how much should I budget to renovate a beach house?

Totally get where you're coming from with reclaimed wood - I had a similar experience in my old historic home. Looked gorgeous at first, especially with all the vintage charm we were going for, but man, humidity and sand were like kryptonite. We live near the coast too, and the first summer after we put it in, the boards started cupping a bit. I remember panicking and calling the installer, who basically said: "Yeah, that's pretty normal with reclaimed wood near the ocean." Wish he'd told me that BEFORE we paid the premium, haha.

That said, we've since switched to engineered hardwood in the main living areas and luxury vinyl plank in the kitchen and bathrooms. Honestly, it's been night and day. Engineered hardwood still gives you that authentic wood look, but handles moisture and temperature swings way better. And vinyl plank - never thought I'd say this - but it actually looks super realistic these days. We went with a weathered driftwood color, and friends always ask if it's real wood. Plus, cleanup after beach days is a breeze. Sand just sweeps right up, and no more worries about wet towels or dripping swimsuits warping the floor.

Budget-wise, reclaimed wood might feel like the "authentic" choice for a beach house, but practicality matters a ton. Renovations always have hidden surprises (trust me, our 1920s bungalow taught us that lesson repeatedly), so saving money and headaches on flooring can free up your budget for unexpected stuff like plumbing or electrical upgrades. And believe me, those always seem to pop up when you least expect them...

Anyway, just my two cents from someone who's been through it. Good luck with your reno - sounds like it'll be amazing when it's done!

"Budget-wise, reclaimed wood might feel like the 'authentic' choice for a beach house, but practicality matters a ton."

I get the practicality argument, but honestly, I've seen reclaimed wood work beautifully in coastal homes - just depends on how it's sealed and maintained. Did your installer mention anything about sealing or using marine-grade finishes? Sometimes the extra prep upfront can make a huge difference, though yeah... it does add to the initial cost. Curious if anyone else here had better luck going that route?

We went reclaimed in our beach place - looked amazing at first, but salt air is no joke...ended up redoing the sealant with marine-grade finish after two summers. Totally worth it now, but wish I'd known upfront to budget extra for that.

Yeah, reclaimed wood looks fantastic but the beach environment is brutal on finishes. Marine-grade sealant was definitely the right call. For budgeting, I'd suggest adding at least 15-20% extra to your initial estimate for coastal-specific issues - salt air, humidity, corrosion-resistant hardware, etc. Also, plan for regular maintenance every couple of years. It feels like a pain upfront, but trust me, it'll save you headaches (and money) down the road.

Good call on the marine-grade sealant, but honestly, I'd bump that coastal buffer closer to 25%. Last year, I renovated a deck near the beach - thought I had everything covered, but salt corrosion ate through standard hardware in months. Lesson learned: stainless steel everything...