The porch plays an essential role in enjoying the outdoor space of a house. It also enhances the beauty of the house. Nowadays, there are different porches for different shapes of houses. Today I will discuss the porch of L shape houses. If you also want to know how to add a porch to an L-shaped house, this article is for you.
The porch fits well into any shape home, which adds an interesting and useful design element to all the home. However, in L shape houses, it adds more beauty. A porch also allows you to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors while sitting at home.
We all know that the porch size of L shape houses is relatively small compared to I-shaped houses. But if you can add a porch in the right way, it will make the house more valuable. If you can’t add a porch to an L-shaped house, then stay tuned!
10 Easy Steps To Add A Porch To An L Shaped House: The Best Method
A professional must be hired to add a safe and attractive porch. But in this case, you also have to do a lot of work. Keep reading the content until the end to learn how to add a porch to an L-shaped house.
Step-1: Necessary equipment
Building a porch requires a lot of equipment. Below is a list of these tools:
- Electric auger or manual post hole digger
- Laser and bubble level
- Chalk snap line
- Ratchet set
- Circular saw
- Cordless drill with bits and drivers
- Hammer
- Tape measure
- Utility knife
- Eye and hearing protection
Step-2 Choosing The Location
You must first choose a suitable place to add a porch. If your house is L-shaped, you must select the front part of the house. However, you can also add a porch at the back of the L-shaped house if you want.
It is also significant to consider daylight before adding a porch. The house’s back porch can cut through the daylight in your kitchen and the front porch in the living room. Therefore, the location of the porch should be chosen, keeping in view all the aspects.
Step-3: Choose A Porch Style
What type of porch is suitable for a home depends on the style of the house. If your home is too simple to look at, you need to choose a simple porch. Likewise, if you own a Queen An-style home, you need to add an elegant and dark-colored porch.
There are many options for making a porch. In the case of a small-sized porch, the roof can be erected, which is a cantilever without any vertical support above the porch. You can cover your entire porch if you want.
Step-4: Lay Foundations
Once the porch space and design have been chosen, the step you need to take is to lay the foundation. The foundation needs to be dug deep enough to provide stability. The depth of the foundation can be more or less depending on the type of soil.
Keep in mind that if the foundation is not deep enough, it can cause damage in the future. You can’t put anything heavy on that porch if you dig less into the depth of the foundation. However, if you want to add a very simple open porch, then the depth of the foundation does not need to be too much.
Step-5: Lay A Damp Proof Course
Keeping a damp-proof membrane in the porch is very important after laying the foundation. It prevents growth on your porch floor and prevents it from getting damp. Normally when a tree is cut down, the tree grows slowly.
Similarly, when we cut down a tree in a place and do construction work there, we see cracks in the floor of that place after a few days. This is mostly due to the growth of the tree. However, if you use a damp-proof membrane when making your floor, there will be no cracks due to the tree’s growth.
Step-6: Add The Subfloor
Spread concrete on top to create a floor with a damp-proof membrane that will act as a subfloor. Install joists to support the floor if you want to make your floor with wood.
Keep it high enough to hold other flooring elements when building the subfloor. Since this is not the main floor of your porch, it is important to make it more beautiful. This will help make your floor a stronger and longer-lasting one.
Step-7 Begin Bricklaying
Since your porch subfloor is ready, you will need to build it up to the level of the damp-proof course of the main building. So spread the bricks evenly and evenly up to the DPC level of the porch. The floor cannot be worked until the bricks are laid.
Be sure to use good-quality bricks for the porch. And be sure to hire a professional contractor to do the bricklaying work. If the bricklaying is not done properly, it can affect the shape and durability of the porch.
Step-8: Add Flooring
Which type of porch you will add will depend on your affordances. If you are low-priced, then you can use normal ties. However, it must be consistent with the floor of your home. Many choose wooden floors to look smart, stylish, and durable for the porch.
If you use porcelain and ceramic tiles, then it gives you elasticity in bad weather. You can also pick concrete or vinyl flooring if you want. Whatever type of flooring you choose, cover the floor to reduce the risk of damage during construction, weather and impact and be sure to weigh with bricks.
Step-9: Construct The Roof
The roof can be made by laying bricks and finishing the floor work. There are many options for making a porch roof, so choose a roof type that matches the design of the house. First, you have to make a wooden structure to make a roof.
Once the structure is made, install a breathable roofing membrane. Now place the roof battens and the roof tiles or slate. When making the roof, make sure that the floor is not damaged. If you are not experienced in roofing, consult a professional contractor.
Step-10: Add Gutters
Guttering should be added to provide effective drainage at the end of the roof structure construction work and reduce water loss in the porch. It helps prevent water damage over time, recover drainage and decrease the possibility of flooding.
Add a 4-inch or 6-inch gutter at the end of the roof. Otherwise, the accumulation of dirt and rainwater can damage the roof. There are various types of gutter options according to the budget. If your budget is high, you must install a good quality gutter to last for years.
4 Types of Porches: Choose The Right One For Your L Shaped House
Although there are many types of porches, I will discuss 4 types of porches. Each of the porches discussed here offers different benefits. Let’s find out about the porches!
1. Open porch:
The open Porch is an open structure with a roof in front of the building. It protrudes from the side or back walls without being bound by glass, wood or other material. This type of porch is without curtains that do not have columns to support more than thirty inches above the floor. This type of porch is suitable for L shape houses.
2. Wraparound Porch:
The porch wrapped around the house is called a wraparound porch. It is usually found on either side or around the house. This type of porch is more popular which is open most of the time. It is a suitable choice for eye shaped houses. This type of porch is more common in older houses.
