Strategy

• According to the Preview Construction Inc., an enclosed patio can run between $5,000 and $15,000, as of 2010. You can make a high-quality, screened-in porch from aluminum frames and wire mesh screens, complete with an insulated aluminum roof, according to the Screenhouses Unlimited. Walls can be 8 to 15 feet high, and screens can be 36 inches to 44 inches wide. Prices for this type of setup range between $2,200 and $7,200, plus the cost of labor, which can range from $20 per hour, depending on your location.
  
  A cheaper way to go might be a sunroom with steel framing, 75-inch wire screens and a vinyl top, which you can build for less than $2,000 plus labor. You can easily spend $15,000 on a patio enclosure. The biggest differences between low-end and high-end enclosures lies in the construction and weather proofing.
  
  For a high-quality enclosure, consider flame-retardant materials, UV protection, extra support beams (more support and less screen), roof rafters that can extend 14 feet from the house wall, roof ventilation systems, thicker crack-resistant vinyl (22 ounces thick for high-end enclosures, compared with 11 ounces for low-end), sliding windows and guttering systems.