Your Pets & Your Screen Enclosure

A common problem amongst screen enclosure owners is finding a way to keep their furry family members contained. Dogs and even cats can wreak havoc on standard screening facilitating unwanted escape, put your mind at ease with our simple solutions. Phifer PetScreen is tear and puncture resistant to keep your enclosure looking new and your pets contained while providing excellent visibility. PetScreen is not harmful to pets and proudly made in the USA! If you have a larger dog or one that loves to chase the assortment of critters we find in our subtropical yards we offer kick plate. Kick plate is aluminum paneling offered in 16”, 24” and 36” heights. Stronger that the already tough PetScreen kick plate can keep even the most curious canines safely in your patio or lanai. The 36” kick plate is also great for privacy while you are relaxing in the pool. Kick plate can be added to any pool enclosure and is also great at keeping dirt out of your enclosure cutting down on sweeping!

Sponsored by ScreenEnclosureGuide.com

Protect your investment, find out how!

Next to your home the most expensive possession owned by Americans will usually be their car/rv/boat. Even if you take good care of them, years of the Florida sun beating down on them will take their toll and severely devalue them. An affordable way to protect your prized possessions is with an aluminum carport. Not having a basement in Florida has many people piling all their junk in their garage, leaving their cars outside to the mercy of the sun. When I'm driving around town in my truck I look down and see several sun
damaged paint jobs, the cars don't even look that old!

  Looks like crap!

7 inch superwhatsit?

We can all agree that Florida gets hit with some powerful rainstorms. Our rainstorms dump a TON of water in a short time so it is important to have a gutter hat can handle the heavy flow.  The cost of upgrading to a 7" supergutter over a 5" when factored in with all of the other expenses of a new enclosure is usually tiny and I highly recommend it. With gutters size definitely matters, check out this great example of when you should use a 7" gutter.

A Brief Overview Of Screen Enclosure Engineering

Screen enclosures aren't a simple large scale erector sets.  There's actually highly calculated engineering processes behind every screen enclosure with immense detail into each specific aluminum member size and the number of screws at each connection.  If you'd like to learn more I'd recommend checking out this post on screen enclosure engineering: http://www.gulfcoastaluminum.com/top-9-details-on-screen-ecnlosure-pool-cage-engineering/

Best Resources On The Web For Screen Enclosures

1) The Guide to Getting The Ultimate Screen Enclosure

2) Find The Best Screen Enclosure Contractor

3) Pool Cage Painting Information

4) Stem Walls & Foundation Explained

5) 7" Super Gutters

6) The Real Scoop on Cheap Unlicensed Contractor Re-screens

7) The common roof designs for screen enclosure

8) Professional Carport Builder in The SWFL Area

Keeping Dirt Out Of Your Screen Enclosure

Screen enclosure blending the line behind the 'outdoors' and living space tend to get dirty.  Most commonly the dirt splatters up around the bottom edge of the enclosure as a result of rain splash, or lawn mower dust.  Fortunately 2 good options exist for keeping it a bit cleaner.

1) Kickplate: Kickplate is a solid metal paneling that goes around the bottom of the screen enclosure.  They come in a standard size of 16" but could be done larger.  Because the aluminum is a resilient metal it has the added value of being weed whacker, lawn mower and pet resistant.  Kick plate is a good option to consider adding to your existing or new pool enclosure.

2) Florida Glass: Its a trick, Florida Glass, is not an actual glass.  Rather Florida glass is a screen mesh with a laminate of sorts melted over it.  It is a non breathable material so not air flow, or dirt, or water can splash through it.  It is a great product for keeping the deck clean but it is not quite as resilient as the metal kickplate.

Consider these options for your pool enclosure!

Screen Enclosure Projects Behind The Scenes

When your contract told you it was going to take 3 months to get a permit for your screen enclosure you probably thought WTF!!!  The reality is more work goes on behinds the scenes, before ground is even broke than you realize.  A recent blog post from the guys at Gulf Coast Aluminum shows us what happens. 

1) Engineering and surveying: Many screen enclosure projects will require the use of a 3rd party engineer or surveyor.  Engineering and surveying is crucial to making sure your structure is build to code, and that it is not built into a survey.  That said many engineering and surveying firms can take 2-3 weeks to turnaround a project.  This post on ScreenEnclosureGuide.com give some good information on why surveys are valuable

2) Notice Of Commencement -- in Florida every screen enclosure project over $2,5000 requires a Notice of Commencement.  It is a notarized for that essentially says you, the homeowner, acknowledges the contractor and sub contractors have lien rights. In my opinion it is a little unnecessary for screen enclosure projects and better suited for large building construction, but none the less it is required.  

