Get matched with top patio pros in Dieterich, IL

In almost all cases, you will need permits if you plan on building a sunroom over your patio, but regulations and requirements will depend on your municipality. Permits to enclose your patio will usually cost between $300 and $1,000. Since navigating local building codes and zoning requirements is challenging—and the consequences of not following them can be extremely expensive—we strongly recommend hiring a sunroom builder to complete the work and pull the permits for you.

The cost to screen in a porch depends on whether you are adding screens to an existing structure or building a new one from scratch. Adding screens to an existing porch costs about $5 to $7 per square foot, with a national average cost of around $2,800. For example, screening a 12-by-12-foot (144-square-foot) porch would likely cost between $700 and $1,000. If you are building a new screened-in porch, the cost is substantially higher. A new 12-by-12-foot screened-in porch can cost between $6,400 and $18,300, while a new 14-by-16-foot one averages around $11,000. The final price will vary based on the size of the porch, labor costs, and the materials you choose.

Even under the best of all circumstances, the maximum ROI on a pool is about 56%. There are other exterior home projects that you can do that are both less expensive to tackle and net a more significant ROI. These include:

• New siding installation, which can net an ROI between 70% and 80%

• Window replacement, which nets an average of over 72% ROI

• Landscaping, which at its highest can net between 200% and 400% ROI

• Garage door replacement, which nets an average ROI of 103%

If you want to hire a professional to build a screened-in porch, a local sunroom or porch contractor is your best bet. If you can't find a local sunroom builder, another option is to consider hiring a general contractor to perform the work. 

If you're handy, you may consider building the porch yourself. Before you do so, make sure you understand the local permit requirements and building codes so that you don't have any problems with the safety or structure of the porch.