Building your own veranda

With DIY skills, many individuals take on roof repair or even mounting furniture on the wall themselves.

Of course, there is nothing better than calling in a professional. However, the budget allocated to the project does not allow most people to seek their help.

Similarly, more and more people are deciding to take charge of building a veranda in wood or modern PVC aluminum style. The structure allows you to extend your house, giving you an additional living area.

Before discussing the veranda construction steps as well as the assembly of sealing joints, it is appropriate to explain the various good reasons to build your own veranda.

Advantages of building your own veranda

The main advantage of this choice is that it gives you the opportunity to save on installation costs. When you plan to call in a professional to build a veranda to extend your house, know that this project is expensive to carry out.

Whether it is a wooden frame veranda, wrought iron steel, or modern PVC aluminum style, the work estimate can be costly. A team of specialists will charge you between 10,000 to 30,000 euros. Others even offer up to 50,000 euros including installation.

On the other hand, when you choose to build the veranda yourself, you can save money while obtaining the structure of your dreams.

The veranda kit construction is an excellent alternative. For a 20 m2 installation, its price is roughly around 8,000 euros. If you opt for a small entry-level version, it starts at 3,000 euros.

Besides its affordable cost, the veranda kit is easy to build. It is a pre-designed structure that greatly simplifies installation.

You have the choice between custom-made veranda kits and preformatted kits. The first type differs by its fixed size, whereas the second gives you the opportunity to specify its dimensions before shipping.

Even though DIY veranda offers several advantages, be aware that this project requires advanced technical skills and experience. Otherwise, the installation will not last long and it poses a danger to the entire foundation of the house.

It is also possible that it will not be airtight or watertight. Poor insulation is inevitable, causing thermal losses. It is therefore essential to be an experienced handyman to build a veranda yourself.

What are the key steps to follow to build your own veranda?

If you plan to build a winter garden veranda or a veranda for your pool, there are always procedures to follow.

Start by checking if you have the necessary tools and materials. For a veranda kit, make sure all components are present, namely the frames, posts, and assembly joint elements. The same applies to the veranda roof parts.

That said, study the characteristics of the terrain. It must be stable enough to support a veranda. Taking measurements is the next step. It is necessary to analyze the height of the house walls to ensure compatibility with that of the veranda.

If the future extension is designed to become a living space, don’t forget to plan for water, heating, and electricity networks before pouring a concrete slab.

Remember that this slab is the base of the structure. It must be well dried before veranda construction. You usually need to wait several weeks before resuming work.

Just like a concrete access ramp, excavation requires masonry know-how. If you are not capable, do not hesitate to call a professional.

After the foundations, the veranda construction steps involve installing the support and walls. The structure must rest on the support and on the ground.

Then assemble the panels forming the walls one by one. To avoid any empty space, add sealant between the panels. Make sure the insulation is correct with the assembly joint sealing elements.

Finish the work with the veranda roof components. Once the top surface is properly installed, fix the gutter. Take the time to examine the solidity of the entire structure.

What materials are needed to build your own veranda?

Material	Difficulty of installation	Durability	Estimated budget (m²)
Wood (Kit)	Medium	Excellent (if maintained)	€400 – €700
Aluminum	High	Maximum	€800 – €1,200
PVC	Easy	Medium	€300 – €500
Steel / Wrought Iron	Expert	Very high	€1,500 +

Between wood frame veranda, wrought iron steel, simple or sophisticated PVC aluminum, there are many materials available to build a veranda.

Wood

Wood offers good insulation performance. It also demonstrates durability and strength. Warm and natural, the wood veranda construction guarantees you better comfort all year round, regardless of the season.

If you want to bring a natural atmosphere and a traditional setting to your home, it is an excellent choice. Due to its robustness, heavy roofs pose no problem for it.

Regarding maintenance, it must be admitted that wood requires specific and regular care. That is why it is recommended to choose quality wood such as exotic types. They withstand the test of time and temperature variations.

Wrought Iron

This material is especially admired for its robustness. With proper treatment, it promises better longevity. Wrought iron verandas stand out for their unmatched charm. They adapt very well to retro-style construction.

Their small drawback lies in their insulation quality. Compared to the wood frame veranda or the aluminum veranda, the structure is not among the best alternatives.

PVC

To build a winter garden veranda, PVC is one of the highly favored materials due to its affordable price. It is especially found in the making of veranda kits. They offer excellent value for money.

This material is also easy to work with and maintain. Likewise, it resists wear very well. Currently, PVC verandas come in many different colors. Aesthetic, they are pleasant to look at.

