My mate and I used Framers from Haile (FFH) to build a screened porch on the back of our home. We…read morebought the house from the original owner, who built the house himself. He had the skills of a true craftsman, ambitious ideas, and he created a unique home that has the robustness of a fort.
We wanted a porch that fit the uniqueness, integrity, and quality of the structure, and we wanted to use lumber that the original owner left behind. Much of it was rough-sawn pine, true 2x6's and 2x8's. We didn't have quite enough pieces for Jeff, the owner of FFH, to use for beams, so he had some milled. He was also happy to use the dimensional lumber we had, so we were able to save money by using much of our own supplies.
This project was, for FFH, primarily a carpentry job that included screening, a metal roof, and roof insulation. There was already a concrete pad and footer in place, so no concrete work was needed. Additionally, I wanted to stain all the wood myself, so I got started about a week before the crew arrived. I was continually working with them throughout the project to make sure they had the lumber they needed stained in advance. This was such a time/aggravation saver for me; staining individual boards made it a much less daunting task than having to stain the structure after completion. And the crew was great to work with - if they minded me being around doing the staining, they were entirely too polite to show it. I really appreciated this.
We were going to use a finished plywood for the ceiling of the porch, but Jeff suggested that we might want to use tongue and groove to match the quality of the home's craftsmanship and the ceilings in our living room (which leads onto the new porch). He also suggested covering the screen attachment channels with wood for a more finished look. Jeff had a lot of great ideas that went with our aesthetic, and I really appreciated that he and I were able to share ideas, work together easily, and enjoy the project planning. He was a joy to work with, and he seemed genuinely excited about the project.
His crew - Scottie, Steven, and Liam - were a dream team. They worked well together, were extremely skilled, and had great work ethic. They clearly took pride in the project, as did Jeff, and they were a pleasure to have around for the seven or so days it took to complete the project.
I did a lot of research into what a screen porch in FL should cost, and I believe FFH was very reasonable in what they charged, especially considering the quality of work. We knew, in theory, what we were getting, and I had some idea of how it would look, but in the end we were blown away by how Jeff and FFH far exceeded our hopes and expectations. The quality of the work is outstanding, the porch structure is as robust as the house, and it is seamlessly integrated with the house. And it is beautiful. We are thrilled!
I unconditionally recommend Jeff Schutt and Framers from Haile. They have everything you want - quality workmanship, great work ethic, reliability, honesty, good communication, and they're all truly nice people. I'll absolutely have them back for another project I've already started planning.