3) Permit Application -- Every building department has a unique application and standard for a screen enclosure permit.  It sure would be nice if they could keep it consistent!

4) Permit Review and Follow Through -- permits can be a real pain in the ass as I explain in my previous post.  Following up on the permit and ensuring nothing gets left in the dark is something that takes time as many of the building departments are notoriously tough to communicate through.  Often times permits will get rejected with vague information regarding the rejections and getting further details is seemingly impossible.  An established and professional contractor will have some valuable contacts.  

Better details on the behind the scenes info and how Gulf Coast Aluminum handles things in a professional and efficient manner can be read on their website

Mosquito emergency!

Can I screen in my ______ is a question I commonly get. To answer that, if it is a part of your house the answer is almost always yes even if it is the second or third floor! Check out this three story dream house. What good is an open patio on your penthouse suite if you get swarmed by pesky bloodsuckers. Having noseeums nibble on you while you enjoy your view is not ideal, luckily for this homeowner their patio was under an existing solid roof and could be screened in without a permit (2-3 month wait!) Pool enclosures on the other hand required a bit longer in waiting time.  This project was completed 2 days after signed contract by a licensed and insured contractor.

Building Permits For Screen Enclosures: Necessary Pain In the ASS

If you've started the process of getting a permit for your new screen enclosure, you've certainly heard about permits.  Chances are your contractor has told you that it could take 2-4 months. -- that is true. 

 In many building departments getting in touch with an official who is responsible for issuing the permit is difficult -- making it feel like you are communicating with the 'Wizard of Oz' behind a curtain.  The end result is a frustrating process. 

The first part of that time line is usually surveying and engineering.  Each must be done in a lineal fashion and can take a couple weeks.  Many of the reputable and established engineers and surveyors will have a work queue a couple weeks out.  After those are done the permit will be applied for.

Some building departments are efficient while others are like a black hole.  In many building departments getting in touch with an official who is responsible for issuing the permit is difficult -- making it feel like you are communicating with the 'Wizard of Oz' behind a curtain.  The end result is a frustrating process.  The top screen enclosure contractors generally have some direct lines of contact with a building official they can contact to usher things along, but that doesn't always work in everyone's favor.  

When I was a contractor, I would follow up with the building officials so diligently that they eventually told me I was being annoying and said "they will get to it, when they get to it".

You might wonder why you even need a building permit, or feel that they are unnecessary.  That is a fair thought but after years in the building industry I have came to seem them as necessary for maintaining a developed community.  The permit process is intended to make sure that all structures are build solid and in compliance with community standards.  It is intended to keep your neighbor from putting junk on their property.  Think about it like this, if your neighbor puts up a non permitted screen enclosure by an unlicensed contractor, it will probably look like crap, and likely become an airborne projectile during the next storm

SO although building permits can be a real pain in the ass, they are ultimately necessary for keeping the community in check.  

More info on screen enclosure permits at: http://screenenclosureguide.com

Handrails, who needs them?

Handrail is big business in Florida with the high concentration of open air patio condos there are several contractors who can fulfill your needs of condo railing replacement. Check out this good example of condo railing replacement to see how a skilled company does it.

Most people don't know this but if your pool deck or patio is higher than just 30 inches of the ground level you need to have at least a 42 in high picketed handrail for fall protection. Don't be surprised by this hidden cost when looking for quotes for a new enclosure. Some companies will initially quote you without this included to get you interested and then tac on thousands for the railing when they draw up the contract! It is important to be an educated homeowner if you are looking for a screen enclosure.

Screen Enclosure Roof Designs Vary By Region

There's more than one way to skin a cat, and there's more than one way to get a roof on your enclosure.  Commonly in south florida areas, like naples, fort myers, sarasonta, west palm beach, is a Mansard roof.  Mansard roofs have an angle up on the sides, then a flat part.  

Common Mansard Roof Screen Enclosure

In the central florida area like orlando, or lessburg a dome roof screen enclosure is most common.  Dome roofs simply look like a dome -- no brainer their.

Gable Roof Pool Enclosure

Dome roof screen enclosures common around Orlando Florida

There is no 'best' design for the roof.  It is simply choice.  Mansards look nice on some home.  On other homes a dome looks best.  Gable roofs, commonly called A-frames are done to accentuate an A-frame horse.  

With complex large homes, a custom roof can be done on the pool enclosure to compliment the house.  Any excellent screen enclosure contractor should be able build a suitable roof that will look sharp.  

