Repairing and Rebuilding a Poorly Installed Screen Lanai in Port LaBelle, FL

A New Screen Lanai That Already Needed to Be Rebuilt

This was not an old enclosure that had simply reached the end of its life. According to the homeowner, the screen lanai had recently been built and paid for. When Danny and the Solid Makers crew arrived, however, they found enough problems that repairing a few individual areas would not produce the clean finished result the homeowner needed.

During the initial inspection, Danny pointed out loose framing, bent material, unfinished screen edges, incorrect spline for parts of the installation, a door installed in the wrong orientation, multiple short pieces where a cleaner continuous aluminum member could have been used, and framing that was visibly out of level.

Why a Simple Repair Wasn't Enough

The crew considered what could realistically be saved. The existing door could be reused, but much of the aluminum had already been drilled, cut, pieced together, or installed in a way that would leave visible holes and other signs of the previous installation.

Danny explains in the project video that some of the material could technically have been made to work. The problem was the finished appearance. Reusing compromised pieces would have carried the old problems into the new work, so the decision was made to remove the material and rebuild the enclosure more cleanly.

Tearing Down the Previous Screen Enclosure

Renato and Little Guy began dismantling the enclosure while Danny measured and prepared the replacement material. As the old aluminum came down, the amount of discarded material made the cost of a bad installation visible: material had already been purchased and installed once, yet much of it now had to be removed before the homeowner could get the finished lanai she expected.

The demolition also exposed why choosing a contractor based only on the lowest initial price can become expensive. If another crew has to remove the first installation and rebuild the project, the homeowner can end up paying twice for the same space.

Rebuilding the Lanai With New Aluminum

Once the previous installation was removed, the project changed from demolition to reconstruction. Danny began measuring and cutting new aluminum while Renato and Little Guy installed the replacement framing.

Instead of trying to hide the problems left behind, the crew treated the repair like a fresh build wherever necessary. New pieces could be measured for the actual openings, installed in cleaner runs, and fastened without inheriting unnecessary holes and cuts from the previous work.

More Than Fixing Aluminum and Screen

There was another side to this project beyond the physical repair. The homeowner had already trusted someone with the job once. Having to hire another contractor to remove recently completed work can make any homeowner more cautious the second time around.

That is one reason Solid Makers documents so many real projects. Homeowners can look beyond promises and see completed work, project videos, crew members working in the field, and the track record behind the company before deciding who they want working on their home.

The Finished Screen Lanai Repair

By the end of the job, the difference was easy to see. The previous work had been removed, replacement aluminum was installed, the screen was finished, and the enclosure was secured with the appropriate fasteners and finishing details.

What started as a repair call became a near-complete screen lanai rebuild. The homeowner finally had the finished enclosure she had expected from the original project, and the crew was able to leave the Port LaBelle home with a much cleaner final result.

Screen Lanai and Screen Enclosure Repair in Port LaBelle

Not every damaged screen lanai needs to be completely rebuilt. Loose screen, damaged panels, doors, framing problems, fasteners, and other enclosure issues can often be evaluated individually. When the problems are widespread, however, rebuilding part or most of the enclosure may make more sense than repeatedly patching poor work.

Solid Makers Aluminum Structures works on screen lanais, screen rooms, screen enclosures, pool cages, and screen repairs throughout LaBelle, Port LaBelle, and surrounding Southwest Florida communities.

Learn more about our screen lanai work in the LaBelle area.

Real Projects. Real Crew. Real Work.

Solid Makers is a State Certified Aluminum Specialty Contractor with decades of hands-on trade experience behind the work. Danny remains involved in the projects, and the company's growing library of real project videos gives homeowners a chance to see the crew and the workmanship before making a hiring decision.