Do you have a catalogue we can pick a model from?
Unlike most things today, a Perma-Wood Solarium is not a product that is mass marketed nor mass produced, the rooms are individually designed and created in a size, shape, style and format that, for the most part, is dictated by the house at which we are working on a given day. Looking at the hundreds and hundreds of photographs, then, that form our portfolio, web site or brochure, a commonly heard comment that we get from our customers is that many of the projects look as though they are " a part of the home", not at all like a typical sunroom that has simply been "bolted on". This is a primary goal and as such the photographs you see are really only useful insofar as giving one some form of a starting point, the room we create is designed specifically for you and is therefore more of a matter of individual choices and imagination.

I have a deck and would like to enclose it, is this possible?
Although it is possible and quite common to support a room such as this over a substructure similar to a deck, it is highly unlikely that an existing deck would be adequately overbuilt to support this type of living space. Typically an existing deck will be removed and a new suspended insulated sub floor on an independent sonotube foundation will be required to replace the existing condition. The deck can then be reused and / or replaced adjacent to the new addition afterwards, if desired.

Won't the room be too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter in an all glass format ?
This is an addition and as such is designed with the intention to be used as comfortable living space 365 days of the year. In almost all instances the rooms are heated and most are air conditioned. The glass products we are using today are very advanced and most have never heard of them as such, but when you have a piece of glass that on average will outperform a traditional double glazed sealed unit by any where between 200-800% and you combine that with an engineered mechanical system of some form, the answer to the question is an emphatic NO !!

How do we heat and cool the room then?
As with most aspects of this type of construction the answer to this depends somewhat on application however forced air extension from existing furnaces, radiant heated floors, gas fireplaces, split ductless units and convection heat are all a common part to creating the desired living space.

How much does it cost?
As a Company we do not use dealers and rarely sell product on a supply only basis as we cannot control the quality of the installation in this fashion. Having said this our main focus is on "turn key" construction, from concept to completion. Average construction costs are tremendously varied due to the custom nature of our Company and product however for the sake of generalization one might consider the following:

Looking at an average 200 sq. ft. project in a "turn key" format i.e.: foundation, sub floor ,frame, glass, windows doors, electrical, mechanical (i.e.: heat and a/c) application at the house wall (i.e.: removals and the like) most projects tend to come in at or above $400~$500 per sq ft of floor area. In this hypothetical case we are looking at this would translate into a ballpark cost of between $80,000~ $100,000 but please keep in mind that the variables are significant.

How long does it take?
The actual installation of the room is the shortest part of the process with average installations taking anywhere from 4-6 weeks depending on the nature scope and size of the project . The planning stage then, inclusive of designs, drawings, permits, manufacturing etc. is really the significant portion of the equation. On average it is not unusual for our customers to plan up to 6 months in advance of the actual installation.

Do we need permission from the City ?
Yes, again because this is heated living space and is attached to the house as such we are required to apply for a building permit on your behalf prior to construction. This is something that we do on a regular basis as a part of a traditional "turn key" service we provide.

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Phone Perma-Wood at 1-888 PERMA-WD
Local Tel: (905) 475-5460 or (416) 491-2275
Fax: 905-475-7711
170 Esna Park Dr., Unit #7
Markham, Ontario L3R 1E3
or e-mail us: info@permawood.com