Complete Services by Preventive Support

Converting your existing patio into a finished sunroom or fully conditioned living space is the most efficient way to expand your South Florida home. Preventive Maintenance handles the entire conversion process from initial engineering plans to final municipal building inspections. We transform open, screened, or covered patios into structurally sound rooms that withstand local coastal weather. Our team directly manages the structural framing, impact window installation, roof tie-ins, electrical wiring, and dedicated air conditioning extensions required for a legal home conversion. [kt]

Who This Service Is For

This service is designed for South Florida homeowners who want to maximize their underutilized outdoor space. If you currently have a covered concrete patio, a screened lanai, or an open concrete slab, you can convert that footprint into an air-conditioned part of your house. This conversion is ideal if you need more interior space but do not want to sacrifice your backyard footprint. It suits homeowners who are tired of dealing with intense afternoon heat, high humidity, blowing rain, and persistent insects. If your current patio slab or paver area sits unused during the summer months, a structural conversion turns that dead space into a functional, climate-controlled room. We work with homeowners who want a proper, legal home extension. This service is for people who want a space built to the exact structural codes as the rest of their house, rather than a temporary enclosure.

What We Build for Patio to Room Conversions

Our team handles three distinct types of structural projects based on your existing layout and your goals for the space. We configure every project to match the architectural style and structural needs of your house. Patio Lanais We build open and screened lanai spaces on your existing concrete slab or paver layout. For these structures, we install insulated aluminum roofs designed to deflect the sun's heat. These spaces protect you from rain and insects while maintaining maximum airflow. They are built with heavy-gauge aluminum framing that meets local wind load requirements. Existing Patio to Room Conversions This service transforms your current covered patio into a fully sealed sunroom or living space. We utilize your existing concrete slab and existing roof structure if they are structurally sound. We build out the exterior walls using conventional framing or concrete block. We then install insulated impact windows and doors to seal the perimeter. We run electrical outlets, install insulation in the walls and ceiling, and tie the space into a new mini-split or extended central HVAC system. The roof structure is updated based on your current setup, often utilizing high-performance flat TPO or sloped concrete tile that matches your main house. Full Home Additions When you need to expand beyond your current patio footprint, we construct full home additions from the ground up. This process begins with excavation and pouring a brand-new, steel-reinforced concrete slab. We build the walls to match your home's original construction. For the roof structure, we perform a structural tie-in. This involves using a ledger board bolted to the house or running joists and trusses directly onto the existing concrete tie-beam.

Service Option	Core Materials	Roof Type	Climate Control
Patio Lanai	Heavy-gauge aluminum, premium screen mesh	Insulated aluminum panels	Natural airflow / Ceiling fans
Patio to Room Conversion	Impact glass, framing, drywall, insulation	Flat TPO or sloped concrete tile	Dedicated HVAC / Mini-split
Full Home Addition	Concrete block or wood framing, impact glass	Sloped concrete tile or flat TPO	Extended central air or mini-split

Service Comparison

Understanding the structural differences, material requirements, and baseline investments for each option helps you choose the right project for your property. The table below outlines how these three options compare on an existing concrete slab.

Project Type	Base Cost	Typical Size Options	Primary Advantage
Aluminum Lanai	About $52 per square foot	12' x 20' up to 20' x 20'	Rapid insect and sun protection
Conventional Lanai	About $65 per square foot	Custom sizes available	Heavy-duty wood and concrete build
Patio to Room Conversion	Custom based on windows and HVAC	Fits existing patio footprint	Uses existing slab/roof to save money
Air-Conditioned Addition	About $250 per square foot	Custom sizes tailored to lot	Adds true square footage to home layout
New Home Construction	About $350 per square foot	Full property builds	Complete new building from foundation

Our Structural Construction Process

We utilize a specific, sequential construction process to ensure your patio conversion meets all Florida Building Code requirements. We do not cut corners or skip steps.

