Patio Enclosures
Turn the patio you have into space you enjoy more often.
South Florida gives you the view; the weather takes back the afternoons. An impact-rated enclosure keeps the room bright, protected, and usable all year.
What is involved in enclosing a patio or lanai?
A patio enclosure turns a covered outdoor space into a room you can use year-round, using impact-rated glass and framing engineered for the opening. Because it changes the building envelope, it is permitted, engineered work rather than a cosmetic upgrade: the structure, the attachment, and the product approval all have to satisfy the Florida Building Code for your location. That is also why the design conversation starts with the existing structure rather than with a catalogue.
- Scope
- Engineered and permitted work, not a cosmetic add-on
- Permit
- Required. We file it and coordinate the inspection
- Product approval
- Confirmed per opening and named on your written quote
Check it at the source: Florida Building Commission Florida Product Approval search
The transformation
Same footprint. Different life.
Most patios are used a fraction of the year: too hot, too wet, too buggy, too loud. Enclosing the space with impact-rated glass changes its job description: from fair-weather porch to genuine room.
- A family room that opens to the yard without opening to the weather
- A dining space for storm-season dinners with the rain outside the glass
- A quiet reading or work retreat off the main living area
- An entertaining space that works in August as well as February
One honest boundary: we design enclosures as protected living space, not as legal bedrooms or guaranteed conditioned square footage, since those classifications depend on your property and local rules. But when you do want to take a space all the way to a true conditioned room, we're one of the few window companies actually equipped to get you there (more on that below).
The before and after
Screened patio versus impact-glass enclosure.
| What changes | Screened patio today | Enclosed with impact glass |
|---|---|---|
| Use through the year | A fraction of the year: too hot, too wet, too buggy, too loud. | A room you use in July heat, summer downpours, and lovebug season alike. |
| Wind and rain | Open to both. | Glass calms wind and rain and keeps conditioned air where you want it. |
| Noise | Passes straight through. | Laminated glass takes the edge off neighborhood and weather noise. |
| Security | Screens invite. | Laminated glass resists, hardening what is often a home’s softest side. |
| Storm readiness | No protection role. | Engineered for the same wind-borne debris rules as the rest of your openings, with engineering and permits coordinated where required. |
One honest boundary, stated here as it is everywhere on this page: we design enclosures as protected living space, not as legal bedrooms or guaranteed conditioned square footage, since those classifications depend on your property and local rules.
Not just a window company
Run by a licensed General Contractor.
Most window companies stop where the glass ends. If your enclosure needs structural work, you're left hiring a separate general contractor and making two companies coordinate around each other, with schedules, permits, and responsibility split down the middle.
Coastal is different: our company is run by a custom home builder with a Florida general contractor's license. Converting a patio into enclosed, conditioned living space (the structural modifications, the permits, the electrical, the new energy calculations for your A/C system) is work we're licensed and equipped to take on ourselves.
- Structural modifications handled in-house, no second contractor to manage
- Permits and engineering coordinated start to finish
- Electrical and A/C energy calcs for conditioned-space conversions
- One team, one written scope, one name responsible for all of it
Why enclose
What an impact-rated enclosure gives back.
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Space you actually use
The patio stops being seasonal. Enclosed with impact-rated glass, it becomes a room you use in July heat, summer downpours, and lovebug season alike.
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Storm protection built in
An impact-rated enclosure is engineered for the same wind-borne debris rules as the rest of your openings. That is protection, not just screening.
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Comfort in every season
Glass calms wind and rain and keeps conditioned air where you want it, so the space stays pleasant far more of the year.
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A quieter retreat
Laminated glass takes the edge off neighborhood and weather noise. The enclosed patio often becomes the calmest room in the house.
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Security at the back of the house
Screens invite; laminated glass resists. Enclosing the patio hardens what is often a home’s softest side.
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Visual continuity
Framing and finishes are chosen to match your home’s lines, so the enclosure reads as architecture, not an add-on.
Project scope
What the project can include.
Every enclosure starts from a different existing structure, so scope varies. Here’s the full shape of the work we coordinate.
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Site assessment
We look at the existing patio or lanai structure, its openings, and how you want to use the space.
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Engineering & permitting where required
Enclosures can involve structural review depending on what exists today. When engineering or permits are needed, we coordinate that work as part of the project.
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Custom-sized systems
Window and door systems are manufactured to the measured openings, including the wide spans patios often call for.
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Professional installation
Our crews install, seal, and finish the enclosure with the same care as any opening in your home, and clean up completely.
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Inspection & walkthrough
The project closes with the required inspections and a walkthrough where we show you the operation and care of every unit.
After the install
An enclosure should feel like part of the house.
Living with an enclosed patio
- The glass cleans like any quality window, and there is nothing seasonal to put up or take down.
- Sliding panels glide easiest when tracks stay clear of sand and leaves.
- Use the room. Daily operation is what the systems are built for, and the walkthrough covers how every unit works and how to care for it.
The warranty, in plain terms
Every installation carries our 3-year labor warranty. Product warranty terms are confirmed in writing with your quote. We document coverage precisely rather than promise it loosely, so you know exactly who stands behind what before anything is ordered.
At the final walkthrough we show you how every unit operates and how to care for it, and post-install support is part of the process. If anything stops moving smoothly or sealing tight, call us.
Questions
Patio enclosure questions, answered plainly
Can any patio be enclosed?
Most can, but the honest answer starts with the structure you have. Existing slabs, roofs, and columns may need review or modification to meet applicable requirements. That’s what the site assessment is for, and we’ll tell you plainly what your project involves before you commit.
What if my patio needs structural work first?
That’s where we’re different. Structural modifications usually mean hiring a general contractor alongside your window company and getting the two to coordinate. Coastal is run by a custom home builder with a Florida GC license, so structural work, permitting, electrical, and the window systems are all handled in one place: one scope, one team, one company responsible.
Will an enclosure count as extra square footage?
We don’t make legal square-footage or appraisal promises, because how an enclosed space is classified depends on your property’s specifics and local rules. What we can promise is a space your family actually uses more.
Do patio enclosures need permits?
Typically yes. Enclosures are permitted work, and depending on the existing structure they can involve engineering review. We coordinate permitting as part of the project so it’s handled properly, not around.
Can the enclosure match my existing windows and doors?
Yes. Frames, finishes, and glass are selected to sit naturally with the rest of the house, especially if we’re doing (or have done) other openings for you.
How long does an enclosure project take?
It varies more than window projects because structure and permitting differ home to home. Your written quote includes the expected sequence and the variables that could affect it. We don’t guarantee dates we can’t control.
Curious what your patio could become?
A free estimate starts with a site assessment: the structure you have, the space you want, and a clear written scope to get there.