Patio & Outdoor Living — $0 down financing
Covered patios, screen enclosures, and outdoor living spaces — with $0 down and no payments for 12–18 months.
- Licensed
- Insured
- Financing options
- $0 down
$0 down financingOutdoor living is year-round in Florida; screen enclosures and covered patios make that practical against sun, rain, and mosquitoes, and add usable square footage.
In Florida, the backyard isn't a seasonal amenity — it's livable square footage you can use eleven or twelve months a year. A covered patio, a screen enclosure, or a fully built-out outdoor kitchen turns a slab of concrete into the room where you actually spend your evenings: shaded from the afternoon sun, dry under a sudden rain shower, and protected from the mosquitoes that make an open yard unusable after dusk. APEX Project connects Miami-Dade and South Florida property owners with vetted, licensed contractors who design and build these outdoor living spaces — and arranges the financing so you can start now instead of waiting until you've saved the full amount.
A quick word on who we are, because it matters: APEX is not a contractor, and we are not a lender or a PACE administrator. We are an independent matching service. When you tell us what you want to build, we match you with a licensed Florida contractor who handles the design, the permit, and the construction, and we line up financing that fits the project. For patios and outdoor living — which are lifestyle improvements rather than energy or storm-hardening upgrades — that financing runs through our consumer program: $0 down, no payments for the first 12 to 18 months, then low monthly payments. It is real financing, not a grant and not free money, and we'll always be straight with you about how it works.
The result is a single, accountable path from "I wish we had a covered patio" to a finished, permitted space — one vetted contractor, one financing conversation, and an APEX team that stays in the loop rather than handing you a phone number and disappearing. Whether you're adding a simple pergola for shade or building a screened lanai with an outdoor kitchen, the process is the same: tell us the scope, get matched, and decide whether the financing makes sense for you.
Why it matters in Florida
South Florida's climate is the entire argument for outdoor living — and also the reason it has to be built correctly. The sun is intense enough that an uncovered patio is unusable from late morning through mid-afternoon for much of the year, and the daily summer rain pattern means an open space is wet half the time you'd want to use it. A covered structure solves both, and a screen enclosure (a lanai) adds the third piece: it keeps out the mosquitoes and no-see-ums that thrive in the heat and humidity, plus the leaves, pollen, and debris that otherwise blow across your slab. In practical terms, a covered or screened patio is the difference between a backyard you look at and one you live in. Building it right in Miami-Dade also means respecting the rules that govern everything attached to a structure here. This is High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) territory, and any roofed patio cover, pergola tied into the house, or screen enclosure has to be engineered and permitted to the local wind-load code — that's not optional, and a reputable contractor will pull the permit rather than skip it. APEX matches you with licensed contractors who build to those standards, so your new space adds genuine, code-compliant square footage to the property instead of becoming an unpermitted liability that surfaces at resale or after a storm.
Why homeowners choose this
Year-round usable square footage
A covered patio or screened lanai effectively extends your living space outdoors for most of the year — shade against the Florida sun, cover from afternoon rain, and a barrier against mosquitoes — turning a slab you avoided into a room you use daily.
$0 down to start now
Through the APEX consumer financing program you can begin the build without writing a large check upfront. $0 down means the project gets going on your timeline rather than waiting until you've saved the full cost.
No payments for 12–18 months
The intro period lets you enjoy the finished space before payments begin, then transitions to low monthly payments. It's structured financing — not a grant — so you know exactly what you're agreeing to.
Permit-aware, code-compliant builds
Matched contractors build covered structures and enclosures to Miami-Dade / HVHZ wind-load code and pull the proper permit, so your addition is legitimate square footage rather than an unpermitted problem at resale.
One vetted contractor, one point of accountability
Instead of vetting strangers yourself, you get matched with a licensed, screened contractor who handles design, permit, and construction — and APEX stays in the loop rather than disappearing after the introduction.
Real value added to the property
A well-built, permitted outdoor living space — especially a screened lanai or outdoor kitchen — is a desirable feature in the South Florida market and expands the functional footprint of the home.
From match to done
- 1
Tell us what you want to build
Share the basics — covered patio, pergola, screen enclosure, outdoor kitchen, or a resurfacing/expansion — along with rough dimensions and your address. The more specific you are, the better the match.
- 2
Get matched with a licensed contractor
APEX connects you with a vetted, licensed Florida contractor suited to your project type. You're not cold-calling strangers; you're matched with someone screened for the work.
- 3
On-site assessment and design
The contractor visits, measures, talks through materials and layout, and prepares a written scope. For any roofed or attached structure, this includes engineering and permitting to Miami-Dade / HVHZ wind-load code.
- 4
Review financing and approve the scope
If you want financing, APEX walks you through the $0-down consumer program — no payments for 12–18 months, then low monthly payments. You see the terms in writing and decide. There's no obligation to finance.
- 5
Permit, build, and final walkthrough
The contractor pulls the permit, builds the space, and passes the required inspections. You do a final walkthrough to confirm the work matches the scope before the project is closed out.
