Lanai Screen Enclosure Installation in Jacksonville, FL

An open lanai still lets in mosquitoes, love bugs, and the fine yellow film of spring pollen that coats every surface. Screening it in keeps the space usable through more of the year, particularly in late summer when mosquito activity peaks after Jacksonville's frequent afternoon rain. It also gives kids and pets a contained outdoor space directly off the house.

Because a lanai enclosure usually sits under an existing roof, footing needs are often lighter than for a freestanding structure, small footers or reinforced anchor points at the slab edge to hold the screen wall posts. Where the lanai has no covered roof of its own and needs a new roof structure built as part of the enclosure, footing requirements scale up closer to those of a patio enclosure.

Framing typically involves setting screen wall posts at the slab edge, connecting to the existing roof structure at the top with appropriate fasteners and flashing to keep the connection weathertight. Where an existing roof doesn't extend far enough, we frame a small roof extension or gutter transition to properly shed water off the new screen wall line.

Since lanai enclosures often sit right under the home's existing roofline, water management is about making sure the new screen wall doesn't interfere with existing gutters or create a spot for water to pool at the transition point. On larger lanais with their own extended roof, a super gutter may be added to handle the additional roof area.

Because a lanai often sits close to the house, humidity and shade from the existing roof can slow mesh drying after storms, which is worth factoring into mesh grade choice. Salt air near the coast still affects fastener selection, and spring pollen collects heavily in the more sheltered, lower-airflow corners typical of an enclosed lanai.

Cost depends on the size of the opening, the attachment method to the existing roof, whether any new roof structure is needed, and mesh selection. Lanai enclosures that attach cleanly to an existing roof are typically less expensive than freestanding structures of similar footprint. We provide a written estimate after the site visit.