For the right kind of home, a sunroom is a beautiful and functional addition. The glass enclosure provides a perfect way to enjoy the sunshine without worrying about winter's cold or summer's bugs and oppressive heat.

Sunrooms won't be feasible for every home, of course. For some homeowners, the project would be too costly. For others, the layout of the home or neighborhood simply isn't amenable to a sunroom. When mulling this kind of addition, there are a few things you can take into consideration before committing to the work.

A sunroom doesn't necessarily need a lot of southern exposure, although placement on the southern side of the home will ensure that you'll get the most sunlight. Carson Barrett, writing for SFGate, says you can determine the geographic position of south, rather than the magnetic south indicated on a compass, by hanging a plumb bob on the corner of your home. The direction of the bob's shadow at the exact time between sunrise and sunset is geographic south.

You might also consider placing a sunroom elsewhere depending on how you'll use it. If it will serve as a breakfast area, eastern exposure will give it plenty of morning sunlight; western exposure is good for evening relaxation or dinner use. Gil Rudawsky, writing for the National Association of Realtors' home improvement site HouseLogic, says a northern placement is the best option for keeping the sunroom from getting too hot. He also suggests that homeowners not consider sunlight alone, but also where a sunroom addition will have the best views.

Determine how you want to use the sunroom before you finalize its location. Natalie Myers, writing for the home design site Houzz, says it can accommodate multiple uses. For example, comfortable seating will provide a place to sit and relax while a table and chairs will offer a place to have a meal. You might also decide to use the sunroom as a home office or a place to entertain.

Rudawsky says it often makes the most sense to have a sunroom located off a frequently used area, such as the dining room or living room. If there is a room that already has access to the outdoors, building a sunroom onto that wall will result in lower construction costs than you would experience by having to cut a new opening.

Consider whether you will be using the sunroom in all seasons or for only part of the year. The sunroom can easily act as a greenhouse in the summer, trapping hot air and making the room uncomfortable. The reverse can happen in the summer, since the low insulation qualities of glass might make the sunroom too chilly on cold or cloudy days.

For these reasons, sunrooms sometimes include climate control mechanisms such as fireplaces, heaters, and ceiling fans. Barrett says some sunrooms utilize thermal glass and tile floors to retain heat and skylights to vent it. Skipping these features will save you money, but you'll only be able to comfortably use the sunroom for part of the year.

Set a budget for the project, and get estimates as to how much it would cost. According to Rebuilding Magazine's 2015 "Cost vs. Value Report," sunrooms don't come cheap. Their cost estimate for a 200-square-foot sunroom with 10 skylights, a ceiling fan, window shades, efficient windows, and a tile floor is $75,726. The magazine estimates that the additional square footage and amenities of the sunroom allow an owner to recoup $36,704 of the investment, or 48.5 percent, at resale.

You'll also have to get a building permit for the work, since it is adding onto your home. Barrett says you can consider drawing up a preliminary design and consulting with an architect or contractor to see if it is feasible.

Once you have decided on the design, function, and location of a sunroom, you'll just have to determine how to furnish it. Myers says that in addition to this home décor, you should consider adding plenty of greenery to the room. If your sunroom is getting plenty of sunlight, it's the perfect place to tend plants year round.