1. Initial Site Inspection: We measure your existing slab, check the level of the concrete, examine the existing roofline, and locate your current electrical panel to verify capacity.
2. Engineering and Architectural Design: Our team drafts detailed blueprints showing exactly how the new walls, windows, and roof tie-ins will connect to your main house structure.
3. HOA Document Preparation: We compile the necessary engineering drawings, material specifications, and site plans required for your neighborhood homeowner association review.
4. Permit Acquisition: We submit the approved plans to the local building department to secure all structural, electrical, and mechanical permits.
5. Foundation and Slab Preparation: We verify the moisture barrier of the existing slab or pour new concrete footers if structural wall reinforcement is required.
6. Framing and Wall Construction: We build the exterior wall structures using pressure-treated wood framing or concrete masonry units according to the engineered plans.
7. Roof Tie-In Execution: We tie the new roof structure into your home's main tie-beam using approved hurricane anchors, installing either flat TPO or matching concrete tile.
8. Impact Window and Door Installation: We anchor High Velocity Hurricane Zone rated impact glass directly into the framing to seal the room from wind and rain.
9. Utility Rough-Ins: We run all interior electrical wiring, install outlet boxes, and set up the refrigerant lines for your new air conditioning system.
10. Insulation and Drywall: We install code-compliant insulation in the walls and ceiling cavities before hanging, taping, and finishing the drywall.
11. Interior Finishing: We install your chosen flooring, trim, baseboards, light fixtures, and final wall paint.
12. Final Inspections: We schedule and host the municipal building, electrical, and mechanical inspectors to officially close out the permits.

Project Costs and Financial Realities

Patio conversions do not have a fixed, single square-foot price because the final cost depends entirely on what is already there and what materials you choose. If your existing concrete slab and roof structure are code-compliant and usable, your costs will be significantly lower than building a new structure. Your total investment is determined by the specific choices you make for impact glass performance, wall insulation thickness, electrical layouts, and the size of the heating and cooling system. If you choose to build a completely new air-conditioned addition from the ground up, the cost is about $250 per square foot. This is highly cost-effective when compared to new home construction, which averages about $350 per square foot in our region. For outdoor spaces that do not require full air conditioning, an aluminum lanai built on an existing concrete slab costs about $52 per square foot. If you prefer a conventional wood-and-concrete lanai built on an existing concrete slab, the investment is about $65 per square foot. Our team provides an itemized line-item estimate after completing your initial physical site inspection.

Timeline, Permits, and Regional Building Codes

A standard patio to room conversion takes between 3 and 6 months to complete. This timeline is heavily influenced by the municipal permitting process and HOA review cycles, which must occur before any physical construction begins on your property. Because our service area sits entirely within a High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ), all construction must meet strict wind-borne debris standards. We design every conversion to withstand high-velocity wind loads. This requires using specific engineering methods, such as securing roof joists and trusses directly onto the home's concrete tie-beam or using heavy ledger boards with code-approved anchor bolts. Our team manages every single part of this paperwork trail. We draft the structural plans, pull the building, electrical, and plumbing permits, and provide the exact engineering stamps required by your HOA. You do not have to coordinate between separate architects, county clerks, and sub-contractors.

Areas Served

Preventive Maintenance provides complete patio conversion and home addition services throughout the following South Florida regions. You can view our specific local project galleries and community credentials by visiting our dedicated local service pages. We serve Palm Beach County, including the communities of Jupiter, West Palm Beach, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, and Boca Raton. We also provide full structural conversion services across Broward County, covering Pompano Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Pembroke Pines.

A patio lanai provides a covered outdoor living space designed specifically for the unique coastal environment of South Florida. Built with either an insulated aluminum roof structure or conventional wood-and-concrete framing, a lanai protects outdoor sitting and dining areas from intense solar heat, tropical rain, and insects while withstanding High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) wind conditions. Preventive Maintenance provides complete single-source contracting—handling design, structural plans, HOA approvals, permitting, concrete, roofing, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC—to build patio lanais, convert existing covered patios into fully enclosed rooms, or construct ground-up home additions across Palm Beach County and Broward County.

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Who This Service Is For

This service is designed for single-family homeowners in Palm Beach and Broward counties who want to expand or improve their functional living space. A patio lanai is ideal if you want an open-air, shaded outdoor area that keeps off rain and solar heat without fully sealing the space from breezes.

If you already have a covered patio or slab with pavers and want to expand your indoor living area, a patio-to-room conversion provides an insulated, air-conditioned interior room. For homeowners who need entirely new square footage from the ground up—such as a new primary suite, expanded family room, or in-law quarters—a full home addition provides structural space tied directly into your home’s existing layout and utility systems.

What We Build

Preventive Maintenance handles three primary types of structural expansion projects:

1. Patio Lanais

A patio lanai extends your outdoor living area over an existing concrete slab or newly poured foundation. We construct lanais using either:

• Insulated Aluminum Roof Systems: Light-weight panels engineered to deflect extreme heat and resist heavy rains, supported by heavy-gauge aluminum posts and structural beams.

• Conventional Wood-and-Concrete Framing: Structural masonry or wood framing with a flat TPO membrane roof or a sloped concrete tile roof designed to match your existing home’s architecture.