Their disadvantage lies in their durability. They can be damaged over the years. Due to their non-load-bearing profile, they are not suitable for large spaces.

Aluminum

The aluminum veranda is one of the most popular constructions in France. Its primary advantage concerns its aesthetic appearance. It adds a touch of modernity to your home. With its multiple colors, there is something for every taste.

Aluminum also makes your life easier, thanks to its ease of maintenance. You just have to wash it with soapy water. With frequent cleaning, the veranda structure looks like new again.

Although it has several advantages, its insulation capacity is criticized. It is preferable to use a thermal break to enjoy better thermal comfort.

Besides the main materials for the home advantage veranda structure, there are other elements contributing to its construction.

For example, for the veranda roof, there is polycarbonate, glass, plexiglass, slates or tiles, EPDM rubber, aluminum, and sandwich panels.

To protect the bay windows from intense sunlight, you can use blinds, shutters or even BSO. For better ventilation, consider adding an extractor or VMC.

Some assembly elements like sealing joints can be useful to optimize insulation. If you prefer to order a veranda kit, it should include posts, frames, rafters, a gutter channel, panels or glass, and much more.

What tools are required to build your own veranda?

Indeed, the prior work declaration for veranda is an absolute necessity for the administrative procedure. But if you do not have good tools and suitable accessories, you will not be able to build your future veranda to enlarge your home.

During the foundations, you need stakes and a string line to help mark the surface. A tape measure is always essential for taking measurements.

To dig the ground, use a mini-excavator. Also include in your list a tamper and a concrete mixer used to mix the concrete.

Many DIY tools are very helpful, such as a mason’s rule, bubble level screwdrivers, an extruder gun, a cutter, a square, a putty knife, and more.

Also, there are various assembly elements like sealing joints that are useful. Keep nearby some screws, professional glue, and silicones. Regarding power tools, a hammer drill and an electric screwdriver help you work at full speed.

How to obtain a building permit to build your own veranda?

To renovate a facade, you must prepare a prior work declaration file. This applies to the veranda construction to enlarge a house. The municipality requires you to follow some administrative procedures.

It should be noted that the procedures differ depending on the size of the extension. If its area exceeds or reaches 40 m² in an urban area, it is imperative to have a building permit from the town hall.

If you live in a rural area, you must also apply for a building permit for a veranda project larger than 20 m².

In order to carry it out successfully, you must prepare a file in 4 different copies including a form to be filled out Cerfa 13406*06. This form is available at the town hall. You can also download it online.

Besides that, you must present some supporting documents such as a site plan of the constructions, a location plan and cross-section plan of the land, a plan indicating the roofs and facades, a photograph simplifying the location of the area, and a notice detailing your extension project.

If the ground coverage of the house with the veranda reaches or exceeds 150 m2, calling an architect becomes mandatory in addition to the building permit. If the ground coverage is greater than or equal to 5 m², a prior declaration of veranda works may suffice.

What are the common mistakes to avoid when deciding to build your own veranda?

Many people make mistakes when building their wrought iron verandas, PVC aluminum in a more aesthetic way or with a wooden frame.

Their frequent mistake is neglecting the orientation of the installation. Yet, it promotes sunlight inside the construction.

For those who live, for example, in the north of the country, the veranda should be oriented towards the south. Thanks to this, you enjoy more light and warmth from the sun for optimal comfort.

Some people have poorly chosen the materials for their veranda kits. They opt for PVC even though it does not improve their insulation capacity. As a result, heat losses are inevitable.

Others have well selected the finishing elements, but they forget about ventilation. A veranda is an enclosed space and requires openings for good air circulation.

Windows should be installed at the lower part to facilitate the passage of outside air into the structure. It is also preferable to complement them with openings at the top to evacuate hot air.

Before starting your wooden veranda construction or aluminum one, determine its main function from the outset. Many households invest a lot of money in the project without defining the purpose of the extension.

It should be remembered that it can become a winter garden veranda. As a result, your beautiful plants will be protected from bad weather during the off-season. Otherwise, you can arrange it to shelter a pool or to accommodate a play or reading area.

And finally, avoid deliberately breaking the regulations in force. There are many people who do not care about administrative procedures.

Nevertheless, the town hall has already simplified the formalities to obtain authorizations such as the prior declaration of veranda works or the building permit.

Consequently, they face administrative sanctions such as fines of up to 6,000 euros/m2. In the worst case, the authorities do not hesitate to order demolition or halt the work.

FAQ

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