Photo source: Gulf Coast Aluminum who covers an area from Naples to Venice wih Fort Myers & Port charlotte.

Stem Walls & Retaining Walls For Screen Enclosure

If your back yard has some slope, and you want to add a screen enclosures, chances are that you will need a stem wall built up.  A stem wall is simply a concrete block retaining wall that is put in placed to the level out the slab.

Below the block retaining wall is footer,with rebar sticking up vertically through the block.  The retaining will have an inspection or two beyond the standard screen enclosure inspections.  Once the stem wall is in place and the slab is poured, its time to build your enclosure.  This post from Gulf Coast Aluminum explains the process in detail.


ScreenEnclosureGuide.com is another great resource with more information on the screen enclosure construction process.

Who Designed this Enclosure?

This happens all the time, you buy the house of your dreams and when you finally have the time to relax and enjoy your outdoor patio you with there was more space between the walls and the pool. Some enclosure designs have you awkwardly tight roping around the edge of your pool, a few extra feet can make a huge difference. Usually an expansion can be done without the need to replace the entire enclosure and can exponentially increase your enjoyment of the patio.

No space around the backside of the screen enclosure.

Refresh Your Dull Enclosure

The Florida sun is not kind to screen enclosureshttp://flscreens.com. Years of UV rays will have an enclosure looking like an eyesore. Many people opt to just replace them with a new one but smart consumers can save thousands with an enclosure repaint. Make sure your contractor powerwashes sands and uses spray on acrylic paint for best results. Top level service providers will usually not paint without a full rescreen and fastener replacement. If you paint over a rusty fastener expect the rust to show through the new paint after a short while! Painting is also a much quicker option than replacement as a permit is not required and well run company can usually get to a job like this within one to two weeks.  Imagine how much money the owner of this enclosure saved by opting to paint instead of replace!

If there were 2 main take aways they should be that:

1) Your screen enclosure can be repainted and look new again.

2) A repaint must be done with a fasteners replacement and rescreen of pool enclosure.

Project by Gulf Coast Aluminum 239-935-8575

Condominium Carports In Florida: Planning Tips For Lower Bids & Success

Many condos are initially built with out carports, however after a few years many board members and owners decide they are needed to keep the beat sun off of the cars paint and provide a nice covered spot to enter and exist the car during a rain storm.  

The planning phase usually takes quite some time as it takes a while for everyone on the board to come to a 'meeting of minds'.  During this phase it will be time to get bids.  You should get a few bids from the most reputable contractors in this trade.... You might find it difficult to get bids as many of the top contractors are busy and condominium projects have a very low rate of coming to fruition.  

If you are planning have your project go smoothly it is best if you get engineered plans before you get your bids.  Doing this requires spending a few thousand dollars up front but can save you headaches in the long run.  It also ensures that all bidders are bidding to the same specs and leaves no room for hidden surprises.  Once you have shown a vested interest in the project, and that it is more then just an 'idea', the reputable contractors will take your bid request more serious and deliver a more sharpened often lower proposal on your bid as the 'catch all' pricing is no longer necessary.

One of the largest carport contractors in Southwest Florida, Gulf Coast Aluminum, who does over 1000 parking spots per year and is often the 'white label sub-contractor' for other contractor firms says that they charge a fee for carport construction quotes when engineering has not been completed, and waive the fee if engineering is completed.  

Another often overlooked aspect of the planning phase is timing.  Ideally it is best if the carports are scheduled for the summer months when the building are less populated.  This ensures that the work crews have more room to get things done, that parking remains in tact for all occupants and that there are no delays as a result of cars in the work area.  

You can find a great source for aluminum carport contractors who specialize in these types of projects here: http://screenenclosureguide.com/contractor-network

A Quality Company Can Service a Large Area.

Check out this service map from gulf coast aluminum! Having the resources and knowledge to cover an area this large is an impressive feat. Understanding the nuances of permit application and approval for all the various permitting departments in a given region is notable. Did you know that Lee County alone has four different permitting departments (City of Cape Coral, Village of Estero, Town of Fort Myers Beach and Lee County) ! Having a contractor that does lots of work in your area ensures that your project will be up to code and not get hung up in the local permitting department.

Front Entryway Screen Enclosures: Everything You need To Know

If you spent any time living in Florida you know just how quickly bugs will fly in if you leave your door open for much longer than a few minutes.  Front entryway screen enclosures add a nice touch to a home in Florida and give you the option of keeping the door open and the bugs out.

