more photos

Would definitely remove the ugly fireplace/bbq grill -- you can reuse the brick in your landscaping.

If the roof is in good shape, keep it in place but change the space to NOT be a traditional interior room.

Was this once a garage; and if so, would you want it to be that again? or just an open carport/shelter?

It appears that you could easily make this space either an outdoor living room or a screened porch. It would take a bit more to make it a sun room.

Have you checked with city hall to see what building permits were issued over the years? It can be eye-opening.

apple_pie_order is on it. I was going to suggest going down to city hall to find out the "permit history" of your newly acquired home. It is the cheapest, easiest, fastest way to find out if that is a legal addition.

If there are no permits, I would tear it down. If it has permits that are old, I would tear it down. If it has more recent permits, I would *consider tearing it down until I could find a GC who would be willing to take on someone else's mess. If you can't, I would then tear it down.

what does it look like on the outside? if you tear it down does it have siding that matches the rest of the house or is that a can of worms too.

and did you really not look at the house before you bought it? just curious...

Hackeriffic. If you can’t personally asses that halfass construction? Why did you buy something like this? It’s gonna COST.

Thank you all for the great advice. It's becoming clear that taking it down is the way to go. This space was once a patio and has a decent roof but exterior is crumbling. No permits on this house ever. I didn't get a chance to look at the house before bidding....a huge mistake and regret. I'm hoping to the addition correctly with permits.

Is it a flip or your personal residence?

Removing the addition will give you a fresh start.

If you have not yet had a professional home inspection, it'd probably be a good idea to get one to help you prioritize changes and repairs.