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