What a new enclosure usually costs
A new pool enclosure is a bigger decision than a rescreen, and the prices you'll see quoted vary a lot because they measure different things. Some are per square foot of enclosure and some are totals for a whole pool cage, and the size, height, roof style, number of doors, screen type and upgrades, and site conditions of your project all move the number. That's why the ranges below are broken out by project type, and why they shouldn't be averaged together.
Typical planning ranges
| Project type | Typical planning range | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| New screen pool enclosure | $8 to $15 per sq. ft. · Example: 700 sq. ft. enclosure, $5,600 to $10,500 | Screen enclosures only. Ask how any square footage in a proposal is measured before comparing. |
| New screen pool enclosure, total | $4,000 to $14,000; $5 to $15 per sq. ft. installed | A broad national range. A starting point, not a local price. |
| New screen enclosure by pool size | 15×30 ft pool: $3,000 to $6,500 · 20×40 ft: $4,000 to $12,000 · 30×50 ft: $7,500 to $20,000 | Find the row nearest your pool. Height and roof style can move it. |
| Lanai enclosure attached to the house | $5,000 to $20,000 | For enclosures built off the home rather than freestanding cages. |
| Screening in an existing covered porch or patio | $2,000 to $5,000; $10 to $25 per sq. ft. | Screen walls added to a space that already has a roof. |
| New screened porch with its own roof | $10,000 to $35,000; $50 to $175 per sq. ft. | A built addition, not a typical aluminum pool cage. |
| Common add ons | Enclosure gutter: $1,500 to $2,500 · Concrete footings: $4 to $6 per linear ft. | Ask whether these are included or priced separately. |
How to read these ranges
Think of these as planning ranges, not a quote. Height, roof style, the number of doors, the screen you choose, site conditions, engineering, and the connection to your home can all push a real project outside them. The contractor's written proposal for your property is the closest number to the final price.
What proposals may or may not include
Two proposals with different totals may simply cover different work. Before comparing, check whether each one includes:
- Engineering and signed and sealed plans
- The permit and any related filings
- Footings or slab work
- Gutters where the cage meets the house
- Doors, kick plates, and screen upgrades such as no-see-um, pet, tuff, or solar shade screen
- Removal of an old enclosure, if there is one
- Cleanup and debris hauling
What permits cost
Every new enclosure needs a building permit, and the fee depends on which office serves your address.
- Unincorporated Hillsborough County: a flat $380 residential permit covering pool enclosures and screen rooms, including a $50 application fee, plus state surcharges (fee schedule effective October 5, 2024). This covers Brandon, Riverview, Valrico, Wimauma, Sun City Center, and Apollo Beach.
- City of Tampa: a flat $316 residential fee for an aluminum screen room, pool cage, or porch, plus the state surcharge of 2.5 percent ($4 minimum) (Miscellaneous Projects Permit Fee Schedule, updated May 31, 2020).
- Pinellas County Building Services: $250 plus $1 per $1,000 of project value without a slab or footers, or $350 plus $1 per $1,000 with them, including plan review and inspections, plus a 2.5 percent state surcharge ($4 minimum) and a small technology fee (FY26 and FY27 fee schedules). This covers Palm Harbor and other unincorporated areas, plus six smaller cities.
- Other cities: Clearwater, Dunedin, St. Petersburg, Tarpon Springs, and the other Pinellas cities with their own building departments set their own fees. Dunedin, for example, charges $100 plus $5 per $1,000 for work valued from $5,001 to $50,000, plus a 50 percent plan review charge.
Frequently asked questions
Is the permit included in a proposal?
It depends on the contractor. Ask to see the permit cost as its own line so you can tell government fees apart from labor and materials.
Does a bigger pool always mean a bigger price?
Size is the biggest driver, but height, roof style, doors, and site conditions matter too. Two pools of the same size can end up with different prices.
What's most often left out of a low number?
Engineering, footings, gutters, removal of an old cage, and screen upgrades are the usual suspects. Confirm what's included before comparing.
Related pages
Sources reviewed
All sources were reviewed in October 2026.
- HomeAdvisor, Pool Enclosure Cost, updated June 17, 2026
- Angi, Pool Enclosure Cost, updated September 1, 2026
- HomeGuide, Pool Enclosure Cost, dated September 6, 2023
- HomeGuide, Screened In Porch Cost, dated February 11, 2026
- Bob Vila, Pool Screen Enclosure Cost, updated May 31, 2024 (reviewed; republishes Angi and HomeAdvisor figures)
- Hillsborough County, Building Permit Fee Schedule, effective October 5, 2024
- City of Tampa, Miscellaneous Projects Permit Fee Schedule, updated May 31, 2020
- Pinellas County, Building and Development Review Services fees, FY26 and FY27 budgets
- City of Dunedin, Building Permit Fees, Appendix C, 2025 edition