Slowly but surely we’re making progress on the beach house. In the coming weeks we expect big changes as the property gets all-new electrical and plumbing, plus a fully functioning HVAC system—perfect timing for hot beach days. We’re thrilled to say goodbye to sketchy knob-and-tube wiring, and the furnace will no longer be “accessorized” with cardboard and bedsheets. Best of all, we’ll have running water again after the old sewer line was ruined by tree roots and required replacement, which even meant cutting into the road to run a new line.
Since our last major update, we’ve completed several significant exterior projects. The new roof has stopped the leaks, and we installed pink HardiePlank siding that we absolutely adore. The color has been such a joyful change that I even started an Instagram account to celebrate it. The remaining exterior task that’s lagging is painting the creamy yellow trim; weather and scheduling have delayed it, but we expect those porch columns to be finished soon.
We also saved all five of the original stained-glass windows, which we’re ridiculously excited about. One sits at the front, one on the right side, and three on the left. Some panes needed replacing, many required new sills, and all will be reglazed, but they’re already looking much better with the fresh white trim on the rebuilt side of the house.
Other windows that were too rotten or had been replaced with low-quality vinyl were swapped for consistent, energy-rated units, which is a major upgrade in both appearance and performance.
There’s still more to do outside. We need brick repairs around the house perimeter, a new metal roof over the porch since the old one can’t be saved, and stairs for all three entrances. The front and back had broken concrete block steps, and the side door never had stairs at all. We plan to install brick steps out front, which should look far more finished than the concrete blocks did.
I know some of you are wondering how I’m getting into the house with my short legs—don’t worry, I can make the leap. I’ve even done it while chewing gum.
Up front, the porch ceiling needed attention. We initially planned to paint it white so the pink siding could take center stage, but the existing color grew on us and now seems to complement the neighboring blue houses. We sampled peeling paint flakes to match the tone and settled on a lighter, less saturated shade called Breaktime by Sherwin-Williams. For clarity: the peeling paint was old exterior paint, and we tested and addressed any lead, asbestos, or mold concerns with professionals.
Despite all the remaining tasks, I can’t help grinning every time we pull up to the house and see the new siding. It genuinely makes me happy again and again.
Inside, all new framing and reinforcement are complete, and it’s been rewarding to watch our floor plan take shape in three dimensions. Bedrooms and closets are starting to read clearly in the space, and our favorite part so far was walking through the new upstairs hallway we added so no one has to pass through a bedroom to reach another room.
John has been just as excited about the changes. I always enjoy seeing him celebrating the small victories as much as I do.
Framing photos can be a little confusing, so I’ll save the details for another post or a video tour when I can. One clever solution our contractor found involved reinforcing a sagging portion of the upstairs landing. Instead of adding an obvious support post, we commissioned a local blacksmith to create a custom iron support bracket that ties into the stairs in two places. It eliminated the bounce, looks like a purposeful detail, and cost much less than alternative structural fixes.
The next big task was mapping every electrical and plumbing location: fixture boxes, outlets, switches, sinks, toilets, showers, laundry hookups, and kitchen appliances. That meant walking every inch of the house to mark outlets, decide door swing directions for switch placement, and plan ceiling fixture locations so lights or fans will be centered over islands, tables, or beds. It also included defining shower widths and vanity sizes, selecting toilets, and deciding spigot placement to avoid freezing-prone back walls.
All that planning took many hours onsite and additional to-scale renderings at home, but having everything decided felt like a major milestone. From there we moved on to ordering nearly everything—light fixtures, faucets, vanities, tile, cabinets—basically everything except furniture and major appliances. That process is equal parts exhilarating and exhausting, and it led to a temporarily frozen credit card after many purchases in quick succession.
P.S. If you want to read the beach house story from the beginning, check our earlier posts covering how we bought the house, the initial floor plan and video tour, style inspiration and materials, why we chose HardiePlank and the color, progress on walls and the new floor plan, and how the rotting side of the house once photobombed HGTV.