Screen enclosures look like rather simple structures; some aluminum members, some screen, a foundation. This leads most people to believe that the construction process is rather quick and easy. In a sense, the construction is pretty quick and easy, but what happens behind the scenes, before ground is ever broken, takes most of the time.
Many client’s expectations of when their project will be complete are far from reality. Having a solid understanding of what goes into these projects is important to having realistic expectations of completion time. Unfortunately, if you are hoping to have your project completed next week, or next month, it will not happen. A realistic time frame is at least 3 months. Some places may be short, but many places longer. Professional project managers and planners know this and get their plans done well in advance (over 1 year).
Lets See What Takes So Long
Surveying: If Required, a survey will need to be completed first. In some locations, a survey is required even if the ‘footprint’ is not changing. This means relying on a 3rdparty. Survey firms are notoriously unorganized and as of the last few years extremely busy. Some survey companies might complete the field survey quickly, but often lack in issuing the appropriate signed and sealed copies via mail, digital copies. With that siteplan correspondence can also drag things out as design intentions are communicated with words, drafted, then reviewed, then re-communicated.
Engineering: Like surveyors, engineers can take long than you would expect. There’s actually a very small number of screen enclosure engineers relative to the number of screen enclosures being built. In Lee County alone over 2,400 aluminum post and beam structures built in 2015. Design specifications, can also be drug out as the contractor and engineer work to find design solutions that result in the easiest construction methods, that are also code compliant, and within the customer’s design requests.
A Final Word On Surveying & Engineering For Screen Enclosure Projects
These processes each can take a month. On the quick side of things, they could take 2 weeks each. while one might suggest ‘hustling up’ the surveyors and engineers, I often find this does more harm than good. Back when I was a contractor, I once had a good (by relative measures) survey company ‘fire’ me as a client when I tried persistent follow ups to get things completed faster. That back fired on me as I was now stuck working with companies that were even worse.
Permit Process: Some building departments are rather quick, while others are notoriously slow. The efficiency of a building department can also change on whim as a result of staffing turnover or new systems. In others a building department that was quick can now take a longer period of time. As with anything a lack of communication is often results in delays. With many building departments, establishing a direct line of communication with the plans reviewer (s) is difficult. A contractor with an established history and lots of permits under their belt, can really add value here. They know who-is-who, and have direct phone lines or email addresses of the decision makers who usually are hidden behind layer of gate keepers.
On To Actual Construction
Things start to move fast once the permit is issued the job then goes into the que with all of the other jobs. If new concrete or pavers are required foundation prep and inspection has to happen next. If not the job goes straight into the structural construction phase. For the foundation to be laid out, inspected and poured it takes anywhere from one to three weeks. The final phase will be the actual aluminum structure depending on the company and size of cage this can take one to three weeks.
The entire procedure from signed contract to completion will take anywhere from two to five months based on the scope of your project. If you are looking to get things done in conjunction with other trades or projects, it is recommended that you handle this project like a professional and have all the engineering/design work completed and permits obtained long before ground is broken.