For those who have a covered front porch???

[maslex]

We have an L-shaped ranch style house. The back part of the house is my MIL's (she built an inlaw apt on about 3 years ago) She now wants to add a front porch to the front on our house (which we all agree on). Here's the thing. She & hubby only want to have the porch go from the front steps to the left side of the house. They didn't want to have the porch going in front of our living room window (big picture window) because they said the roof of the porch would block out any kind of sunlight. But I think it would look absolutely stupid just having the porch on only 2/3 of the house. I can see if where my picture window is, jutted out some but it doesn't.

If you have covered porch on the front of your house, how much does it really block out the light? And do you think it would look ridiculous if the porch only goes down about 2/3 of the house?

 

[sam_gordon]

We have an L-shaped ranch style house. The back part of the house is my MIL's (she built an inlaw apt on about 3 years ago) She now wants to add a front porch to the front on our house (which we all agree on). Here's the thing. She & hubby only want to have the porch go from the front steps to the left side of the house. They didn't want to have the porch going in front of our living room window (big picture window) because they said the roof of the porch would block out any kind of sunlight. But I think it would look absolutely stupid just having the porch on only 2/3 of the house. I can see if where my picture window is, jutted out some but it doesn't.

If you have covered porch on the front of your house, how much does it really block out the light? And do you think it would look ridiculous if the porch only goes down about 2/3 of the house?

To me, it totally depends on the house, the design of the porch, and the position of the sun.

IMO, a covered porch doesn't have to include the entire front of the house. As a matter of fact, I don't know that I'd like people on the porch to be able to look through the living room window.

Now, who's paying for the design & installation? Who owns the house? What does your DH think? The answer to THOSE questions determine what should happen.

 

[scrapquitler]

I've seen it both ways...it can have the porch flow the whole length of the house or it can go just partway.

 

[stsomewhere]

Our front porch only runs half the house.

 

[kirstenb1]

Our front porch is 9' x 30'. It covers about 3/4 of the front of our house. Our house faces east, so morning sunlight comes in. The porch does shade the house during late morning. Indirect light comes in, and the house doesn't feel "dark", but it does prevent direct sunlight from streaming in.

 

[Wishing on a star]

I live in the south where porches have been a 'must'!!!
My house is a rectangle shape, with the garage coming forward on one side. My front porch goes all the way from the garage to the end of the house. It is long, but is just deep enough for some front porch rockers, ferns hanging in between each post. Sounds similar to the poster above, only even more shallow.... Not 9' deep.

Can you give specific dimensions....

The front of the house is how wide?
The front door is near the middle?
Picture window to one side... what is on the other?
Which direction does your house face.... (mine is due west - hot afternoon sun!)

Here is my take...

If you had a large, square-deep, covered porch, it may have some impact.

If you have a more narrow porch - like 7 - 8 foot deep - I do not think that would be a problem. It wouldn't like completely shade the whole area.

In fact, a narrow, or 'shallow' I should say, porch might be an actual PLUS. You do not need to have the direct sunlight streaming right into your house, and the glare, etc... You may find that it is very nice to have that additional touch to your view of your summer hanging plants.. porch ceiling fan, etc...

A larger, square shaped, porch... large enough to almost be an exterior bonus room... I think that this would have the effect that you are afraid of. And, I would have second thoughts about that type of porch right on the front, outside of your picture windows.

 

[maslex]

To me, it totally depends on the house, the design of the porch, and the position of the sun.

When we moved in (20yrs ago) it was a regular ranch style house. 3yrs ago, MIL built a one car garage, attached to the side of our house and then built her house in back of the garage. So now it's basically an L-shaped ranch. And the front of our house faces "South".

IMO, a covered porch doesn't have to include the entire front of the house. As a matter of fact, I don't know that I'd like people on the porch to be able to look through the living room window.

I understand that a covered porch doesn't have to include the entire front of the house, I just think it'd look stupid if it didn't. I know she plans on having her rocking chairs out there, probably on the other end of the porch, not in front of our living room window.


Now, who's paying for the design & installation? Who owns the house? What does your DH think? The answer to THOSE questions determine what should happen.

MIL is paying for the porch. But she insists on our opinion. I told her that I had no say in it, but she said that she wanted both DH and I outside to talk with the builder. DH & I own the house. DH thinks that having the covered porch over the living room window will block out all of our sunlight.

