One of the most common questions homeowners ask when planning a screen enclosure is simple: how long is this actually going to take? Here’s a realistic breakdown of the timeline from first call to finished project.
Step 1: Free On-Site Estimate (Same Week)
Most contractors, including Kish Enclosures, can schedule your free estimate within a day or two of your call. This visit typically takes 30-60 minutes and covers measuring your space, discussing design options, and answering questions.
Step 2: Design and Proposal (A Few Days)
After your estimate, you’ll receive a detailed, itemized proposal. Once you review and approve the design, the project moves to permitting.
Step 3: Permitting (Two to Four Weeks)
This is typically the longest part of the process — and it’s largely out of your contractor’s hands, since it depends on your county’s current review workload. Duval, St. Johns, Clay, and Nassau County permit reviews generally run two to four weeks. If your community has an HOA, that approval usually runs concurrently, so it doesn’t add extra time on top of the county process.
Step 4: Installation (One to Three Days)
Once permits are approved, actual construction is fast. Most pool cages, patio enclosures, and screened lanais are built in one to three days on-site, depending on size and complexity.
Step 5: Final Inspection
After construction, the county schedules a final inspection to verify the structure was built to the approved plans. This typically happens within a few days of your contractor requesting it.
Total Realistic Timeline
From your first call to a finished, inspected enclosure, plan for roughly four to eight weeks total — with the vast majority of that time being permit review, not actual construction. If anyone promises a screen enclosure "this week" without going through permitting, that’s a red flag, not a selling point.
What You Can Do to Keep Things Moving
Respond quickly to any design approval or HOA documentation requests, and choose a contractor experienced with your specific county’s permitting process — that experience alone can shave real time off the process.
Get Your Timeline Started
Call Wayne or JT Kish at (904) 805-4343 for a free estimate and a specific timeline for your project. Or use our free estimate form online.
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