I drove down El Camino Real looking for this birdcage, but couldn't find it. I thought it would be easy to spot ???

Yea, that's what I want my neighbors birdcages to look like...a tent with no walls. Am I the only one that thinks this is a bit cheesy?:throwtomatoes:

I will reserve my judgement until I have actually seen one.

Let me take a guess. It will look like a birdcage with a canvas on the top. It's true we are the mercy of our neighbors

A birdcage with a canvas top sounds pretty inoffensive. I assume the canvas would be a neutral colour and not fuchia. I guess we'd all like to see one. Can anyone post a picture here (for those of us not currently in residence)?

What happens to the canvas during a hurricane? The awnings on your house unsnap and you can put them away so they don't act like a sail, but canvas coverings on the lanai, I don't know.

I was told by my contractor that the state of florida code wouldn't allow a canvas roof on a bird cage!

Another alternative to the roof cover is to have a sunbrella awning installed inside the bird cage. Mine is motorized (12' by 16')and allows me to keep it closed during the Winter months and open it in the summer for shade. It is free standing so there are no verical posts. With the push of a button, one can open and close the awning at any time. Should anyone want to see the setup, please leave me a private message. I am located in the Village of Bonnybrook..

Good question. Also what about durability? Will they fade? What is the life expectancy of the canvas cover?

Isn't anyone concerned about this? Is TV trying to placate a certain group without concern for the Florida laws?

I'd think canvas might rot and smell like .... Wet tent ... with the rain and humidity.

A former Girl Guide

You are making an assumption that a "contractor" knows what he is talking about.

No doubt TV ran this change through legal channels prior to making it. Additionally, the canvas top is not "on" the bird cages. It's on it's own frame which is attached to the bird cage. That's probably what makes the difference.

We decided against it seeing it's not good with the state of florida's code.

I saw two of them last week, and I was surprised that they didn't look too bad. They're on the right side of Buena Vista heading south from Glenview, before you get to 466.

Prices have definitely gone up (quite a bit). I spoke to Russell at Sunshine Awnings and he said the cost is $13 to $14 a square foot. Easy enough to calculate a 15 x 20 birdcage = $3,900-$4,200. I thought that was really expensive for canvas. Also, one of the contractors stated that if a birdcage collapses the warranty is void if a canvas covering is installed on the roof. As they say "let the buyer beware"