Building a Home in Twin Falls? Here's When to Plan for Retractable Screens

New construction is picking up fast across the Magic Valley right now. Twin Falls saw new home sales jump 54% year over year in early 2026, and new residential listings climbed from 130 to 161 in a single year, with newly built homes averaging well over $480,000. A lot of people reading this are somewhere in the middle of a build right now, or about to start one, which makes this a good time to answer a question that comes up often but doesn't get a clear answer: when should retractable screens actually enter the plan?

The honest answer isn't "whenever you get around to it," and it isn't "right at the start" either. There are two specific points in a build that matter, and they're not the same moment.

Point One: Framing, Not Finishing

The first touchpoint isn't about ordering screens. It's about making sure the home is built in a way that doesn't make screens harder to install later. This matters most for anything beyond a standard single door, wide sliding glass walls, bi-fold systems, and large covered patio openings, which are increasingly common on the newer farmhouse and craftsman-style builds going up around Twin Falls.

For those larger openings, the framing needs to account for correct dimensions and provide adequate structural support at the mounting points where the screen track will attach. That's a conversation that fits naturally into the framing phase of a build, while walls and openings are still being roughed in. Once drywall, trim, and finish work are done, making structural adjustments for a screen track is a much bigger disruption than it needed to be.

This doesn't mean you need to have picked a mesh color or finalized a quote by the time framing happens. It just means it's worth mentioning to your builder early that you're planning to add retractable screens, so the openings you care about are built with that in mind.

Point Two: After the Finished Floor Goes In

The second touchpoint comes much later, closer to the end of the build. This is when the actual, final measurements for the screens get taken, and it has to happen after the finished floor is installed, not before.

The reason is straightforward: floor pitch and slope affect how the bottom of a retractable screen seals against the threshold. A screen measured against subfloor or an unfinished surface won't account for that slope correctly, which can leave a gap or an uneven seal once the real flooring is down. Waiting until the finished floor is in place is what allows for an accurate, tight fit.

From there, the screens are custom fabricated to those exact measurements and installed, which is typically a fast, straightforward process once the order is placed. This is also consistent with how Phantom's own installation process works: a consultation and measurement visit, followed by custom fabrication, then professional installation and a final walkthrough.

Why This Two-Step Timing Actually Matters

Treating screens as a single decision made at one point in the build is what leads to problems, either structural limitations that show up too late to fix cleanly, or an install that gets pushed off indefinitely because there was never a clear moment for it. Splitting it into two touchpoints, early structural awareness during framing, and final measurement and installation near project completion, solves both problems without requiring homeowners to make every decision on day one.

For anyone currently building in Twin Falls, Kimberly, Jerome, Buhl, Filer, or Hansen, the practical takeaway is simple: mention it to your builder now, even if you're not ready to finalize anything, and plan for the real screen installation once your flooring is in and the finish work is wrapping up.

What This Looks Like for Local New Construction

Given how many newer builds in the Magic Valley are going up with wider covered patios, bi-fold or large sliding glass systems, and gable-end pergola structures, the framing conversation is worth having even for homeowners who assume they'll just add screens after they move in. Getting the structural support right the first time means the eventual installation is a clean, one-visit process rather than a retrofit that has to work around finished walls and trim.

Phantom Retractable Screens serves homeowners throughout Twin Falls and the surrounding Magic Valley, including Kimberly, Jerome, Buhl, Filer, and Hansen. We work directly with builders and homeowners during new construction to plan openings correctly from the framing stage through final installation. Motorized and manual systems, along with sun and wind sensor options, are available for patios, porches, garages, and large openings. Every installation is backed by a limited lifetime component warranty and a labor warranty. Screen mesh is not included under the component warranty, but it can always be repaired or replaced if needed.

Request a free quote and a local specialist will talk through your build timeline and help plan the right approach for your home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to choose my screens before framing starts? No. You don't need to finalize colors, mesh types, or a quote at that point. What matters is letting your builder know early that retractable screens are planned, especially for large openings like bi-fold doors or wide sliding glass, so the framing provides the structural support those installations need.

Why can't final measurements happen earlier in the build? Floor pitch and slope affect how the bottom of the screen seals at the threshold, and that can't be measured accurately until the finished floor is actually installed. Measuring too early risks a gap or an uneven seal once the real flooring goes down.

How long does installation take once measurements are final? Once final measurements are taken and the screens are custom fabricated, installation is typically completed in a single visit for most residential projects. Larger or multi-opening projects may take a bit longer.

Can screens still be added after a home is already built and finished? Yes, retrofitting an existing home is common and entirely possible. It's just a different process than building the structural support in from the start, and for larger openings it may involve more work to get the mounting points right after the fact.

What if I'm not sure yet which openings I want screened? That's fine. The framing-stage conversation with your builder doesn't require a final list. It's simply about flagging the possibility early so nothing forecloses the option, with the specifics worked out later during the measurement and consultation phase.