Honestly, I’m with you on the upfront investment in tougher materials—composite decking, stainless hardware, even fiber cement siding. I’ve seen folks try to save on finishes, then end up patching stuff every storm season. Still, I wouldn’t ditch the weather fund entirely. Even the best materials need some TLC on the coast. Maybe not as much as folks think, but you’ll want a cushion for the unexpected.
Title: How much should I budget to renovate a beach house?
I get the logic behind splurging on the “indestructible” stuff, but I’m not totally convinced it’s always worth the sticker shock. I mean, I looked at composite decking and nearly fainted at the price per board. Sure, it’ll probably outlive me, but my wallet’s still recovering from just looking at the quote.
Honestly, I went with pressure-treated wood for my little deck redo last year. Yeah, it’s not as fancy, but with a decent sealant and some regular check-ins (which is basically me poking around after every big wind), it’s held up fine so far. Maybe I’ll regret it in five years, but right now, I’m just happy I didn’t have to sell a kidney.
I do agree about keeping a weather fund though. The coast is wild—one minute you’re sipping coffee on the porch, next minute you’re chasing your patio chairs down the street. But sometimes I wonder if we overestimate how much TLC these “super materials” really need. My neighbor went all-in on stainless everything and still had to replace half his hardware after a gnarly nor’easter last fall. Salt air just laughs at our best efforts.
I guess what I’m saying is: maybe don’t feel like you have to go top-shelf on every single thing. Pick your battles (and your splurges), keep some cash stashed for surprises, and accept that Mother Nature’s gonna win a few rounds no matter what you do. At least that’s what my bank account keeps telling me...
