Slowly but surely we’re making real headway on the beach house. Over the next few weeks we expect major progress: all-new electrical and plumbing, plus a fully functioning HVAC system—perfect timing for those sweltering summer beach days. We’re relieved to finally be rid of sketchy knob-and-tube wiring, and the furnace will no longer be “accessorized” with cardboard and bedsheets. Best of all, running water will be restored. The old sewer line had been ruined by tree roots, so replacing it required cutting into the road to reach a new line.
Since our last big update, we’ve checked off several exterior projects: a new roof that stops leaks and fresh pink HardiePlank siding that has completely changed the house’s personality. I’m currently having a full-on love affair with pink siding and have been sharing the excitement on social media. The last lingering exterior detail is the creamy yellow trim, which has been delayed by weather and the painter’s schedule—but we’re confident it will be finished soon, and the finished look will be worth the wait.
We were able to save all five original stained-glass windows, which we’re incredibly excited about. They’re located one on the front, one on the right side, and three on the left side. Some panes needed replacing, many sills required attention, and all of them will be reglazed, but they’re already looking much better, especially surrounded by the freshly rebuilt white trim.
Several other windows were beyond repair or had been replaced with low-quality vinyl units, so installing consistent, energy-rated replacement windows that match was an important upgrade and a big check on our renovation list.
There’s still plenty left to do: brick repairs around the foundation, a new metal roof over the porch because the old one is beyond saving, and adding proper stairs to all three entrances. The front and back had deteriorated concrete block steps, and the side door never had any stairs at all. We plan to build brick steps at the front, which will be a major improvement over the existing blocks.
If you’re wondering how I, with my admittedly short legs, get into the house—don’t worry. I can make the leap, sometimes even while chewing gum.
We also reconsidered the porch ceiling color. At first we thought we’d paint it white so the pink siding would stand out, but the existing blue tone grew on us. It complements the neighboring blue houses and feels like a classic porch-ceiling choice, so we selected a slightly lighter, less saturated shade called Breaktime by Sherwin-Williams. To choose it we even collected small paint flakes to compare at home. (Note: the peeling exterior paint was tested by professionals for lead, asbestos, and mold—this is not lead paint, and we handled it carefully.)
Seeing the new siding up makes me grin every time we arrive. It’s a small thing that delivers a big emotional payoff during a long renovation.
Inside, all of the new framing and reinforcement framing is complete, so our floor plan is finally coming to life in three dimensions. Bedrooms are taking shape and closets have started to appear. The new upstairs hallway we added is one of our favorite improvements because it prevents anyone from having to walk through a bedroom to reach another room.
One neat solution we implemented was to fix a sagging portion of the upstairs landing. Rather than install an ugly pillar in the middle of the space, our contractor suggested a custom iron support bracket made by a local blacksmith. It connects to the stairs in two places to shore up the sagging floor and eliminate bounce. The custom bracket cost about $100—far less obtrusive and more elegant than a big support post, and hopefully it will read like an original detail when the work is finished.
We also spent a long stretch on-site marking locations for everything electrical, plumbing, and kitchen-related: fixture boxes, outlets, light switches, sinks, toilets, shower valves, washer and dryer hookups, and major kitchen appliances. That meant walking every inch of the house and deciding where outlets and switches should go, mapping ceiling fixtures to be centered over islands, tables, or beds, and ensuring light switches are conveniently placed with respect to door swings.
We planned shower widths to determine appropriate vanity sizes, chose compact versus standard toilets based on space, and located shower spigots to avoid back walls where pipes can freeze. It took hours on-site after days of planning at home, followed by to-scale renderings to confirm placements. Locking all of those decisions in felt like a major milestone.
The next phase was ordering nearly everything: light fixtures, faucets, vanities, tile, cabinets and other finishes—everything except furniture and major appliances, which can come later. It’s a lot of purchases and a little overwhelming, but we’ve narrowed most decisions and will share bathroom, kitchen, and laundry plans soon. For now, I’m off to deal with a credit card freeze prompted by the flurry of renovation purchases.
P.S. If you want to follow the beach house from the beginning, look for earlier posts covering how we bought the house, our initial floor plan ideas and video tour, our decor inspiration and style direction, how we chose the color and HardiePlank siding, progress on walls and the new floor plan, and a memorable post about the house showing up in an HGTV segment.