FREE PATIO ENCLOSURE
INSTANT QUOTE

Screen room (May–Sept): Cheapest option. Bug-free, breezy. Useless once temps drop below 12°C. Best for cottagers, families who want bug-free dinners outside.

3-season (April–November): Real glass walls, no HVAC. Comfortable in 8 of 12 Ontario months. Best value for most GTA homeowners — extends usable outdoor time by 3–4 months without the cost of a full addition.

4-season sunroom (year-round): Built like a real room — insulated walls, triple-pane glass, mini-split HVAC. Counts as living space for resale. Best for homeowners staying long-term who want a real "second living room."

Convertible: Best of both — vertical 4-track windows that swap between screen, partial glass, and full glass. Higher upfront cost but most flexible.

Permit requirements vary by municipality but the general rule for the GTA:

Screen enclosure on existing roofed porch: Often no permit (just adding screens to existing structure).
3-season with glass walls: Typically permit required.
4-season sunroom or any new roof structure: Permit always required + engineered drawings.
Front porch enclosure: Many older Toronto neighbourhoods (Riverdale, High Park, the Beaches) have heritage rules that restrict front-facing enclosures.

Our contractors handle all permits and drawings as part of the quote.

If your existing slab is in good condition and properly drained, it usually works for screen rooms and 3-season enclosures. Save 30–40% vs starting from scratch.

For 4-season sunrooms in Ontario, the slab needs frost-protected footings (4-foot minimum depth) to prevent heaving. Most older patios don't have this — adding insulated footings or a new slab is often required. Your contractor will assess this on-site.

Wood decks can support screen and lighter 3-season enclosures with reinforcement, but typically aren't suitable for 4-season builds.

A 4-season insulated sunroom with heat is typically reassessed by MPAC and counts as finished living space — which can increase property tax slightly, but also adds significant resale value (typically 60–80% ROI).

Screen rooms and 3-season enclosures generally do not count as living space and rarely trigger a tax reassessment. They still add curb appeal and lifestyle value but are categorized differently.

If you're optimizing for resale, the 4-season build is the bigger value-add — buyers see it as a real bonus room.

Front porch enclosures are popular in older Toronto neighbourhoods (Riverdale, Leslieville, Bloor West, etc.) to add weather-protected storage, dog/baby gear staging, and bug-free seating.

Key Toronto-specific considerations:

• Heritage designation: Many older streets have heritage guidelines restricting front-facing enclosure styles — check before committing.
• Setback rules: Front porches usually can't extend further forward than they already do.
• Aesthetic: Glass railings and slim aluminum framing keep curb appeal high. Avoid heavy vinyl unless the rest of the house matches.
• Permits: Required for anything beyond a screen retrofit on an existing covered porch.

Build timelines vary widely by complexity:

Screen enclosure (existing porch): 1–2 weeks.
3-season glass enclosure: 3–6 weeks (most time in window manufacturing).
4-season sunroom: 6–12 weeks total, including permit approval which can take 4–8 weeks in some GTA municipalities.
Convertible: 4–7 weeks.
Glass railing only: 2–4 weeks.

Best to start planning in winter for spring/summer use. Summer permit queues add 2–3 weeks.

Our Good/Better/Best quote ranges include standard electrical (outlets, lighting) for all but screen-only builds.

3-season: Outlets + ceiling fan typically included. No HVAC.
4-season: Mini-split heat pump (heat + AC in one unit) is the standard solution — typically $4,500–$8,500 installed. Tying into your existing furnace/AC is possible but usually 2–3x more expensive.
Lighting upgrade: Recessed LEDs + dimmer typically adds $800–$2,000.
Sub-panel: If your home's electrical can't support the new load, a sub-panel adds $1,500–$3,500.

Major HVAC and electrical upgrades are confirmed during the free on-site assessment.