how much should I budget to renovate a beach house?

Good point about aluminum windows - I went vinyl on my last coastal reno and regretted it. They looked great at first, but after a couple years, the salty air really did a number on them. Ended up replacing sooner than planned, which was a bummer for the budget. I'm curious though, aside from windows, has anyone had luck with exterior paint holding up near the beach? I swear I've tried everything - premium brands, marine-grade stuff - but it still seems like I'm repainting every other summer. Is there some magical coastal paint secret I'm missing, or is this just part of the beach house charm (and expense) we all signed up for...?

I've been down that road too - tried every fancy marine paint and primer combo out there, and still ended up repainting constantly. Honestly, after a while, I just accepted it as part of coastal living. One thing that did help a little was switching to lighter colors; they faded less noticeably and bought me an extra year or so before needing a refresh. Still not perfect, but easier on the wallet at least...

I hear you on the paint struggle, been there myself. Last year, I finally tried a semi-transparent stain instead of paint - held up better than expected and touch-ups were way less painful. Still not perfect, but I'll take the small wins where I can get 'em...

Have you noticed if the stain holds up well against salt air and humidity? I mean, beach houses are a whole different beast... Paint peels like crazy out there. I've been debating stain versus paint myself, but does stain need more frequent reapplication near the coast? Also curious - did you find it cheaper overall, or is it just easier on the maintenance side? Trying to figure out if it's worth the switch.

I've worked on a few beach house projects, and honestly, stain tends to hold up better than paint in coastal conditions. Paint can peel and bubble pretty quickly with all that salt and humidity. Stain does fade over time, but it doesn't peel as dramatically, so maintenance feels less intense. Cost-wise, initial application might be similar, but stain usually saves money long-term because you're not constantly scraping and repainting. Personally, I'd lean toward stain for ease of upkeep alone...but curious if others have had different experiences?