Florida room vs screened lanai: what is the difference?

The short answer

Choose a screened lanai if you want fresh air, shade and protection from bugs, and you are fine with a space that is open to the weather. Choose a Florida room if you want a room that is closed in with walls and windows, so it stays out of the rain and can be treated like part of the house.

The words overlap. Some people say Florida room for any enclosed back room, and sunroom or glass room for a version with a lot of glass. When you get a quote, ask exactly what is included: walls, glass, roof, floor, and electrical.

How they differ day to day

• Screened lanai: screens keep out insects, but they do not stop wind-driven rain or humidity. Outdoor furniture works best here, since the space is exposed to the weather.
• Florida room: closed in with solid walls and windows, so the weather stays outside. It can hold regular furniture and electronics, and it is built as a room.

A screened lanai is simpler and lighter. A Florida room is closer to a small addition, with more structure and more work behind the walls. That is why the two are priced and permitted differently.

Setbacks and permits in Manatee County

Manatee County's Building Division page says pools and screen enclosures must sit at least 5 feet from side and rear property lines, and cannot extend into easements or drainage swales. That rule applies to the county's unincorporated area, so check yours.

A Florida room is a room addition. The county says its Residential permit type needs building plans and a site plan or survey. We did not find setback distances for additions from an official county page, so they depend on your zoning district and on the plan reviewer. Our guides on room addition permits and Manatee County building permits explain the steps.

Who handles the permit

Where you live decides which office handles it:

• Unincorporated Manatee County: Development Services, Building and Permitting, 941-748-4501 ext. 3800 or permitting@mymanatee.org.
• City of Palmetto: Building Department, 941-721-2166.
• City of Bradenton: Building Division, 941-932-9414.

Call before you design. A short call can save you a plan that does not fit your lot.

Flood zones

If your home is in a flood zone, the rules are tighter. The county says any alteration to a building in the floodplain needs a permit. The county's substantial improvement rule also compares the cost of work done over one year with the market value of the home before the work. See our guide to the 50 percent rule. The county has an address lookup on its flood page. Check your flood zone before you pick a design.

Cost and HOA

We are not printing prices. The numbers we found for lanais, screen rooms and Florida rooms came from sources of low quality and disagreed with each other. A Florida room usually costs more than a screened lanai of the same size because it has walls, windows and often cooling and electrical work, but your actual price comes from a written estimate after an on-site visit.

If your neighborhood has an HOA, the homeowner files the application. We provide the specs and drawings it needs. See our guide on HOA approval for remodeling.

Questions to ask before you design

• Is my home in a flood zone, and what does that change?
• How far is the planned space from each property line, and from any easement?
• Does my HOA limit the size, roof style or look?
• What is under the space now: an existing slab, a deck or bare ground?
• What will the roof tie into, and who engineers it?
• What is included in the quote: floor, walls, windows or screens, roof, electrical?

How to decide

Ask yourself how you would use the space. If you mostly want to sit outside in the evening and keep the bugs off, a screened lanai fits. If you want a room you can use in all weather, with real furniture, a Florida room fits better. If you are not sure, a covered lanai now can sometimes be planned so it can be closed in later, but ask a contractor whether that works on your lot before you count on it.

How Hildebrand handles both

Hildebrand Construction & Remodeling is a family-owned Florida licensed general contractor in Palmetto (Certified Building Contractor, license CBC1257253). We build screen enclosures and covered lanais under outdoor living areas, and we build enclosed rooms as home additions.

We offer a free in-home consultation and a written estimate, pull every required permit and meet Florida Building Code inspections. The price does not change without your written approval. See our Palmetto service area.

Questions homeowners ask