3. Screened Porch:
The porch structure covered by a window curtain is called a screened porch. Insects, debris and other unwanted objects cannot enter the interior area of such a porch. These porches are built to increase livability so that they do not have to face outside annoyance. These porches allow you to enjoy a beautiful indoor environment. It fits well in any shape house.
4. Covered Porch:
The covered porch is the area attached to or outside the entrance of a house. This porch gives a break before entering the house, which provides a small area. In many homes, this type of porch is also built with a large area that provides space for people to sit or entertain guests.
5 Benefits Of Adding A Porch To An L Shaped House:
We have known how to add a porch to an L-shaped house for so long. However, many people do not know the benefits of adding a porch. Let’s look at the benefits of adding a porch to an L-shaped house.
1. Increases the beauty of the house
Since the middle part of the L-shaped house is angular, many people do not want to add a porch there. However, this small area adds to the house’s beauty by creating an attractive porch. This makes the exterior of the house modern, which blends seamlessly with the house’s original construction. Also, a porch can accommodate outside guests instead of a natural seating area if there is a porch.
2. Add Extra Space
Adding a porch adds more space and storage in the house. As a result, everything can be kept safe in an orderly fashion on the porch without having to return with shoes and coats. If you want, you can decorate and customize the porch extension with indoor plants, which will create a cool atmosphere on your porch.
3. Offer Extra Security
A porch will give you extra security if you add a porch in front of the front door of your L-shaped house. It will act as a barrier between your home and the exterior and protect your home’s internal resources. Also, if you add a covered porch, it will act as extra security on the main door of your house.
4. Increased Property Value
An attractive porch can increase the buyer’s demand. If you decide to sell the house, add a porch to decorate the house. A porch can raise your house value. However, if you build a little porch and use poor-quality material, it can have a detrimental effect on the beauty of your home. So try to add an attractive design porch using good quality materials.
5. Keep The House More Clean
A porch helps keep your home cleaner. For example, when you enter the house from the outside, the interior of your house will get dirty with the dirt on your shoes. However, if you have a porch, you can leave dirty shoes and enter the house. So, a porch can keep your house clean.
Frequently Asked Question:
What Is The Best Porch Depth?
The porch depth should be 4 to 6 feet deep. But if you want to put a table for dining on the porch, at least 10 feet deep is required. The width of a porch depends on the house size. A proper place for the porch is the front cover of the house, which gives shelter to the front door.
Why Need To Add A Porch?
You can create a more defined separation between the house and the exterior by adding a porch. Also, a porch creates more space and storage in the room. You can use it as a guest seating area if you have a porch. If you are a nature lover, you can plant indoor plants by adding a porch there.
Which Type Of Porch Is Best For An L-Shaped House?
Which shape of porch you add to your home depends on your choice. L-shaped houses usually have a small area for the porch as it is made only with the corner area in front of the house.
The open porch is suitable for this type of house. You can also make a screen porch or a covered porch if you want. However, these porches are not suitable for small areas. However, the Wraparound porch is not suitable for L-shaped houses as it surrounds the entire house.
Will You Need Planning Permission To Add A Porch?
At present, planning approval is required to build any type of house. However, approval of a plan like building a house is not required for building a porch. So, you can add a porch of your choice to the house at any time.
If you wish to construct a porch in any of the houses in the listed building, a specific area that falls under the Section 4 instruction may be required. However, this instruction may not be binding in all areas. So, keep these things in mind before adding a porch.
What Is The Benefit Of Having A Porch?
The porch creates an extra space outside the house. You can use that porch in various ways. If you have a large porch, you can use it as a sitting place for guests to sit.
You can also place various necessary furniture here, which will increase the space in other rooms. Even if your porch is small in size, it will be useful in several ways. For example, you can safely put mud shoes and coats on the back porch from the outside.
How Do You Tie A Porch Into A L-Shaped House?
The first 4×4 beams must then be cut in the shape of a roof and erected in a fence about four feet outside the verandah. Attach the floorboards and beams using mounting brackets. Now tie the beams together, take the boards, and place them on the beams with nails.
Install the 2×4 joists on the 2×4 board and make sure the 2×4 joists are rotated. Now install a 2×4 joist with some screws and brackets on the edge of the room. Now your porch is ready to install the roof and shingles.
Does The Porch Increase The Value Of The House?
The porch enhances the beauty of the house and creates additional storage in the place. You can also get many more benefits by adding a balcony to the house. If you add an attractive porch to your home, it will also add value to your home.
Depending on the type of porch and the quality of the material, the growth rate of the home may vary. Many homeowners add a balcony to their home if they decide to sell the house to claim a higher price.
How Much Does It Cost To Add A Porch To A House?
The cost of adding a porch to a home depends on the type and shape of the porch. If you use high-quality materials, the cost will be higher. However, if you add a simple open porch, a small amount will be spent.
Building a prefabricated porch can cost approximately $10,000 to $20,000. It can also cost from $15,000 to $30,000 if you add a good quality medium-sized porch with floor and ceiling by an experienced contractor.
How Much Does It Cost To Add A Front Porch To A L-Shaped House?
Front porches are ideal for L-shaped houses. Covered porches or wrapped porches do not look good in such houses. If you need a permit to build a porch in your home, it can cost you $100 to $500. Also, depending on the style and size of your home, this cost should be more or less.
If you want to add a porch 8 feet by 10 feet in an L-shaped house, it can cost you from $ 1,900 to $ 8,800. This cost may increase further depending on the materials used and the components of the steps and railings.
Conclusion
I hope you know how to add a porch to an L-shaped house. Although the addition of a porch prevents indoor lighting and air from entering, it also brings many benefits. If you also want to enjoy the benefits of a porch, add a porch to the house. It will cost a bit to create a modern-designed porch. If you want to get any necessary information about the daily living home, visit our site.