Anonymous wrote:NP. What about converting an existing deck to a screened porch without demolishing the deck?

Probably not. The footers are ost likely not strong enough to hold a roof, but you can try.

$50,000 for mine. It includes 2 skylights, a fireplace, and EZ Breeze window screens.

$300,000

I don’t know the cost of our screened porch specifically, since we did it at the same time/in the same contract as the rest of an addition. But our contractor told us that adding a screened in porch costs only slightly less than adding finished space, because you still need to dig foundation, add electrical (usually - and you’ll want a ceiling fan, trust me), roofing, etc. I guess you save on windows and drywall and that’s about it.

We built our deck/screen in porch and stairs in 2008 and it is not huge, but the porch is nice (skylights, fan, lights.) During the pandemic we invested in nice furniture and now we use it all of the time.

It cost about 40/45K then. The same contractor just did another project for us last year and said, you would be paying at least double now for your deck and porch. Material prices are much more expensive.

Anonymous wrote:Ours was around 30 K with an overhead fan/light. They do not have to dig a foundation to build a screened in porch. That’s insane. They do have to adequately support it of course but no one’s digging a basement under a screened porch

Hi what company did you use and what year was it?

Ours, 15*20, ipe tongue-in-groove flooring, recessed lights, two skylights, three outlets, ceiling fan, shed roof, was $35k 14 years ago.

There does not need to be walls in a screen porch. About 14x14 is plenty big enough and about 200 sf. The major expense is the roof, that's what is hard to negotiate down. I don't know what it would cost but you can't compare to a 20 x 25 with skylights and fans and wainscoting.

You do need to dig footings for the walls even if at ground level. And then a slab if not elevated.

Ours was around 30 K with an overhead fan/light. They do not have to dig a foundation to build a screened in porch. That’s insane. They do have to adequately support it of course but no one’s digging a basement under a screened porch

Why is it so expensive, must be contractors ripping people off, it's just a few supports and a roof

Agree with you’ll want bigger. 14’ wide at minimum and and no less than 20’ long. If you’re going to invest in this do it right. Add electrical for lighting and fan.

200 square feet is small- you probably want at least 15 x20

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Debating adding a no-frills screened-in porch off back of house on area that is currently a flat flower bed (no overlying roof).
Thinking 200sqft and we’re in NoVa.

Possible to do this for under 25k? Anybody have recent cost data points they’d be willing to share? Recommended companies?

The frills are not what is expensive. My “frills” cost an extra 25k. The most basic boring screens in porch I started with was 50k, which is 25x25. I then added in the skylights, heating, lighting, fans, ceiling, wainscoting, and “better” roofline for an extra 25k.

An extra $25,000 is a pretty significant increase in cost to something that cost $50,000.

Anonymous wrote:Debating adding a no-frills screened-in porch off back of house on area that is currently a flat flower bed (no overlying roof).
Thinking 200sqft and we’re in NoVa.

Possible to do this for under 25k? Anybody have recent cost data points they’d be willing to share? Recommended companies?

The frills are not what is expensive. My “frills” cost an extra 25k. The most basic boring screens in porch I started with was 50k, which is 25x25. I then added in the skylights, heating, lighting, fans, ceiling, wainscoting, and “better” roofline for an extra 25k.