Exterior Remodeling

It depends more on scope than most price lists suggest — a straightforward paver patio might run in the lower five figures, while a pool deck resurfacing project or an aluminum pergola with electrical and lighting can move well past that. The real drivers are square footage, material, and how much site prep the job needs before anything gets built.

For most South Florida driveways and patios, we lean toward pavers, mainly because of how they age here — concrete cracks from shifting soil as one slab, while pavers flex at the joints and individual units can be replaced. Poured concrete still makes sense on tighter budgets or very simple, low-traffic areas.

That's generally right. Even pressure-treated pine needs resealing every year or two and typically needs major repair within 10 to 15 years. Composite or PVC decking costs more upfront but resists the rot, mold, and warping that wear down wood here, with warranties often in the 25- to 50-year range.

Often yes, but it depends on the structure, its size, and the specific jurisdiction — Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties (and the cities within them) don't all set the same thresholds. As a general rule, any roofed or covered structure needs a permit and, in Miami-Dade or Broward's HVHZ, engineered wind-load calculations before it's approved. A simple sand-set patio is sometimes exempt depending on size and location, but we check the exact rule for your address rather than assume — and we pull and manage the permit either way.

A paver patio or driveway typically runs one to two weeks once permits are in hand. A deck usually takes two to four weeks. A pergola or covered patio needing wind-load engineering often has more time in permitting than in actual construction.

Pavers need an occasional rinse and resealing every few years. Composite/PVC decking needs soap and water a couple times a year, no staining ever. Wood decking and wood pergolas need restaining every one to two years and termite vigilance. Aluminum pergolas need essentially no upkeep.

Both — it extends the square footage you actually use in a climate where you're outside most of the year, and outdoor living improvements are consistently among the higher-return renovations in Florida specifically. The return depends on building to code; an unpermitted structure can hurt a sale, not help it.

A pergola is open or partially open — defined shade, but bugs and blowing rain can still get in. A screen enclosure adds mesh walls around that footprint to keep out mosquitoes and no-see-ums, at a higher cost and more involved permitting since it becomes a fully enclosed structure.