Totally agree—durability wins out, especially with all the sand and moisture. Curious, are you thinking of updating just the floors or tackling kitchens and baths too? Those spaces can eat up a chunk of the budget, but they’re usually worth it.
Curious, are you thinking of updating just the floors or tackling kitchens and baths too? Those spaces can eat up a chunk of the budget, but they’re usually worth it.
Honestly, I’m leaning toward just floors for now—kitchens and baths are tempting, but my wallet’s already nervous. Anyone else find that even “minor” kitchen updates spiral fast? I figure if the floors hold up to sand and wet feet, I can save up for the rest later.
Floors first makes sense, especially in a beach place—sand is brutal on everything. I’ve seen “quick” kitchen fixes turn into month-long headaches, especially in older homes where nothing’s standard size. If your subfloor is solid, splurge on something durable like LVP or tile. Kitchens and baths can wait, unless you’ve got plumbing issues (those don’t get cheaper). Learned that one the hard way...
Floors are definitely the unsung heroes in a beach house—sand, salt, and humidity just chew up cheap materials. I’m with you on holding off on kitchens and baths unless there’s a leak or rot. But I’ve seen people regret not tackling electrical early on too, especially in older places where wiring can be sketchy. Curious—anyone here ever had to rewire after finishing floors? That’s a headache I wouldn’t wish on anyone...
Curious—anyone here ever had to rewire after finishing floors? That’s a headache I wouldn’t wish on anyone...
Totally agree—rewiring after new floors is brutal. Had to do it once in a 1950s cottage. Ended up pulling up half the boards just to fish new lines. Not fun, and definitely not cheap.
- Prioritize electrical before flooring, especially in older places. Sketchy wiring + beach humidity = fire risk.
- If you’re budgeting, set aside a chunk for “hidden surprises.” Old beach houses always have them—think $5-10k just for the unknowns.
- For floors, go with something tough. LVP or tile holds up way better than hardwood or laminate with all that sand and moisture.
- Kitchens and baths can wait unless there’s active damage, like you said. But plumbing’s another thing to check before closing up walls or floors.
Honestly, every time I’ve tried to save money by skipping steps, it’s cost me more later. If you can swing it, tackle the big systems (electrical, plumbing) first—even if it means living with ugly cabinets for a while.
