded its zones into Orchard Hills, Woodbury, Portola Springs, Quail Hill, Turtle Rock, Laguna Altura, Los Olivos and Irvine Spectrum, and new construction or major renovations in those zones have to meet building and fire code requirements, which city staff say means fire-resistant materials and features like ember-resistant vents. If your conversion falls under those rules, that shapes the roof, the vents and the materials we pick, so I check your address against the map at the first visit.
Most of the decks I look at here were built for a grill and a few chairs and have spent years in strong sun, so the wood check matters as much as the framing. We're based in Irvine and work across Orange County, and we see the same kind of backyard decks on jobs in Tustin and Lake Forest.
How a deck-to-sunroom conversion works
Call or send the form
Call (949) 543-1630 or send the form with a line about your deck and what you want the room for. We'll set a time for me to come out.
I look at the deck myself
I come out to see the deck, what it sits on and how the room will tie into the house, and I walk you through the options right there. You get a written estimate that spells out the room type, windows and insulation we talked about, so you can see what you're paying for before you decide anything.
Our crew builds the room
Once any permit steps are done, our own crew does the build, starting with whatever the deck needs underneath. I check in along the way, so you have one person to ask when a question comes up.
We walk the finished room
When it's done, I walk the room with you, opening the windows and looking over the floor and the spot where the room meets the house. Your satisfaction, guaranteed.
Get a written estimate for your deck-to-sunroom conversion
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time for me to come see your deck. The estimate is free and done at your house, and there's no pressure to book once you have it in hand.
Questions about turning a deck into a sunroom
Can my deck in Irvine hold a sunroom?
Some decks can and some need work first, and you only know once someone checks it. One contractor puts a typical deck at about 50 pounds per square foot and a sunroom at closer to 100 or more because of the roof and glass, and the industry's sunroom specification allows a sunroom on a deck built to the local building code. I look at yours on site and tell you what it would take.
How much does it cost to turn a deck into a sunroom in Orange County?
Building a sunroom in Orange County usually costs about $120 to $200 per square foot, which is the area's going rate for the room, not our quote. Larger rooms with a foundation and heating and air conditioning land at the high end, and any repairs the deck needs underneath add to that. Your own figure comes from the estimate visit.
Should I get a three-season or four-season sunroom on my deck?
Go four-season if you want to use the room every month, because it's heated and cooled and has all-weather windows. A three-season room has neither and a screened porch has only screens, so either one costs less and suits a room you'll mostly use on mild days. I'll ask what the room is for before I suggest one.
How do I find out if I need a permit for a sunroom in Irvine?
Call the city's Building Permits and Inspections line at 949-724-6470, or use the city page linked above to check whether your work will require one. If yours does, we handle those steps.
What is the best way to floor a sunroom built on a deck?
A solid subfloor with a finish like laminate or tile usually works better than keeping the old deck boards. The gaps between deck boards let in bugs, dust and cold air, which defeats the point of closing the room in.
What causes a sunroom on a deck to sink?
Footings that were never meant to hold a room are the usual cause. The concrete under deck posts was poured to hold a platform, and if the soil is soft or the piers are too shallow, the added weight can settle the room. That's why the footings are one of the first things I look at.
Why Irvine homeowners call Daylight Irvine Sunrooms & Patios for deck conversions
The owner sees every deck
I come out to look at the deck and write the estimate myself, and our own crew does the build. State law lets you ask any home improvement contractor to name its subcontractors and their license numbers, so you can know exactly who's working on your house.
Building sunrooms since 2017
I learned the trade on patio and sunroom crews through high school and college, and we started this business in 2017. That's why I'd rather spend an extra half hour at your kitchen table explaining a heated room against an unheated one than have you surprised by the room after it's built.
Licensed, insured, easy to check
We're licensed and fully insured. You can check any contractor's license status with California's Contractors State License Board, which also helps owners work out a clear contract.
If you're wondering whether your deck can take a room, send us a note through our contact page or call (949) 543-1630 and I'll come have a look.
Related rooms we build
All season rooms
Worth a look if you want the new room comfortable enough to use as a family room or office through every season.
Enclosed patio rooms
A good route when the space you want to close in is a patio at ground level rather than a raised deck.
Get your deck checked before you choose
Call (949) 543-1630 or send the form with your deck's age, its size, a few photos and the room type you're leaning toward, and I'll come to the visit already knowing what to look for.
