A screened porch is a roofed room with screen where the walls would be. You get the shade and the rain protection of a roof, the air of being outside, and none of the mosquitoes — which in Northern Virginia from May to October is the whole point.
It sits between two other things we build. A pavilion is the same roof without the screens — open on all sides. A three season room goes the other direction: the screen openings get vinyl or glass window panels, so the room holds heat in spring and fall and keeps the pollen out. Many of the porches we build are framed so that step can come later.
Same 16-by-14 footprint, same county, same crew. The difference is everything that isn't the footprint: a shed roof versus a gable or hip, a flat ceiling versus a vaulted one with exposed beams, screen panels versus a full screen-wall system, the flooring, the railing, a fireplace, lighting, fans, how high it sits off the ground, and whether the structure it's on can carry it.
That's why we don't publish price ranges. A designer who has seen the house can put your budget where it matters most to you. A calculator can't.
There's no single honest number. A 16-by-14 screened porch can cost $40,000 or $120,000 depending on roof form, ceiling, screen system, flooring, railing, fireplace, lighting, and what it sits on. Whitmer Decks designs to your budget during a consultation at the house rather than publishing ranges.
Sometimes. The deck has to be evaluated first — a porch is a roofed structure and weighs far more than a deck was framed for, and Whitmer Decks finds rot in the rim joist on roughly 30 to 50 percent of older decks. Reinforcing is sometimes possible; often rebuilding the deck and porch together is the better value.
A screened porch has screen where the walls would be — shade, rain cover, fresh air, no insects. A three season room replaces the screens with vinyl or glass window panels, so it holds heat in spring and fall and keeps pollen out. Whitmer Decks builds both and often frames porches so they can be converted later.
Typically four to six weeks on site. Whitmer Decks builds year-round, including winter. Start dates depend on the season and the county's permit backlog.
Yes. Whitmer Decks files permits in Fairfax, Loudoun, Arlington, Prince William, Alexandria, Vienna, Herndon, and Leesburg. Fairfax is the fastest; Prince William and Alexandria are the slowest, and Arlington and Vienna are strict about lot coverage. HOA approval is separate; Whitmer Decks prepares the documentation for the homeowner to submit.
Wrapping the exterior wood in PVC once costs less than staining it once or twice over the life of the porch, and it ends the maintenance. Whitmer Decks shows both options; most clients choose the wrap.
Yes. Whitmer Decks builds porches with outdoor fireplaces, ceiling heaters, fans, and lighting, with the electrical and venting designed in during framing.
Yes. Whitmer Decks builds year-round.
