Screened-In Porch Installation with Skylights in Bethesda, MD
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Scope of Work
Project Overview
The homeowner wanted to enjoy more of the backyard without the bugs. Their old deck was failing and offered no protection from the elements. We built a 20-by-10 screened-in porch in its place, tied into the existing roofline.
The finished porch has Trex flooring, pet-rated screen, ceiling fan wiring at both ends, and a single screen door to a wrapped staircase. Part of the porch sits a few feet off grade, so we added a sealed skirting system to keep animals out. Built under Montgomery County residential permits and to engineer’s plans, with the roof integrated so the porch looks original to the house.
Before / AFTER
Site Conditions
The Property and Site Conditions
The property had an aging wooden deck attached to the back of the house. The existing framing, decking, and original concrete footings were still in place. The structure was no longer worth saving, especially with the added structural load required for the new porch roof. Everything had to be removed before we could pour new footings sized properly for the porch and roof system.
The grade behind the house was not level across the full 20-foot run. The right side sat close to the ground, while the left-hand side rose a few feet off grade, leaving an open cavity below the deck where animals could get in. That condition shaped the skirting and buried mesh work later in the build.
The existing roofline also affected how the new porch roof had to be framed and flashed. We needed a clean tie-in to the house so the new shingles matched, water shed correctly, and no penetration points became future problems.
In Progress
ASSESMENT
What We Did
Planning, Permits, and Demolition
Before installation, our licensed architect and structural engineer prepared the porch plans, including the footing schedule, framing details, roof tie-in, screen layout, and door placement. Once the homeowner approved the design, we submitted the plans to Montgomery County for permits and managed the inspection process.
After approvals, we removed the existing wood deck, hauled away the old framing, decking, and concrete footings, and prepared the site for the new porch structure.
Structural Porch Build
During installation, we poured new reinforced concrete footings 36 inches deep, with each footing sized based on the structural load at that post location. Pressure-treated 6×6 posts were installed on Simpson post bases, then the main porch framing was built with PT joists, double rim joists, lateral bracing, and a properly flashed ledger board tied into the house.
We finished the floor system with Trex composite decking, hidden fasteners, and white Trex Shoreline fascia for a clean finished edge.
Roof, Screens, and Finish Work
The new roof was framed to the engineer’s specifications, tied into the existing house, weatherproofed, and finished with architectural shingles to match the home. We also installed gutters and downspouts to move roof runoff away from the porch area.
For the screened enclosure, we built the vertical porch structure with PVC-wrapped posts, horizontal blocking, cap rails, and a white PVC railing system with code-compliant baluster spacing. The screen mesh was installed behind the railing to help protect it from daily contact.
Electrical Wiring and Skylights
We installed the aluminum screen door, staircase, and landing to create a finished access point into the porch. Because one side of the porch sat several feet above grade, we added buried galvanized mesh and finished skirting with an access panel to help keep animals out while allowing future maintenance.
Our electrician added a GFCI-protected outlet and wiring for two ceiling fans. As an add-on, we framed and installed two VELUX skylights with proper flashing and weatherproofing before cleaning the site and walking the homeowner through the finished porch.
Completed Project
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