Clients Wayne and Christa Get A New Screen Porch

Our clients Wayne and Christa had an existing deck on their 25-year old home on its last legs. Badly in need of renovation and repair, the original was built by the former owners as a DIY project. The deck consisted of three different sections; a nice sized area immediately outside the patio door, a space to the left that stepped down into a sunken hot tub, and a small grilling area that transitioned to the right-hand side of the backyard.

Before Images

Wayne and Christa had a strict budget, and the decision became whether to simply maintain and live with the existing deck or upgrade to a screened porch within their budget. Sensitivity to bees and mosquitos made their outdoor space, including the deck, unusable during much of the year. 

A screen porch was the option our clients chose, and we set out to create an efficient design. Using our final design and inexpensive materials, we were able to exceed their expectations and deliver a traditional screen porch within their budget.

Deconstructing and Reuse

Our design called for deconstructing their existing deck space and reconstructing the new patio using elements of the old construction to reduce costs. One of the things that bothered them was the sunken hot tub deck for which they had little use. They asked us to remove this portion of the deck and replace it with a stairway leading to the usable part of their back yard.

Our design incorporated the reuse of two footings from the original hot tub deck to reduce the cost of the landing and stairway. As a result, they now have a connection to the largest area of our client's back yard.

By stripping off the existing decking and railing from the main and grilling sections of the deck, we were able to reuse the framing, which helped us to keep within their budget. We replaced the decking with new treated decking lumber. Thanks to the roof system over the screen porch, these areas will now be protected from the weather and direct sunlight, preserving the treated lumber.

Rebuilding The Screen Porch

After removing the decking, we carefully added Goliath Tech helical pile footings at critical bearing points to carry the roof load, verified that the structure was done properly, and made a few necessary repairs where we found water damage to the original house. 

We built the screen porch using inexpensive treated lumber for the posts and headers. A ceiling truss system built using Simpson Strong-Tie hardware made the ceiling and roof framing efficient while providing the beauty of the cathedral ceiling. 

The least expensive option for finishing the ceiling would have been to leave it unfinished and paint all of the trusses and interior roof sheathing black. However, our clients intend to convert the porch to a three-season room down the road, so they elected to upgrade. We added insulation and a finished pine ceiling. Because of their future plans, the money spent on the insulation, ceiling, and electrical lighting was well spent keeping with their long-term goals.

The deck is elevated, so the screened porch required a railing. We chose low maintenance, modestly priced Deckorators aluminum balusters combined with a treated lumber rail that matches the rest of the porch post materials. We used the same railing on the grilling deck. Since the homeowner's future plans include turning the screen porch into a three-season room in the future, we positioned the stairway and railing precisely to allow space for three-season windows to be installed in the future using the least labor possible. If we set this railing incorrectly, it would have prevented the window installation without an expensive modification in the future. This is a perfect example of the benefits of planning ahead.

The Beauty is in the Details and Smart Upgrades!

We were able to tie our aesthetic design together with affordable finishes. The interior ceiling of the porch is finished with end match pine. We used a clear finish on top of it to help it stand up to the moisture variations in a porch of this type. It also provides a bright, beautiful ceiling. 

The ceiling includes four recessed lights along with a ceiling fan and light. We wired electrical outlets on each side of the patio door to maximize the flexibility of the space. The homeowners sed the opportunity of having our electrician on-site to remove some siding from the house and upgrade some of their kitchen lighting. Since our electrician was already on-site, this avoided the expense of having a separate call from an electrician and the cost of drywall patching that would have been necessary if working from the interior of the kitchen.

Our clients also included a handful of other upgrades to the project. We correctly removed the old deck ledger from the portion of the deck we removed, and we installed new siding in that location. We salvaged the siding from concealed areas underneath the deck to blend the original siding together and keep costs down. We then bought a few pieces of new vinyl to patch into those relatively concealed areas where we removed the original siding.

During the project, we also discovered three different leaks that we repaired. Unfortunately, homes from the mid-1990s, when this one was initially constructed, typically did not use house wrap. This home was no exception and will most likely eventually need a full siding replacement, including house wrap, to preserve the structure and deliver the proper lifespan for a home like this.

The end result is precisely what our clients wanted and needed. They now have a covered and screened room, keeping them shaded and dry and allowing them to enjoy their outdoor space while keeping the bees and mosquitos at bay. They also have an exit to the usable part of their yard where none previously existed, and they are set-up for their future plan of converting their new traditional screened porch into a three-season room.

If you live in the greater Madison, Wisconsin area and are planning a remodeling project, give the experts at Degnan Design-Build-Remodel a call at (608) 846-5963. Their award-winning design team is ready to help you realize your creative vision. Click here to schedule a free consultation to discuss your upcoming project.