F.A.Q's

Question:  Are PBS prices firm once an agreement has been reached?

Answer:  Yes- and a written contract proposal is signed and delivered to the customer once an oral agreement is reached.  The contract proposal includes a detailed job sequence, outlining each step in the project.  Only if the customer adds or deletes an item does the price change. 

Question: What about a payment schedule? 

Answer:  I ask for 30 percent down, and so much per week, up to a certain point.  At that point, the balance is payable on completion. 

Question:  What should I think about in the way of windows to enclose a sunroom? 

Answer:  The choice of windows is up to the customer.  I recommend matching the style of windows nearby. A single hung window of a certain size can cost one third that of a casement window. Choice of windows style, the number of windows, and how they are trimmed is determined in the design stages.

Question: Are there fees for design and estimating? 

Answer: No

Question: What should I think about in the way of finish flooring?  Answer: In a deck to screened porch conversion, I recommend covering the existing deck with treated plywood and covering that  with indoor/outdoor carpet.  It's important to provide some drainage on the perimeter.  In a porch to sunroom conversion, I recommend matching the type of floor in the rooms adjacent. 

Question: Do customers fall in love with their sunrooms? 

Answer: Yes, and if you put your computer out there, you may use the room more than you think. We do telephone, cable, and wiring as part of the contract.

Question: How do I heat and cool a sunroom? 

Answer: Depending on the orientation of the house, an extension of the existing ductwork is often adequate. Newer houses usually have some reserve capacity to the heating and cooling systems and a room which faces north is not hard to cool. If the room faces south with no trees over it, I recommend a modern through-the-wall heat pump.  Such a unit heats and cools only the sunroom which, with a southern exposure, will heat faster that the rest of the house. 

Question: Should I leave a door in between the sunroom and the rest of the house? 

Answer: This depend on whether you want the sunroom to be an extension of another room or if you plan to use it as a retreat.  When kids come home, it's sometimes nice to have a door to shut.

Question: Are porches and sunrooms good places for plants?  Answer: Definitely- one recent customer got his  reluctant orchid to bloom, no small feat.   Probably my favorite sunroom is the solarium in Mark Twain's Connecticut home.  Flowers and greenery thrive in many sunrooms and porches just like Twain's solarium.

Question: Can a customer do some of the work? 

Answer: Yes, a recent customer did the painting, and a beautiful job of it too. 

Other questions?  Please contact us.  Questions are answered with no obligation.