Mesh upgrade cost: standard vs. no-see-um vs. pet-resistant vs. solar
Standard 18x14 fiberglass is the zero-premium baseline. No-see-um 20x20 adds roughly $10–$20 per panel or $0.50 per square foot; pet-resistant mesh runs 1.5 to 2 times the standard cost; solar/shade screen is the priciest upgrade at $1.80–$3.00 per square foot installed. All figures are published Florida and Orlando-area market estimates.
These are third-party market estimates, not our prices and not a quote. They are collected from published Florida and Orlando-area cost guides — two of the three sources are themselves screen contractors, and none of them is Longwood-specific. Longwood Rescreening's own per-panel and full-cage pricing is and will replace these ranges before launch.
| Mesh | Premium | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Standard 18x14 fiberglass (baseline) | +$0.00/sq ft | Full Screen Fix, Orlando |
| TuffScreen (vinyl-coated polyester, heavy duty) | +$0.30/sq ft | Full Screen Fix, Orlando |
| No-See-Um 20x20 | +$0.50/sq ft, or +$10–$20/panel | Full Screen Fix / A Screen Repair, Orlando |
| Premium mesh generally | +$10–$40/panel | A Screen Repair, Orlando |
| Pet-resistant | 1.5x–2x standard mesh cost | A Screen Repair, Orlando |
What the products actually are, per the manufacturers
| Product | What’s published |
|---|---|
| Standard 18x14 fiberglass (Phifer / ADFORS) | “Will not rust, corrode or stain”; GREENGUARD Gold certified. No warranty term or service life published by either manufacturer for this product. |
| 20x20 No-See-Um fiberglass (Phifer / ADFORS) | Tightly woven to control no-see-ums, gnats and sand flies. No warranty published for the fiberglass version. |
| TuffScreen 17x13 (Phifer, vinyl-coated polyester) | Openness 45.7% (Phifer lab sheet). No separately published warranty. |
| PetScreen (Phifer, vinyl-coated polyester) | Openness ≈36%, UV blockage ≈64%. No warranty term published. |
| SunTex 80 / 90 solar screen (Phifer) | Openness 25% / 10%; UV blockage ≈75% / ≈90%. Covered by Phifer’s 10-year Exterior Sun Control warranty — but that warranty excludes fading and excludes labor or removal/reinstallation costs. |
| Super Screen 17/14 and 20/20 (Super Screen, vinyl-coated polyester) | Manufacturer publishes its own separate 10-year limited warranty on both products. |
Only two mesh warranties in this category are actually documented
Phifer’s only published multi-year warranty covers its Exterior Sun Control line (SunTex) — not its fiberglass insect screen, PetScreen or TuffScreen, the products most pool cages actually use. Super Screen separately publishes its own 10-year limited warranty on its 17/14 and 20/20 products. No manufacturer in this category publishes a service-life figure in years for any product. If a price difference is being sold on a durability claim, ask which of these two documented warranties it’s referring to — or whether it’s referring to neither.
Choosing which mesh actually suits your street — water on the lot line, pets, a protected oak canopy — is a separate question from price. The full decision guide →
Price your actual mesh choice
Tell us the panel count and which mesh you're considering. We'll give you a real number against the ranges above.