What's included
- Covered patio and pergola construction (freestanding or attached to the home)
- Screen enclosures / lanais — full pool-cage style or smaller screened patio rooms
- Outdoor kitchens and built-out outdoor living areas
- Patio resurfacing, repair, and expansion of existing slabs
- Engineering and permitting to Miami-Dade / HVHZ wind-load code for roofed and attached structures
- Material and finish options — aluminum framing, screen mesh grades, roofing or insulated panel covers, pavers vs. poured concrete
- Coordination of inspections and final walkthrough with the matched contractor
- Optional $0-down consumer financing with the 12–18 month no-payment intro period
$0-down financing for your Patio & Outdoor Living
Patios and outdoor living spaces are financed through the APEX consumer program, not PACE. Here's the honest distinction: Florida's PACE program (under statute s.163.08) is limited to energy efficiency, renewable energy, and wind/hurricane-resistance improvements that are repaid through your property-tax bill. A patio, pergola, screen enclosure, or outdoor kitchen is a lifestyle improvement — it doesn't fall within PACE's energy or storm-hardening scope, so it can't be put on your tax bill that way. Anyone telling you that you can "PACE-finance" a standard patio is misrepresenting the program. Instead, these projects use our consumer financing program: $0 down to start, no payments for the first 12 to 18 months, then low fixed monthly payments after the intro period. It is genuine financing — a loan you repay, not a grant, rebate, or free government money — and eligibility depends on standard credit qualification, which APEX helps you navigate. One narrow caveat worth knowing: a heavy structural patio cover built to wind-load code sits in a gray area in some programs, and certain embedded efficient components could theoretically be evaluated differently. We don't promise PACE for those; if it ever applies to a specific component, we'd verify it with the program first and tell you plainly rather than assume.
$0
down payment
12–18 mo
no payments
Low
fixed monthly
Cost varies widely by scope and is impossible to quote sight-unseen — the figures here are illustrative ranges, not a quote. A simple pergola or shade structure typically lands at the low end; a screen enclosure (lanai) scales with square footage, mesh grade, and framing; a covered patio with a solid insulated roof costs more than an open cover; and a full outdoor kitchen with utilities, counters, and appliances is the most variable of all. The biggest drivers are size, whether the structure is roofed and attached (triggering engineering and HVHZ permitting), material and finish choices, and site conditions like an existing slab versus a new pour. Your matched contractor provides a real written estimate after the on-site assessment.
APEX is not a lender, contractor, or PACE administrator; financing is provided by third parties and subject to eligibility.
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Patio & Outdoor Living — questions
Is a patio covered by PACE?+
No. PACE in Florida is limited by statute to energy, renewable, and hurricane-resistance improvements repaid through your property taxes. A patio or enclosure is a lifestyle improvement, so it's financed through our $0-down consumer program instead — not the tax bill.
How does the no-payment period work?+
You start with $0 down and make no payments for the first 12 to 18 months. After that intro period, you move to low fixed monthly payments. It lets you use the finished space now and spread the cost over time. It's a financing program, not a grant.
Is APEX the contractor who builds my patio?+
No. APEX is an independent matching service. We connect you with a vetted, licensed Florida contractor who designs and builds the space, and we arrange the financing. The contractor — not APEX — does the construction and pulls the permit.
Do I need a permit for a covered patio or screen enclosure in Miami-Dade?+
Yes, for any roofed structure or anything attached to the house. Miami-Dade is a High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so covered patios, attached pergolas, and screen enclosures must be engineered and permitted to local wind-load code. A licensed contractor handles this; skipping it creates problems at resale and after storms.
What's the difference between a covered patio and a screen enclosure?+
A covered patio is a roof structure that gives you shade and rain protection but stays open on the sides. A screen enclosure (a lanai) adds screened walls that keep out mosquitoes, debris, and pollen while letting air through. Many homeowners combine both — a roofed, screened room.
Does financing the patio mean it's free or a government program?+
No. The $0-down consumer program is real financing that you repay through monthly payments after the intro period. It is not a grant, rebate, or free money. The benefit is timing and cash flow — you don't pay a lump sum upfront and you defer payments for 12–18 months.
Can you resurface or expand my existing patio instead of building new?+
Yes. Resurfacing, repair, and expansion of an existing slab are common projects. A matched contractor assesses the current slab's condition and recommends whether to resurface, expand, or replace, and the same financing options apply.
What kinds of materials and finishes are available?+
Options include aluminum framing, different screen mesh grades, open covers versus solid insulated-panel roofs, and pavers versus poured concrete for the surface. Your matched contractor walks through the trade-offs in cost, durability, and appearance during the on-site assessment.
Do I have to use the financing to get matched with a contractor?+
No. Financing is optional. You can be matched with a vetted contractor and pay however you choose. The $0-down program is there if it helps your cash flow, but there's no obligation to use it.
On your side — not the contractor's.
We're independent
Not a builder. We match you to the right contractor for your job — our incentive is your result.
Vetted network only
We work with licensed, insured, vetted Florida contractors.
Free for you
Our matching service costs property owners nothing.
Local to Miami
Miami-Dade specialists who know the permits and programs.
Ready to upgrade with $0 down?
Tell us about your project and we'll match you with the right contractor and financing.