Fix 4 of 6
Turn the back patio into an Arizona room
An Arizona room is a covered patio closed in with walls and glass. Done well, it is a room you use all year, not only from November to March.
Many patio covers were built to shade, not to hold up walls, so the first step is checking the posts, beams and footings. Then we frame and insulate the walls, set insulated glass and doors, level and finish the floor, and run power and cooling to the room. A screened porch is a simpler job with no insulation or cooling; we tell you at the walk-through which one you are asking for.
What the job includes
A check of the patio cover, posts and footings
Plans and the City of Phoenix permit
Framed, insulated walls with insulated glass
Doors to the yard and to the house
A level, finished floor
Lighting, outlets, a ceiling fan and cooling
What changes the cost
What moves the cost of an Arizona room
No figures here: the number comes after the walk-through. These four things decide it.
The patio cover
If the posts and beams can carry walls, they stay. If not, they are strengthened or rebuilt, and that is engineering and framing.
How much glass
Large sliding doors and tall windows look good and cost more to buy, set and cool than solid wall.
Cooling the room
Extending the house system, a ductless unit or a ceiling fan alone are three different jobs.
The floor
A patio slab slopes for drainage and may be rough. It is leveled or built up before tile or plank goes on.
How it goes
How an Arizona room goes
Typical weeks, for planning. Your written schedule sets yours.
- 01Weeks 1 to 3
Step 1: Check and plans
We check the cover and footings, draw the room and list the glass and doors.
- 02Set by the city
Step 2: Permit
The City of Phoenix reviews the plans. We apply and answer its questions.
- 03Three to four weeks
Step 3: Walls, glass and roof tie-in
Framing, insulation, windows and doors, tied into the existing roof and inspected.
- 04Two to three weeks
Step 4: Floor, finish and cooling
The floor, the cooling, lights and paint, then the final walk with you.
Questions
Before you pick a fix
Is a screened room the same as an Arizona room?
No. A screened room keeps out insects and shades you, but it isn't insulated or cooled. An Arizona room has walls, glass and cooling, and it needs a permit.
Will the glass make it too hot in the afternoon?
Glass facing west gets the afternoon sun. We plan the glass, the overhang and the shade with that in mind, and tell you if a window is better left out.
Can I keep my patio cover?
Often, yes, if the posts, beams and footings check out. If they don't, we tell you what they need before you decide.
Got a patio you never use?
Text a photo of the patio from the yard. We tell you what we would look at first.