Visit The Ultimate Screen Enclosure Resource Online

ScreenEnclosureGuide.com

Simple entryway enclosures include a basic 36x80" aluminum door and frame.  They usually start cheap for a no frill design and go up from there.  Theres many options to a front entryway design that can personalize it and add style to the house:

This Screen door has a painted dolphin figurine and kickplate on the bottom.  Kickplate can be used fully to the sides of the door if reuqeted

1) Custom doors: the standard 36x80" door usually included with a basic front entryway is no frills and is the same as the door on your pool enclosure.  Upgraded screen door options usually cost $400 plus and features, designs, scrolls, or figurines.

2) Sun burst: a sunburst is an elegant hoop with spokes that goes above the screen door.  Great for arch entryways.

3) Sidelites: these ornamental metal pieces go around on the sides of the enclosure.  Usually they are just decorative but they can double for security when designed properly.

4) Kickplate: Solid metal piece that can be used around the bottom perimeter to keep out the dirt.  Also very useful if you have pets that tend to damage the screen.

Photo Source: Gulf Coast Aluminum

Solar Screen For Sun Protection In Pool Enclosure

The Florida sun beats your body with UV Rays.... no secret there.  One option that exists is solar screen.  Solar screen by Phifer goes in like regular screen except that is much more dense than standard pool cage products.  The material is quite a bit darker as it more like a canvas than a mesh.  

While effective it can be a pricey product and you get your best deal on it when doing it with a rescreen of the enclosure.  

More in depth information on solar screen and screen enclosures I recommend checking out ScreenEnclosureGuide.com

Screen Enclosure Mesh Choices and The View

Many homeowners considering adding a screen enclosure to their home are concerned with the outward visibility.  Obviously if you have lake view from your pool enclosure, you don't want to ruin it.  With a few different choices out there such as phifer 18/14 screen, phifer 20/20 screen, Superscreen, Solar screen

How much of the view will be lost once the screen goes up?  The answer to that magic question is not much.  As you can see in this photo, the view difference is negligible with the exception of solar screen.

You learn more about the choices from the post on Gulf Coast Aluminum's website. 239-935-8575

FINALLY: Screen Enclosure help in Florida

Screen enclosures and pool enclosures are very common structures in Florida.  With all the bugs, you really can't use a pool or patio  without feeling like you are under attack... so a screen enclosure is need for outdoor living space!

Transparent information about screen screen enclosures is lacking online...

Screen enclosures primarily only exist in Florida and are a relatively  'niche structure', there isn't much information out there about them.  If you have questions about the types of screen, planning for the pool enclosure, how to chose a contractor, if you can build an enclosure, etc you were largely left in the dark or at the mercy of second hand information.

For that reason ScreenEnclosureGuide.com was launched!  This is a site to educate consumers about the structures and their specialties in Florida.  Written by a retired contractor everything is covered in a thoughtful manner.  

• Not sure if you should get a bid or get plans first?  Ken explains it all.
• How does a screen enclosure extension happen? Thats covered
• What about a sunroom to match the house?  Screen Enclosure Guide has that too.

Footings & Paver Decks

Many Florida homeowners buy homes with a beautiful pool and a paver deck.  The only thing missing is the screen enclosure.  In this case though the paver pool deck was lacking something important, a footing.  It is acceptable for a paver deck to be done without a footing, it just requires work further down the line to prepare it for an enclosure.

In this case the pavers had to be pulled up, a footer was dug for the screen enclosure, and then the footer poured and pavers put back in place.  After all of that, then a screen enclosure can be built.  For a more in depth analysis, check out this project on ScreenEnclosureGuide.com
Photo source: Gulf Coast Aluminum

Downspout On Pool Enclosure - Choose Wisely

Often overlooked when buying or building a new screen enclosure is the location of the downspout.  It is import to consider before spending thousands of hard earn dollars.  Take a look at this example; would you want a down spout splashing water into the middle of a paver area?  Determining downspout location and size before construction is critical. Downspouts come in different sizes and it is important that your contractor selects one large enough to drain the gutter or else it will overflow and splash over the side.  Ideally downspouts should be routed to a grassy area and directed away from the screen enclosure, pool cage, lanai or house.

Project by Gulf  Coast Aluminum 941-584-4575

This is a really unique screen enclosure as it is built on the second story.  It features a composite roof with aluminum railing to provide fall safety protection from the second story.  The color is bronze with a white elite panel roof.  This is a really nice project  done in Naples Florida but it could be a screen enclosure in Orlando, or west palm beach as well.  This same roofing material is also used for sun rooms throughout Florida.

For LOTS more info on screen enclosure structures, I recommend you visit ScreenEnclosureGuide.com -- the author of that site provides great info and fast responses for many questions.