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For many homeowners, having a covered front porch might seem like a luxury. The added expense of a covered porch stretches the budget, whether you are building new or renovating—is it worth it?
It can be hard to justify the money just to have a nice place to sip a glass of wine on a summer evening.
However, there are plenty of good reasons to make that investment. The curb appeal of a covered porch is obvious. It makes for an inviting entry into your home and when the “for sale” sign goes up in your yard, most realtors agree that a covered porch increases the resale value of the house. From the combined aesthetic and financial perspective, adding a covered porch is a good idea.
There are less obvious, and possibly equally compelling, reasons to spend money on a covered front porch. These are just some of the benefits that you can expect to receive.
- Additional Living Space. A covered porch that is at least 7 to 8 feet deep creates an outdoor space that lends itself to a variety of uses. It’s large enough to accommodate furniture—chairs, tables, gliders—and can quickly become a favorite place for children to play and people of all ages to read or entertain friends.
- Protection from the Elements. A covered porch reduces the toll that sun and rain take on your front door, exterior lighting fixtures, and trim. The porch roof provides shade, which will reduce your summer energy costs, and the cover also spares you some snow shoveling in the winter. It even prevents wear and tear on your foyer. It’s better to stomp the snow and dirt off your shoes on the porch than on the interior floor.
- Residents who linger on front porches become the eyes and ears of their neighborhoods. They keep watch over children at play and deter criminal activity.
- Shelter from the storm. Your guests will appreciate not standing in the rain while they wait for you to respond to the doorbell, and you yourself will be happy to stay dry while you fumble for the keys in your handbag or pockets.
- Just about everyone shops online now, which means everyone has packages being delivered to their homes. A covered porch gives FedEx and UPS a safe place to leave your purchases when you’re not home to accept them in person.
- Do you ever feel like Facebook is the only time you hang with friends? Lounging on your front porch is a terrific way to meet the people of your neighborhood who might be passing by as they walk dogs, supervise children, or simply enjoy a sunny day.
A covered front porch is a terrific addition to your home, whether you are looking to increase value, make new friends in your neighborhood, or simply want a lovely place to sit and sip your morning coffee. Need help with construction plans? Check out our blog on house plans!