Good to hear the cumaru's holding up well—I've found similar results on coastal jobs. Garapa tends to weather nicely on its own, but regular oiling can really help keep that warm tone longer. Either way, sounds like you're making solid choices.
Glad to hear others are having good luck with cumaru too. I was leaning towards garapa at first because I love that warm golden look, but honestly, the thought of regular oiling made me pause (I'm kinda lazy with maintenance stuff, haha). Ended up going cumaru and it's been solid so far. Budget-wise, though... man, beach house renos can spiral fast. Whatever you think you'll spend, maybe add another 20% just to be safe. Learned that one the hard way!
Yeah, beach places have a sneaky way of eating up budgets... when we redid our deck, I figured I had it all mapped out. Then came the surprise rusted bolts and hidden rot issues—lesson learned about padding the budget for surprises. Still worth it though.
Having renovated my historic home near the coast, I can confirm that budgeting for unexpected issues is critical. Coastal properties are notorious for hidden moisture damage and corrosion, especially if the house has been around a while. I'd recommend setting aside at least 20-25% of your total renovation budget specifically for unforeseen repairs—rusted hardware, compromised structural beams, or even outdated wiring that wasn't obvious at first glance. Also, factor in higher-quality materials designed to withstand salt air and humidity; they cost more upfront but save you headaches down the line. When we restored our porch columns, we initially underestimated the extent of wood rot and ended up replacing far more than anticipated. It's wise to have a thorough inspection beforehand, but even then, surprises will pop up. Better safe than sorry when it comes to coastal renovations.
Yikes, 25% extra just for surprises? Is that the "beach tax" everyone talks about? 😂 Seriously though, did you find inspections helpful at all, or was it mostly a case of "cross your fingers and hope for the best"? I'm planning a reno myself and trying not to panic about hidden rot or rusty nails lurking behind every wall... Maybe I'll just budget my sanity instead.
