The word “Sunroom” gets used as a catch-all term, but it actually covers several very different kinds of rooms all featuring different construction, different seasons of use, and very different price points. Before you can decide what’s right for your home, it helps to know what you’re actually choosing between.
Here’s a quick overview of the main types homeowners ask us about:
- Three-season sunroom: A lighter-built room designed for roughly April through October; not conditioned for winter use
- Four-season (all-season) sunroom: A fully insulated, heated and cooled room built as genuine year-round living space
- Screen room: An open-air, bug-free space with screening instead of glass; the simplest and most affordable option
- Solarium / greenroom: A glass-heavy room, often with a glass or partially-glass roof, built to maximize sunlight for plants or a bright, greenhouse-like feel
- Patio enclosure: An existing patio or porch enclosed with glass or screen panels, often a lighter retrofit rather than new construction
Each one solves a different problem. None of them is a “better” version of another, they’re just built for different goals.
What Actually Separates One Type From Another
The differences aren’t just cosmetic. They come down to a handful of construction decisions that determine how the room performs:
- Foundation: All-season rooms need a frost-protected foundation rated for Minnesota’s 42–60″ frost depth; screen rooms and some three-season rooms can often sit on a simpler base
- Glazing: Single-pane or screen panels for three-season and screen rooms; dual- or triple-pane Low-E glass for genuine four-season performance
- Heating and cooling: Only a true all-season room includes a dedicated PTAC unit (Packaged Terminal Air Conditioner) for independent, year-round conditioning
- Wall and roof construction: Insulated, code-compliant assemblies for four-season rooms vs. lighter-weight framing for seasonal spaces
- Cost: Screen rooms and three-season rooms typically cost less up front; four-season rooms cost more but add genuine finished square footage
Matching the Room to How You’ll Actually Use It
The right choice comes down to one honest question: what do you want this room to do for you, and in which months?
A screen room solves the “bugs in July” problem cheaply. A three-season room adds a bright, comfortable space for the warm months. A solarium prioritizes light and plants over conditioned comfort. And a four-season sunroom becomes a genuine extension of your living space, usable in every month Minnesota throws at you.
At Signature Sunrooms by Allan Dorney Construction, we walk through all of these options honestly including telling you when a lighter-weight room is the smarter choice for your budget and goals. As your one-stop builder, whichever type you choose is handled under one schedule and one warranty. Compare our sunroom options to see what fits your home.
