Hurricane Protection and Remodeling Services in Largo

Protect Your Largo Home from Hurricanes

Largo is home for West Shore Construction. Our office has been on East Bay Drive for years, and we have been protecting homes in this city since 1985. When a storm is tracking toward Pinellas, we are dealing with it on our own streets too, which is one reason Largo homeowners call us first.

Largo’s housing is mostly what you would expect in central Pinellas. Concrete block ranch homes from the 1960s through the 1980s, a lot of them with original aluminum windows, screened lanais and pool cages. Newer infill homes near Largo Central Park and along Walsingham. Condos and villas, plus a number of 55 and over communities. The city sits a little back from the Gulf, but that did not spare it in 2024. Milton’s winds brought down trees, fences and lanai enclosures across town, and the damage showed how quickly an unprotected window becomes a much bigger problem.

What Largo Homeowners Should Know About Code

All of Pinellas County is within Florida’s wind borne debris region, and Largo is no exception. Any new or replacement window or door has to be impact rated or covered by an approved protection system, and design wind speeds here generally fall in the 140 to 150 mph range. If you are replacing old aluminum windows, that requirement applies to the new ones. We confirm your site specific wind speed and pull the permit through the City of Largo.

Largo’s building department also reviews remodeling in flood zones under the FEMA substantial improvement rule, which compares the cost of work to the value of the structure. For homes near McKay Creek and the lower parts of west Largo, that is worth checking early.

Hurricane Protection for Every Largo Home

Impact Windows

A lot of Largo homes are still running on original single pane aluminum windows. Replacing them with impact windows takes care of storm protection, cuts the cooling load in the summer and quiets roads like Ulmerton, Missouri and East Bay. Nothing to hang, nothing to store. It is also the upgrade that usually moves your wind mitigation insurance credit the most. See our impact windows page for options.

Hurricane Shutters

For homeowners not ready to replace every window, shutters are a smart, code compliant option. Motorized rolling shutters are popular with retirees and anyone who does not want to climb a ladder, because they close from a switch. Accordion shutters stay on the house and unfold by hand. Storm panels and clear polycarbonate panels are the budget choice and store in the garage. Compare every style on our hurricane shutters page.

Motorized Hurricane Screens

Screened lanais and pool cages are part of nearly every Largo backyard, and they are some of the first things to fail in high wind. A motorized hurricane screen installs at the lanai opening and drops into locking side tracks when a storm is coming. The rest of the year it is a sun and privacy screen, which makes a west facing lanai far more comfortable. We install Magnatrack and other rated systems. Details are on our motorized hurricane screens page.

Hurricane Fabric

Hurricane fabric is the easiest system to deploy for a lot of Largo households. Panels like astroGuard weigh a fraction of metal shutters, roll up for storage and hook onto permanent anchors around each opening. One person can usually cover a house, and the panels let light in so the house is not dark for days. Learn more on our hurricane fabric page.

Remodeling in Largo

Many of Largo’s block homes are solid houses with dated interiors. West Shore handles kitchen, bathroom and whole home remodels, and because we are a state certified building contractor, we can take on layout changes, not just finishes. When a remodel and new windows or shutters are both on the list, doing them together saves time and keeps permits simple. Explore whole home remodeling, kitchen remodeling and bathroom remodeling.

Grants and Insurance Savings

Opening protection is one of the wind mitigation features Florida insurers must credit. After installation, a wind mitigation inspection records it for your carrier. West Shore is an eligible contractor for My Safe Florida Home, which offers matching grants to qualifying homesteaded owners, and we offer financing for larger projects.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hurricane Protection in Largo

Where is West Shore Construction located?

Our office is at 622 E. Bay Dr., Largo, FL 33770. We have served Largo and the rest of Pinellas County since 1985.

Do I have to replace my old aluminum windows with impact windows?

If you replace them, the new windows must be impact rated or protected by an approved system, since Largo is in the wind borne debris region. If you are keeping your current windows, shutters, screens or fabric can provide the protection instead.

Can you protect my screened lanai?

Yes. Motorized hurricane screens mount at the lanai opening and lower into locking tracks before a storm. They protect the space and double as a sun screen the rest of the year.

Nearby Areas We Serve

West Shore also serves homeowners in Clearwater and St. Petersburg.

Visit Us or Have Us Come to You

West Shore Construction is at 622 E. Bay Dr. in Largo. We are a state certified building contractor (CBC044653) with more than 40 years in business, and our estimates are free and on site. Because we are local, same week appointments are common. See our work in the portfolio, read why homeowners choose us