chisue - How big is BIG?? lol We have a small family so I don't see a 25-person gathering situation. The screen porch will be off the great room which will likely have french doors flanked by floor-to-ceiling windows. Our current deck is 12x16 which seems roomy. I haven't spent much time thinking about arranging a screen porch but I am thinking I would not have an eating table on it. It may be just a space for relaxing. I can picture my husband and me sitting on lounge chairs enjoying the pond view on nice afternoons. lsst - Yes, the idea of a 'conditioned' sun room has fallen by the wayside. Our breakfast area/sitting area off the kitchen will have floor-to-ceiling windows so I'll consider that my "sun room". Between the building costs of a true sun room and the on-going costs to heat and cool, that idea is officially abandoned. Thanks for your reply which re-enforces my thoughts.

what is EMT? thank you both for your help. I also emailed the maker of sillites (which can be purchased with floor receptacles) and they sent me this link of a discussion regarding outlets in screened porches, which was helpful> I then called my electrical inspection office which verified that a screened porch that was enclosed would have to have gfci protected outlets but was not necessarily a wet location. They suggested getting a "planning" electrical inspection once the framing was in to show the inspector where the planned outlets were and to get his blessing beforehand. They cautioned to be sure to permit it as a PORCH and NOT as a 3 season room since a 3 season room was regarded as living space and would have to follow the full code for living space. Here is a link that might be useful: discussion of outlets in a screened porch

All good advice regarding flush vs step down. Having said that and having had both, I'm ok with the step down as long as it's only one or two steps. This depends on the site conditions but there may be advantages to having your house entry raised if the area has any moisture or flood potential. Without budgetary constraints, I prefer wood although you will have to re-varish, re-oil or re-paint as part of on-going maintenance. I prefer recessed on dimmers, combined with ceiling fans and lamps for ambient lighting. The recessed sets a more peaceful mood IMO similar to soffit lighting indoors. If your doors don't come with screens then you can retrofit disappearing screens. I'd actually prefer those as I don't like to look through screens all the time. Depending on what part of the country you're in, bugs can be a problem even with screened/glass panels as most porches are not super sealed so the additional disappearing screening to the house seems to make sense or simply select another slider or French door option. Azek is a good composite product but I'd prefer brick, stone or textured porcelain flooring. I'm all for recycling plastics but would not want to walk barefoot on plastic for health reasons. Aluminum rails tends to look modern so if your style is not then perhaps you'd be happier with marine varnished wood. Although your contractor would much prefer to work while his/her business is slow, be careful about the concrete temp concerns mentioned above. Follow your instincts as even the best contractors require monitoring and need you around for answers as these projects always involve an unexpected concern or two. Whether you go with a peaked or flat roof, I'd be tempted to add skylights to see the stars at night and to bring to natural light at all times. I'd be reluctant to use a flat roof in most parts of the country as pitched roofs have many advantages. I think the ceiling is just a matter of your aesthetics however. We installed a glass roofed sun-room on one of our favorite homes and I can't tell you how much we enjoyed looking at the sky day or night. If I were designing another porch addition, I probably repeat that project which had 3 distinct sections: a step-down glass slider room with screens for the area off the kitchen, the glass temperature controlled sunroom extending and flush with the family room and an open area off the library so each section had a different feel and use. Enjoy your project.

I looked at all the vinyl window options and came across energy wise manufacturing out of Schullber, WI. I could not be happier w this product! I have been wanting a screened in porch for many years, but could not justify the cost if it was not used "most" of the year. I live in Richmond, VA where we have mild winters and it is not uncommon to have sunny 60 degree days in Dec/Jan/Feb. These windows create a "greenhouse effect" and allows me to enjoy my screened in porch most of the year. Alot of people thought this idea was crazy - but I am glad I stuck with it and found a company that makes them and was willing to ship them to me. Besides for retaining heat in the winter, I really enjoy the fact that the room stays clean from dust and pollen most of the time. Some people balked at the idea of taking them in and out, and also storing them. But for me it’s worth the trade off. The shipping cost is high ($300.00) especially in my case bc my window openings were SO LARGE (60 X 66). An added bonus is that the shipping container acts as a heavy duty storage container for the windows when not in use. I store the container under my deck. Eugene is a great guy and extremely responsive to his customers! This a unique product and for people who don’t mind the effort, it is the perfect solution to get more use out of a screened in porch. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND!