A Deck to Four Season Sunroom Conversion in Dover, MA
A wide range of traditional construction techniques are in our company’s DNA. This is reflected in our adaptable approach to planning, designing, and building. We were general builders long before we became New England’s leading glass structure design and installation specialists. Years of old-fashioned labor honed our expertise, giving us the confidence and skills necessary to tackle any construction project.
Homeowners benefit greatly from this flexibility. Even though every custom glass enclosure, addition, and skylight we design and install is tailored precisely for the job, we go beyond this by offering additional services. We’ve built houses, designed one-of-a-kind enclosures that don’t fit squarely into any of our product categories, and have worked across residential and commercial spaces of every size, scale, and difficulty level. It doesn’t matter if the job is located in a rural region, the suburbs, or the heart of a bustling metropolis. We only offer top value construction, and we bring it to every project without exception.
Today’s Construction Showcase entry depicts our process of converting a Dover, Massachusetts client’s existing deck into a stunning sunroom. Because we’re able to offer a variety of possible solutions to a given problem, our clients walk away feeling as if they haven’t had to compromise on their goals. In this case, we were able to preserve much of the existing deck construction in order to achieve a superior result at a highly competitive price. That’s where experience counts.
After a detailed design and planning process, we set out to work. Project features include a solid roof with a sloped glazing system, thermally efficient windows, gliding doors, a great jacuzzi, and bronze aluminum flashing. Key components were engineered in our shop to speed up build time; our professional crew may be charming, but we appreciate the fact that clients are eager to see their projects finished in a timely fashion so that they can begin enjoying their new spaces with friends and family! The resulting space is perfect for entertainment, dining, and relaxation. Let’s take a closer look at how it all came together.
A “before” photo of the existing deck from the backyard.
It’s clear that this is a great space, but we’re about to make it even better.
Another pre-construction view of the space.
This “before” photo shows some of the exterior wall planes we’ll have to tie into.
Our design and construction crew are ready for the challenge!
Our design department produced over 10 pages of detailed plans.
Every project requires the utmost attention to detail!
This also enables us to develop key residential construction components in our shop.
The sloped glazing frame (built using solid mahogany) is ready to go!
This 8’ x 10’ glass roof section will introduce incredible light to the Massachusetts sunroom.
Another view from the shop. This frame has been designed in sections.
This approach improves manageability, but the end result will have a seamless appearance.
Back at the job site, we’ve installed the jacuzzi.
It has been covered in homosote panels for protection during construction.
To make use of the existing deck surface, we install ¾” Advantech plywood.
The first wall of the new sunroom is up…
…followed quickly by the second!
These vertical walls are going to be filled with large, high-performing glass panes.
A view of the roof frame coming together.
The conventional roof frame’s rafters go up.
An irregular hip roof like this requires careful planning to bend around the home’s corner.
Another view of the frame. Notice the strange eave cut on the rafters.
This cut will match the built-out eave of the glass roof portion to ensure consistent flashing.
Critical details like these ensure that our all-season sunrooms live up to their name.
A view of the rafter from the other side.
On an irregular hip roof design, one side rafter length is always a different length and pitch.
Here we see the rough opening for the glass roof section.
Light entering this space will flood past the sunroom space and into the adjacent, dark kitchen!
A photograph of the LVL hip rafter.
We’ve beveled the top to ensure a smooth transition between the two roof slopes.
The jack rafters fit snugly to the LVL hip rafter.
This is a sign of a field crew that knows what they’re doing.
Our custom engineered, mahogany, sloped glazing unit frame is installed.
Another view of the sloped glazing unit frame.
It’s not possible to get this amount of glass and light area with scattered, prefabricated skylights.
The custom Sunspace approach makes all the difference.
A view from the top of the roof down to the frame of the sloped glazing unit.
The flashing has been installed on the solid roof side of the roof.
The flashing was designed to wrap around the roof sections for continuous flow.
The solid roofing section with conventional roofing shingles meets the glass roof frame at the hip.
The glass roof section is stepped down for proper flashing.
It’s time to introduce the glass. Let’s get this roof flashed and weather tight!
The flashing process continues.
This client’s choice of bronze aluminum flashing is a great combo of durability, price, and style.
It will blend nicely with the asphalt roofing shingles above and adjacent to the glazing unit.
Work on the flashing, glazing caps, and sealants is complete! The glass roof section is a wrap.
Soon we’ll be taking a look at the interior of this custom deck and sunroom jacuzzi conversion…
…but first, take a look at that exterior! This shot was taken from the client’s yard.
The new sunroom was perfect for the Dover, Massachusetts home’s existing architectural look.
The use of the existing deck offers the best of both worlds.
The clients can enjoy a great outdoor space that flows into a spacious sunroom.
An interior view of the custom sloped glazing system in the sunroom.
This glass roof is absolutely gorgeous!
Here we see that tricky, irregular hip connection from the interior.
The field crew expertly joined the glass roof and the solid roof.
There’s nothing quite like relaxing in your sunroom jacuzzi while basking in sunshine or moonlight.
Contact us to benefit from an all-season sunroom with all the amenities. Your family will thank you!
Have a complicated space that you’d like to transform? No problem. Our talented crew can address your specific needs, and you’ll be able to offer input throughout the design process. Every four season sunroom, conservatory, greenhouse, or other custom project we build is a unique solution to an equally unique set of challenges. If you’d like more information about how our company can bring the benefits of natural sunlight to your residential or commercial space, reach out to us. We can be contacted through our website, by calling 1-800-530-2505, or by emailing us at info@sunspacedesign.com. We look forward to hearing from you.