Screen Enclosures in Hammock Bay | ABS

Welcome to the Neighborhood

Hammock Bay is one of the largest master-planned communities in Walton County — 3,000 acres split into more than a dozen distinctly themed neighborhoods, from intimate pocket communities to larger sections with hundreds of homes, several built by DSLD Homes. The bayfront Bay Club and its 500-foot dock overlook Choctawhatchee Bay, while the Windmills Town Center anchors daily life with a general store, a microbrewery, food trucks, and a farmers market. It's a community still very much growing, with new phases and new neighbors arriving regularly.

Why Being Close to the Bay Makes Screening Worth It

Hammock Bay's setting near the bay and surrounded by preserved woodlands is exactly what makes it beautiful — and exactly why bugs are more of a factor here than in a neighborhood further from the water. Mosquitoes and no-see-ums tend to be more persistent near bay and marsh areas, especially at dusk, and that's on top of the intense summer sun and fast-moving afternoon storms every Panhandle homeowner already knows. A screen enclosure solves all of it at once, turning your outdoor space into something you'll actually use instead of one you avoid after 6pm.

Working Within Your Community's Standards

Hammock Bay isn't governed by one blanket set of rules — each of its neighborhoods, from Crescent Mill to Symphony to Splendor, has its own specific Architectural Review Board (ARB) requirements for structures like screen enclosures and pool cages. What's approved in one part of Hammock Bay isn't automatically approved in another. We start every Hammock Bay project by pulling the correct ARB guidelines for your specific neighborhood, so your design gets submitted right the first time instead of bouncing back for changes.

Built by a Team That Knows Florida Outdoor Living

Aluminum Building Systems has been designing and installing screen enclosures, pool cages, and screen rooms across the Florida Panhandle for years. Every project starts with in-house 3D CAD, so you see the finished space before we ever cut aluminum. Our heavy-framed halo design allows uninterrupted spans up to 40 feet, and motorized screen options let you open the space up or close it down at the touch of a button. Every pool enclosure we build meets Florida's pool safety code requirements.

Why Buying Direct Can Save You Money

If you're building new in Hammock Bay, your builder may offer to include a screen enclosure in the package. Before you say yes, it's worth asking who actually does the work — builders typically subcontract it to a company like Aluminum Building Systems and add a management fee on top. Homeowners who come to us directly instead typically save in the range of 25% on the same project, since there's no added markup layer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hammock Bay an HOA community?

Yes. Hammock Bay has an on-site HOA team, and each neighborhood within the community — Symphony, Crescent Mill, Splendor, and the rest — has its own Architectural Review Board requirements for exterior changes like screen enclosures and pool cages.

Does every neighborhood in Hammock Bay follow the same rules for screen enclosures?

No — each neighborhood has its own ARB guidelines, so what's approved in one section may differ from another. We confirm the specific requirements for your neighborhood before we design anything, so there are no surprises at submission.

How far is Hammock Bay from the beach?

Roughly 20 to 30 minutes from Destin and the beaches of 30A, depending on which stretch you're headed to — close enough for regular trips without beachfront prices.

Should I add my screen enclosure through my builder, or go directly to a contractor?

Many builders will offer to include a screen enclosure in your new-construction package — but they usually subcontract the actual work to a company like ours and add a fee for managing it. Going directly to Aluminum Building Systems typically saves homeowners around 25% on the same build.

Can a screen enclosure be added after closing on a new-construction home?

Yes. We regularly install enclosures on homes that closed without one, working around the existing patio or pool deck.

Does a screen enclosure meet Florida Building Code and wind requirements?

Yes. Every ABS enclosure is engineered to current Florida Building Code, including wind load requirements for our region.

What's the difference between a screen enclosure and a pool cage?

They're often the same structure — "pool cage" typically refers to an enclosure built specifically over a pool and deck, while "screen enclosure" or "lanai" can cover any screened outdoor living space, with or without a pool.