How Much Does a Screened Porch Cost?

Screening in a porch that already has a roof usually costs about $2,000 to $4,000, with an average near $2,800, according to HomeAdvisor. Building a new screened porch from the ground up is a much bigger job: HomeAdvisor puts it at $25 to $120 per square foot. The two biggest price factors are whether you already have a roof and posts to screen, and how big the space is.

Screening an existing porch vs. building new

Most cost guides assume you already have a covered porch or a roofed deck with posts to attach screens to. If you don't, you're paying for a roof, framing and often a floor before the first screen goes up.

LawnLove's cost guide puts materials and labor for screening at $8.40 to $12.45 per square foot. Prices vary by region, so treat all of these as starting points, not quotes.

Why some quotes come in much higher

National averages include plenty of small, simple jobs. A full custom build costs far more. One builder in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, Decked Out Builders, lists 2025 prices for the porch structure alone starting at $37,000, with most projects at $49,000 to $75,000. It adds $20,000 to $65,000 or more if a new deck is needed underneath. That's one company's pricing in one market, but it shows why 2 or 3 local quotes matter more than any national figure.

Cost by size: 12x12, 12x16 and 20x20

Size drives the bill because more floor means more screen, framing and roof. Here's what the two cost guides show for common sizes:

For a 12x16 porch (192 sq ft), LawnLove's $8.40 to $12.45 rate works out to about $1,600 to $2,400 to screen an existing space. HomeAdvisor's new-build column works out to $50 per square foot, which would put a new 12x16 screened porch near $9,600. Its full $25 to $120 range spans about $4,800 to $23,000.

Keep in mind that screen area isn't the same as floor area. HomeAdvisor notes that a 20 by 10 foot concrete pad might need around 400 square feet of screening, and a freestanding porch needs screen on a fourth wall too.

What drives the price

Roof and structure

Costs jump when a roof has to be built over an open deck or patio, Bob Vila notes. HomeAdvisor lists screened porch roofs at $16 to $30 per square foot for asphalt shingles, $14 to $22 for an aluminum porch cover and $4 to $11 for aluminum panels. If you're still choosing a cover, see our patio cover guide.

Screening a deck is cheaper than building from scratch, but only if the deck can carry the load. HomeAdvisor says to have an existing porch or deck inspected first. Its porch building guide adds that a deck turned into a porch needs a structure that can support the roof under local codes, and reinforcing it raises the cost. Soft boards or loose railings are a reason to read up on deck repair first. Both HomeAdvisor and LawnLove say second-story porches cost more than ground-level ones.

Screen material

Standard fiberglass and aluminum screen cost under $1 per square foot in both guides, but the fabric decides how the porch looks and wears.

Bob Vila notes that fiberglass won't rust but cat claws can shred it. Aluminum stands up to wind but creases easily, and uncoated aluminum can corrode in humid climates. Pet-resistant screen is tougher but thicker and harder to see through, and solar screen cuts sun and may reduce heat. Screen maker Phifer's selection guide also lists finer "no-see-um" screens for small insects.

Doors, power and extras

• Screen doors: HomeAdvisor lists $100 to $2,500; LawnLove says a door averages about $300.
• Motorized retractable screens: $2,000 to $4,000 per unit, per HomeAdvisor.
• Ceiling fans and lights: HomeAdvisor's porch guide puts a ceiling light or fan at $60 to $1,200 per fixture, and an outdoor outlet at $150 to $260. Electricians charge about $50 to $100 an hour.
• Flooring: HomeAdvisor lists concrete pavers or stenciling at $2 to $7 per square foot.

Under the National Electrical Code, outdoor 15- and 20-amp, 125-volt receptacles at a home need GFCI protection, and a porch attached to the house needs at least one GFCI-protected outlet, as EC&M explains. New circuits are a job for a licensed electrician. For path and step lights outside the porch, see our landscape lighting guide.

The cheapest way to screen in a porch

If your porch already has a roof and sound posts, doing it yourself is the cheapest route. Bob Vila puts materials for about 200 square feet as low as $450, including lumber for screen frames, fabric, screws and paint. Hiring a pro for the same job adds about $300 to $600 in labor. HomeAdvisor's estimate is higher, about $1,000 in DIY materials depending on size and screen type.

Ways to keep the cost down:

• Use a kit. Bob Vila says an 8 by 8 foot kit typically sells for $250 to $300. Sections can be cut down to fit but not made bigger, so you may need several.
• Screen what you have. Enclosing an existing porch or deck saves on flooring and roofing, HomeAdvisor says.
• Pick standard fiberglass. It's the cheapest fabric in both cost guides.
• Use smaller panels. Bob Vila notes they're easier and cheaper to repair when a screen tears.
• Book off-season. LawnLove says contractors may have more openings, and sometimes discounts, in colder months.

Building a roof is not a DIY job unless you're skilled at framing, Bob Vila says. HomeAdvisor agrees that a screened porch from the ground up should go to a contractor because it has to meet building codes.

Is a screened porch worth it?

It depends mostly on your climate and how you'll use it. HomeAdvisor says screened porches pay off best in warm, humid places with lots of bugs, common in the South, and less so in colder climates. LawnLove names bug-prone areas like the Midwest and Florida, and warns a screened porch may not add value where people enjoy the outdoors without one. LawnLove also notes a screened porch isn't counted in your home's square footage, because it isn't heated and cooled like the rest of the house.

Plan for upkeep, too. HomeAdvisor says screens usually last 6 to 8 years before they need replacing.

Screened porch vs. three-season or four-season room

If you want to use the space in cool or rainy weather, compare it with a room that has windows:

Decked Out Builders' pricing shows the same step up: a typical three-season room runs $55,000 to $85,000 there, against $49,000 to $75,000 for a screened porch.

Permits, codes and climate

Check with your building department before you buy materials. Bob Vila says screening alone may not need a permit if you don't change the structure, but a new roof that ties into the house almost certainly will. LawnLove adds that some towns treat a roofed screened porch as an addition.

• Permit costs: HomeAdvisor lists $100 to $300 for an enclosed porch, and LawnLove puts a typical permit near $190. A new porch can run $150 to $2,000, per HomeAdvisor's porch guide.
• HOA rules: If you have an HOA, get its approval in writing first. LawnLove notes some covenants limit or dictate the style.
• Railings: The American Wood Council's deck construction guide says decks more than 30 inches above grade need a guard. Bob Vila points out that screen fabric isn't strong enough to stop a fall, so screens go behind the railing, not in place of it.
• Footings: A new porch needs footings, and digging means calling 811 a few business days ahead. It's free. HomeAdvisor notes colder regions may need footings below the frost line.
• Coastal and snowy areas: The AWC guide calls for stainless steel fasteners within 300 feet of salt water and doesn't cover decks with snow loads above 40 pounds per square foot. In heavy-snow areas, ask your builder and building department what your roof must be designed for.

Comparing a porch with other options? See our guides to pergolas vs. gazebos and decks vs. patios.

When to call a pro

Stapling new fabric into existing frames is a weekend project. Building a roof, reinforcing a deck, adding circuits or running gas to a fireplace is not. Use a licensed electrician for wiring, a licensed gas professional for any gas fire feature, and a contractor for framing and roof work.

When you hire:

• Get 2 or 3 written quotes for the same size, screen type, door count and electrical scope.
• Ask for photos of screened porches the company has built.
• Check licensing and insurance where your state requires it.
• Get the scope, who pulls the permit and the payment schedule in writing.

When you're ready, find outdoor living pros near you on LandscapeLookup. It's free with no sign-up, pros are ranked by Google rating weighted by review count, and you contact them directly.