Patio Florida Room & Suite Upgrade

I’d like to turn the open patio that sits between my townhouse dining room and the existing mother-in-law suite into a fully enclosed Florida room that serves as extra living space year-round. The plan is for this new room to connect both structures seamlessly, share HVAC, and bring in abundant natural light with insulated glass while meeting local hurricane and energy codes.

At the same time, I want to swap the current entry into the suite for a set of sleek, modern black iron doors—weather-stripped, impact-rated, and ready for smart-lock hardware.

Inside the suite, the ceiling makeover is key: the sheet rock will come down so the original wood beams can be exposed, cleaned, sealed, and wired discreetly for lighting to create a warm, rustic character.

Key deliverables
• Concept sketches and 3-D renderings of the enclosure and door integration
• Permit-ready architectural and structural drawings (Florida standards)
• Door shop drawings/spec sheets for the modern iron doors
• Ceiling plan detailing beam exposure and lighting layout
• Phased build schedule and itemized materials list

If you have experience guiding Florida room conversions through design, permitting, and construction, please share similar projects, your proposed timeline, and how you’d tackle this transformation.