 

[Wishing on a star]

DH thinks that having the covered porch over the living room window will block out all of our sunlight.

A more shallow porch would not block it out too much...

 

[Buckalew11]

My porch is wide so it does block out some sun. I think it blocks out more heat than sunlight though.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

We have an L-shaped ranch style house. The back part of the house is my MIL's (she built an inlaw apt on about 3 years ago) She now wants to add a front porch to the front on our house (which we all agree on). Here's the thing. She & hubby only want to have the porch go from the front steps to the left side of the house. They didn't want to have the porch going in front of our living room window (big picture window) because they said the roof of the porch would block out any kind of sunlight. But I think it would look absolutely stupid just having the porch on only 2/3 of the house. I can see if where my picture window is, jutted out some but it doesn't.

If you have covered porch on the front of your house, how much does it really block out the light? And do you think it would look ridiculous if the porch only goes down about 2/3 of the house?

We had a similar situation. When we added an In Law apt, we had a front porch designed into just that section. When the builder was building it he thought it would look better/more balanced to bring part of the porch down to our section as a deck (also under our LR window), which we did. In law porch, which is straight with our side but also set back more, is covered and screened, and our deck, which is narrower, is uncovered and open, so it's a combination but it looks nice. We enjoy sitting out there. Light is not really blocked much as ours only gets morning light. In fact, it's pretty shady out there in the afternoon and evening, which is nice in the summer.

 

[Bob NC]

Take a piece of plywood and some 2 x 4's and make a temporary awning over that window to see if the amount of light being blocked would be unacceptable.

That's a cheap, temporary test that might save years of anguish.

 

[Charade]

We have both a covered front and back porch. Both run from a wall that juts out (the garage in the front and the family room in the back) to the edge of the house. The back porch runs past the family room by about 7 feet. It really couldn't go all the way across the back due to the family room roof. The front would look goofy if it only went part way.

You WILL have reduced light unless the sun shines in under the roof. We like the reduced light. The family room shades are pretty much down all the time because of the sun.

 

[bianca]

We have a full length of house front porch that measures 10 x 36 feet. While it does reduce some of the sunlight coming in, we prefer it that way, as it used to be too bright. On the positive side, it also reduces the air conditioning bill. It faces west, for what it's worth. I know without a doubt that it would look "weird" only covering 2/3 of the house. We would not change a single thing about our front porch. . Good luck in your decision.

 

[lakelandgal70]

Our front porch doesn't extend the length of the house and very little sun is blocked. If I had to do it over again I probably wouldn't have screened it in as we never use it lol. But it does look nice.

 

[Mokat76]

Take a piece of plywood and some 2 x 4's and make a temporary awning over that window to see if the amount of light being blocked would be unacceptable.

That's a cheap, temporary test that might save years of anguish.

This is a great idea.

I have a covered front porch that fills in between the BR wing and the gargage wing, so it's roughly 1/2 the length of the house, but it is original to the plan. Between the covered porch and the trees, I have to say my living room is pretty dark. I don't plan to do anything about it, but if I were adding the porch new, I'd consider skylights to let more light onto the porch and thus into the house. You can try out Bob's great idea above, then if it's too dark, remove enough plywood to make the "skylight" and try that.

Good luck.

 

[shortbun]

Same thing here but it's about the picture windew off the rear facing living room. We want to build a 3 season room. The obvious place for it (outside) would block our beautiful view and sunlight I use for huge plants and house light. We've postponed the build because of it. I'm now thinking of putting a smaller 3 season room off my bedroom. Get an architect. Perhaps he can design a roof that will block less light.

 

[arthuruscg]

Well, the missing 1/3 of the deck doesn't have to be empty or just grass.
You could add a pond or some other details to the house to "fill" in the missing 1/3.

Can you post a pic of the house, it would be very helpful for ideas.

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

We have a covered porch on the front of our house, and even though there are three full-size windows facing south, the family room is always gloomy. I wish it wasn't there!

 

[maslex]

The only photo I have is the first one in this album on my Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1095799006848.2014885.1582776112&type=3

The porch would start from the far left of the house to right before the big living room window. I personally think it would look ridiculous. There's also a one car garage on the other side of that living room window. But there won't be a porch over that. Just wanted to give you an idea on the whole thing.

 

[LaurenT]

If you can post a pic of the front of the house, I'll ask DH his opinion. He's a gifted architect.

ETA...just saw the post before mine.
I'll show it to him when he's home.