Huntsville Screened Porches - Enclosing an Existing Porch
This page is specifically about converting a porch that already exists. The roof is up, the slab is down, and the question is how to close in the sides. That is a different job from building new, and it is usually a much cheaper one.
Three pages on this site cover ways of closing in a porch, and the difference is what goes in the openings. Screen is this page: airflow, insects out, no glazing, lowest cost. Vinyl or acrylic track windows that slide open in mild weather and close against rain are 3-season rooms. Insulated glass with heating and cooling, usable in January, is a sunroom. Cost rises in that order, and so does the permit and code burden.
Plenty of Huntsville homes have a covered porch sitting unused from April through October because of insects and afternoon sun. Screening it in fixes both for a fraction of a new build, typically 30 to 50% less when the existing frame is sound.
What We Check Before Quoting
The structure decides whether this is a cheap job or a moderate one, so we check it first rather than quoting off a photograph.
- Post spacing and structural condition, including rot at the base where posts meet slab
- Roof overhang and where water actually runs off during a summer downpour
- Slab condition, thickness and slope away from the house
- Whether the ceiling and soffits are open and need infilling
- HOA guidance in your community, which is often stricter than the city
- Permit requirements for your specific jurisdiction
Enclosure Costs in Huntsville
Using the existing structure, porch enclosures in Huntsville typically run $4,500 to $10,000 depending on size and whether posts need reinforcing. If new posts or a concrete footer are required, expect $12,000 to $15,000. You get a written quote after the free in-home visit.
Screen Options
Standard fibreglass mesh is the most affordable. Solar screen cuts heat gain significantly and is popular on west-facing porches here. Pet-resistant mesh is worth it with dogs or cats, because a standard screen loses to a determined animal. All our mesh is commercial-grade 90g with a 30-year UV warranty.
One local point that changes the specification: the dominant residential mosquito in north Alabama is the Asian tiger mosquito, which bites during the day rather than only at dusk. If you have been assuming the porch only needs to work in the evening, that is why it has not felt like enough. Tighter mesh also excludes gnats and no-see-ums, which standard big-box screen does not reliably do.
Permits and Licensing in North Alabama
Which permit office you deal with depends on where you actually live, and there is no single North Alabama answer. The City of Huntsville, the City of Madison, the Town of Owens Cross Roads and unincorporated Madison County each run their own review and their own inspection schedule. Huntsville itself takes submissions through the ePlans system. If your property sits inside a FEMA flood hazard area, a flood development permit has to be issued before any other permit, which catches out homeowners near the Flint River, Aldridge Creek and the Big Cove corridor. We file the paperwork as part of the job.
Worth knowing before you sign with anyone, us included: Alabama's Home Builders Licensure Board requires a licence once the cost of the work, labour and materials combined, exceeds $10,000. The statute covers remodelling and improvement work, not just new houses, and a mid-size porch project sits right on that line. You can check any builder's licence on the Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board site in about a minute. Ask for the number before you pay a deposit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my existing porch can be enclosed?
Most covered porches built in the last twenty years can. The usual disqualifiers are rot at the post bases, a slab that slopes toward the house, or post spacing too wide to take screen framing without adding structure. We check all three at the estimate.
Is enclosing cheaper than building new?
Yes, typically 30 to 50% less, because you are not paying for a roof, footings or a slab. That advantage disappears if the existing structure needs rebuilding, which is exactly why we inspect before quoting.
Will an enclosure add square footage to my house?
A screened porch is not conditioned space and is not generally counted as finished square footage. A sunroom can be. Ask your county assessor rather than a contractor, because the answer affects your assessment and we are not the authority on it.
Can I upgrade from screen to windows later?
Often yes, and it is worth telling us at the design stage if you think you might. Framing an enclosure so it can later take vinyl track windows costs very little now and a great deal to retrofit.
Do I need a permit to enclose a porch I already have?
Usually yes, even though the roof already exists, because you are changing the structure. Which office handles it depends on your jurisdiction, and we file it.
Related Services
Compare with 3-season rooms and sunrooms for glazed options. If your porch has damage rather than just open sides, start with screen porch repair. If you have a deck rather than a covered porch, see deck to screened porch conversion. We serve Huntsville, Madison, Decatur and Athens.