What Most Homeowners Get Wrong About Screen Enclosures

If you have been in this business as long as I have, you start to notice patterns. Most homeowners do not call me for a brand new screen enclosure. They call me to fix one that was done wrong.

Let’s talk about the biggest mistakes I see in Palm Beach County and how to avoid them.

1. Installing on Pavers Without Proper Support

Pavers are not structural. Period.

If you bolt a screen enclosure directly into pavers without proper footings underneath, it will move. Over time you will see cracks, separation at the house, or loose fasteners. In high winds, that becomes a serious problem.

A properly installed enclosure should be anchored into concrete with engineered fasteners that meet Florida Building Code.

2. No Permit Pulled

I still see this every month in areas like Wellington and Jupiter.

Homeowners hire someone cheaper who promises to skip the permit process. It sounds good until you try to sell the house or an HOA asks for documentation.

No permit means no inspections. No inspections means no verification that it meets wind load requirements.

If you live in Palm Beach County, it needs to be permitted. End of story.

3. Undersized Gutters and Weak Attachment to the House

The connection point at the house is critical. A 7-inch structural gutter is not just there to move water. It ties the entire system together.

If that gutter is undersized or improperly lagged into the structure, you are asking for separation during a storm.

4. Cheap Screen Material

Not all screen is created equal.

Low-grade mesh fades quickly in the Florida sun. It becomes brittle, tears easily, and starts sagging. Then you are paying for a full rescreen years earlier than you should.

5. Hiring Based on Price Alone

This one is simple.

If one quote is dramatically lower than the others, ask yourself why. Aluminum thickness, engineering, fasteners, labor quality, insurance, and licensing all cost money.

A screen enclosure should last you many years. It is not something you want redone in three.

The Bottom Line

A screen enclosure is structural. It is not decorative trim. It needs to be engineered, permitted, and installed correctly the first time.

At A Home Service, we install directly on existing concrete footprints unless specified otherwise. We follow code. We pull permits. We build it right.

If you are considering a new enclosure or repairing an existing one, call 561-252-9899