Find the right starting point
Screens first, or a new roof too?
Screens control what comes in from the sides. A louvered roof controls light and weather overhead. The best first step depends on what your patio is missing today.
Existing covered patio
Check the patio location and Village review path first. If screens are allowed, confirm the beams, housings, tracks, power, and fabric that fit the space.
Existing open patio
If rain or overhead sun is the main problem, start with the roof layout. Reserve space and power for screens if you may add them later.
New outdoor room
Plan the roof, screens, drainage, electrical path, and controls together, with the proposed placement checked before a structure is ordered.
Need overhead coverage? See EDG's Northbrook motorized pergola planning.
How EDG plans the work
Make the screen fit the patio
Start with the opening
A covered porch, existing pergola, and open patio each offer a different mounting path. EDG checks beam strength, opening shape, housing location, side-track space, and power before choosing a system.
Choose what the screen should do
Insect mesh, solar fabric, and privacy-oriented fabric change the view, light, and airflow differently. We look at where the sun enters and where neighboring sightlines matter, then compare samples for the actual patio.
Plan the finished room
If the property and structure are suitable, a screen-only retrofit can preserve a roof you already like. If overhead sun or rain is still the problem, we plan a motorized roof and side screens as one layout so columns, tracks, wiring, and controls work together.
Local planning
Check the property before planning screens
Northbrook's current zoning code restricts screened-in or enclosed pergolas, gazebos, and attached covered patios when they use the specified required-yard encroachment allowances. That does not answer whether a particular retractable screen layout is allowed. EDG reviews the survey, structure, and proposed screen with the Village before final design.
Read the current Northbrook single-family zoning standardsThe Village lists separate residential permit paths for an accessory pergola and a screened porch. EDG confirms which, if either, applies to the proposed work.
Review Northbrook residential permit categoriesWhat to tell EDG first
- Whether the patio already has a roof or pergola
- Whether bugs, afternoon sun, or privacy matter most
- Which sides of the patio you want to screen
- Your address so the correct review authority can be checked
You can start with a short description. EDG can gather measurements during the project conversation.
Northbrook screen questions
Can EDG add screens to my existing covered patio?
It depends on the patio and its location. We check whether the structure can hold the housing and tracks, where power can run, and whether the Village allows the proposed screen layout at that address. If a retrofit is not suitable, we can discuss another layout.
Which fabric should I choose for bugs, sun, and privacy?
Those goals can call for different fabrics. We compare the view through the mesh, daytime glare, privacy from nearby homes, and how closely the screen can close around each opening before recommending a fabric.
Does adding a screen change Northbrook approval requirements?
It may. Northbrook’s current code does not allow pergolas, gazebos, and attached covered patios using its specified required-yard encroachment allowances to be screened-in or enclosed. We ask the Village how that rule applies to the proposed retractable screens and confirm the permit path for the actual address.
Explore the retractable screen systems or see what shapes a screen quote.