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PGT Home Additions & ADU: The Fort Lauderdale Owner’s Guide
Adding square footage to a PGT-built home in Fort Lauderdale typically runs $45,000 to $130,000, with accessory dwelling units (ADUs) landing between $90,000 and $220,000 depending on size, foundation work, and finishes. Most homeowners call us when they realize a piece of the original PGT structure, whether that’s a load-bearing wall, a roofline for the tie-in, or a window or door system that was part of the original build, has started to fail or no longer matches what the addition requires. In Fort Lauderdale’s salt air and hurricane-season humidity, we see the same pattern over and over: a small leak at a flashing point becomes a sheathing problem, and then the homeowner is pricing a repair alongside the addition they already planned.
Which PGT Models This Applies To
PGT is best known in South Florida for impact-rated windows and doors, and if your original home was built with them, any addition or ADU we build has to tie into those existing openings and rooflines correctly. The compatibility question isn’t about a part number on a sticker; it’s about the structural and waterproofing details where the old PGT envelope meets the new framing. For example, PGT’s WinGuard and Premier Vinyl lines use specific frame depths and anchor spacing, and when we cut a new doorway into an existing PGT exterior wall, we match the new opening to the original load path, not just the trim profile. OEM PGT parts matter most at the window and door level; for structural framing, sheathing, and roofing, we use code-approved materials that exceed Fort Lauderdale’s wind-load requirements, but the interface hardware, flashing, and sealants need to be compatible with the original PGT system or you’ll chase leaks for years. We explain the difference in writing before a single board is cut.
Styles & brands we work with
Signs Your PGT Home Additions & ADU Is Failing
- Water staining at the roofline or window heads where the addition ties into the original structure. This usually means the flashing detail wasn’t lapped correctly during the original build or a previous repair. In Fort Lauderdale, a poorly flashed PGT window or door opening will show staining within two rainy seasons.
- Gaps or separation at the seam between the old exterior wall and the new addition framing. Differential settling is normal in South Florida’s sandy soil, but if the gap is wide enough to see daylight, the tie-in wasn’t engineered or fastened properly.
- Cracks in the stucco or drywall radiating from a corner of a PGT window or door opening. Wind-driven rain during summer storms forces water behind the stucco, and that moisture expansion cracks the finish coat. Left alone, it rots the framing behind it.
- Doors or windows that were perfectly square but now stick, bind, or won’t latch. This is a structural movement signal. PGT frames are rigid; when they bind, the opening around them is moving, and the fix is more than a hinge adjustment.
- Musty smell inside the new space within the first year. That’s trapped moisture behind the drywall, almost always a flashing or weather-barrier failure where the old PGT envelope was opened up and not properly closed.
See the difference
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After
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After
Before
AfterReplacement Cost & What’s Included
For a full home addition in Fort Lauderdale, plan on $45,000 to $130,000. A detached ADU runs higher, $90,000 to $220,000, because you’re adding a foundation, separate utility connections, and entirely new exterior envelope. What drives the number: square footage, whether the addition is a simple bump-out or a full wing, the condition of the existing PGT wall we’re tying into, and the finish level inside. Our written price includes all structural work, tie-in flashing, drywall, trim, paint, and the trim-out. We also line-item the allowance for fixtures and countertops so you see exactly where the money goes. Every job includes our 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing: if something fails inside that year, we return and fix it at no charge.
DIY or Call Us?
A homeowner can inspect seams and flashing with a ladder and a flashlight, and you should: look for cracked sealant at window heads, gaps where the addition roof meets the old wall, and any staining on ceiling drywall near the tie-in. What you shouldn’t do is pull framing, open a load-bearing wall, or remove a PGT window or door yourself. PGT impact units weigh hundreds of pounds, the surrounding framing is carrying roof load, and a dropped header injures people. Trevor Nash grew up in Los Angeles and learned the trade at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, and he’s been swinging a hammer in South Florida long enough to know that the most expensive repairs are the ones that start as a weekend project. If you see any of the signs above, call (754) 551-2922 and we’ll send a background-checked technician to look before you touch anything.
FAQs
A properly built addition should last 50 years or more structurally, while the roof and flashing details tied into original PGT envelope points should be inspected every 5 to 7 years in South Florida’s climate. The weak points are always the seams, not the structure itself. Call (754) 551-2922 for an inspection if your addition is more than a decade old.
Yes, in most cases a failing tie-in between the original PGT structure and the addition can be repaired by opening the affected seam, replacing the flashing and any water-damaged sheathing, and reclosing the wall. Full rebuilds are only necessary when the framing itself has rotted. We’ll tell you which one you’re facing before we write the price.
A straightforward bump-out addition typically takes 6 to 10 weeks, while a full ADU runs 10 to 16 weeks depending on foundation work, utility runs, and the finish package you choose. We give you a written schedule and a real arrival window before work starts, and the number on day one is the number on the invoice.
We stock on our trucks the flashing, sealants, and fasteners rated for South Florida wind loads and compatible with PGT impact window and door systems, and we source the window and door units themselves by exact model and size from our supplier network. We don’t substitute a generic foundation vent where a PGT-rated opening is required. Penhallow Remodeling Fort Lauderdale is an independent contractor and not affiliated with PGT, and that means we tell you plainly what needs an OEM part and what doesn’t.
Written by Trevor Nash, Owner, Penhallow Remodeling Fort Lauderdale at Penhallow Remodeling Fort Lauderdale, serving Fort Lauderdale and nearby areas.