2. Existing Patio-to-Room Conversions

If you have an existing covered patio or lanai structure, we can enclose the perimeter to create a fully conditioned interior sunroom or living area. This involves framing wall openings, installing HVHZ-rated glass windows and sliding doors, adding thermal insulation, extending electrical circuits, and integrating HVAC ductwork or mini-split cooling systems.

3. Home Additions

For expanded living needs, we construct full ground-up home additions. This includes foundation work, stem walls, structural concrete block or wood framing, full utility tie-ins (electrical, plumbing, and HVAC), interior drywall finishing, and matching roof structures (flat TPO or sloped concrete tile).

All projects feature engineered roof tie-ins using a structural ledger connection or direct joist and truss integration on the existing concrete tie-beam.

Comparing Outdoor Expansion Options

Service Type	Primary Purpose	Roof & Structural Features	Climate Control & Utility Scope
Patio Lanai	Shaded, open-air outdoor living protection from rain and sun	Insulated aluminum roof or conventional flat TPO / concrete tile	Open-air design; optional outdoor lighting and ceiling fan electrical hookups
Patio to Room Conversion	Transforming existing covered slab space into fully enclosed interior room	Utilizes existing roof or upgrades to flat TPO / concrete tile; insulated walls	Fully air-conditioned (HVAC extension or mini-split), complete electrical, insulated glass windows
Home Addition	Adding brand-new ground-up indoor square footage to the residence	Integrated trusses/joists tied to tie-beam with flat TPO or sloped concrete tile roof	Complete indoor living space with dedicated HVAC, full electrical wiring, and optional plumbing

Our Process

We manage every step of your project directly to maintain quality control, adhere to local building codes, and ensure accurate timelines.

1. Initial On-Site Inspection: We evaluate your existing foundation slab, pavers, soffits, fascia, electrical panels, and structural tie-beams to determine load-bearing capacity and tie-in points.

2. Design & Architectural Plans: Our team drafts architectural drawings and engineering plans tailored to your property lines, setback requirements, and structural specifications.

3. HOA Submission: If your neighborhood requires approval, we prepare and submit the necessary architectural review documentation, site plans, and material specifications on your behalf.

4. Municipal Permitting: We submit structural, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing plans to your local city or county building department to secure all mandatory building permits.

5. Structural Construction: We pour or modify concrete slabs, erect aluminum or masonry framing, install wall enclosures, and complete roof tie-ins to the existing home structure using certified ledger or tie-beam attachments.

6. Utility Integration & Systems: Our licensed technicians perform all rough-in and finish electrical work, plumbing connections, and HVAC duct or unit installations.

7. Inspections & Final Walkthrough: We manage all required municipal inspections throughout the build process and conduct a final walkthrough to confirm quality and completion.

Cost Considerations

Project costs depend on structural materials, square footage, whether a new concrete foundation is required, and the extent of electrical, plumbing, or HVAC integration.

Project Scope	Estimated Cost Structure
Aluminum Lanai Structure	About $52 per square foot on an existing concrete slab
Conventional Wood & Concrete Lanai	About $65 per square foot on an existing concrete slab
Air-Conditioned Home Addition	About $250 per square foot (compared to about $350 per square foot for new home construction)
Patio to Room Conversion	Varies; no single per-square-foot price because cost depends on whether the roof and slab remain, glass window selection, wall insulation, electrical wiring, and HVAC requirements

Average project sizes typically range from 12' x 20' to 20' x 20', though all builds are completely custom to your property dimensions.

Timeline, Permits, and HVHZ Standards

The average timeline for project completion is 3 to 6 months. This schedule accounts for the initial property inspection, engineering, drafting, HOA review periods, municipal permit issuance, material delivery, and physical construction.

Building in Palm Beach County and Broward County requires strict adherence to High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) building codes. Because our region experiences extreme solar heat, intense humidity, heavy rainfall, and hurricane-force winds (without snow or ice loads), structural integrity is paramount.

Preventive Maintenance holds 5 state contractor licenses and EPA/EPS certifications. We handle all plan submissions, permit applications, and structural engineering to guarantee that every roof tie-in, column, window, and wall enclosure meets or exceeds Florida Building Code standards.

Areas Served

Preventive Maintenance serves homeowners across Palm Beach County and Broward County. Below are some of the communities where we build patio lanais, room conversions, and home additions:

• Palm Beach County: Jupiter, West Palm Beach, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Boca Raton

• Broward County: Pompano Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines