Bringing the inside outside: Porches extend home's living space, add personality

A conversation grouping gives guests a view of Lake Chickamauga. Note how the ceiling arches added in the roofing of the porch mimic arches above the sliding doors. The retractable screens are visible in the arch and window at the far end of the porch.

A wrought-iron dining set is where the Brown family enjoys dinner on their back porch, one of two dining spaces on the 65-by-14-foot covered porch.

Source: HGTV, Ashley Ford and Better Homes and Gardens

Before homes had TV or air conditioning, porches were the place to spend leisure time catching a cool breeze and conversing with neighbors. The only essentials for a well-appointed porch were either a rocker or metal glider, a wood-slat swing and a tall, cool glass of sweet tea.

Now porches particularly back porches are multifunctional spaces in demand with home buyers, say local Realtors and home appraisers. They serve as an extension of a homes living area, serving multifunctional uses from dining areas to entertainment spaces.

People dont sit on the front porch anymore, they just dont, says Realtor Vicki Trapp, broker with Crye-Leikes downtown office. They come into their homes through the garage. But if you have a home with a covered porch, screened or glassed-in back porch, they want that. Buyers are willing to pay $10,000 to $15,000 to get a covered back porch, depending on the house and the way the porch has been finished.

Brian Brock, general manager of Hullco Exteriors, says a composite-material deck (one that requires less maintenance, doesnt need staining) can get as much as a 70 percent return on investment, as listed in the January issue of Remodeling Magazine. Sun rooms average a 46.5 percent return, he says.

Chattanooga appraiser Jimmy Herrod explains that it all goes back to location, the size of the porch, how it is finished, its quality.

An open deck/covered or screened back porch combo popular in new construction right now will add $2,000 to $4,000 on a homes resale value.

When Mike and Debbie Brown moved into their home in Windward Pointe subdivision in 2001, it had an open back porch, 65 feet by 14 feet, overlooking Lake Chickamauga.

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Bringing the inside outside: Porches extend home's living space, add personality