![]() ![]() Stone facades over a post, decorative ceilings and even luxurious railings are common finish options people are willing to pay more for. Every part of your screened deck can become more expensive depending on the finish you choose. Expect a gas or electric fireplace to come with the additional cost of electrical wiring or gas hookup. Bob Vila reports the average outdoor fireplace costs around $3,000, but the cost range for installation is $1,500 to $20,000. Instead of a heater, you may like the idea of having an outdoor fireplace. "The typical outdoor kitchen setup is going to be $15,000-plus, easy," Moylan says. For many, outdoor living is not complete without having a kitchen setup to take outdoor cooking beyond the grill. Retractable screens that run on a motor are estimated to cost $2,000 to $4,000 per unit, according to HomeAdvisor. Plenty of homeowners like the option of a screened-in porch, but want to be able to raise the screens as well. "For two heaters you're spending $4,000-$5,000 on the heating system," Moylan says. If you have more than a simple light or fan, Moylan says you'll need a circuit added to your electrical panel. You'll need electricity in your screened porch if you want a fan, TV, heaters or other features that will make your outdoor living space more pleasant. For a 200-square-foot porch, that’s $800 on the low end and $6,000 on the high end. The cost of a roof or cover for your screen porch depends on the material – $4-$9 per square foot for wooden shakes, $14-$22 for an aluminum cover and $16-$30 for asphalt shingles, according to HomeAdvisor. "We tell customers to pick out three colors that they like just in case the first one is not available – then they have a backup," Moylan says. Requiring even more wood is the deck you would need to build, if you don't already have a functioning porch with a roof. Fortunately, that’s no longer the case – though if you have a specific type of frame in mind, it’s best to ask your contractor if it will impact your timeline and total cost. During the coronavirus pandemic, lumber prices made the wood for screen framing more expensive and harder to obtain. However, there are also aluminum screens, costing $5-$7 per square foot, and solar screens, costing $5.50-$7 per square foot, according to Angi. Moylan says most screens used today are fiberglass, which runs between $4.50 and $5.50 per square foot not including the cost of labor, according to Angi. ![]() This adds time and money to the project to handle the administrative aspects, along with getting the architectural or engineering expertise needed to sign off on plans. Many local governments treat a screened porch with a roof as an addition to the home, and it must be approved and permitted as such. The availability of construction labor, population density and proximity to shipping or trucking hubs can all play a role in the bottom line of the project. Like many other home improvement projects, typical costs are heavily dependent on where you live. But it's the same usable square footage in the same space," Moylan says. "Once you start layering it, that's where you really see that massive price difference. Moylan describes the features and finishes you choose for your screened porch as a layering effect: You can get the bare structure with decking and screens, and then add flooring, ceiling, electrical wiring, gas hookup and more. If your screened porch has a balcony above it or the porch itself is on a second story, a more complex project will drive up the total cost. While the total square footage will affect the price, Moylan says the complexity of the project and materials are even more likely to impact the bottom line. “Making sure that it is in a good structural, sound place first is always step one.” Is your existing deck or porch solidly built and in good condition? “Especially if it’s an elevated deck of some kind, homeowners tend to forget to check the integrity and condition of their deck,” Hicks says.
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