10 Mar 5 Key Considerations When Building a Home Near a Coastal Locale
Do you dream about waking up to dreamy sunsets with beach views? Building a home in a coastal environment is a dream for many. However, there are certain considerations when building a home near a coastal locale that one must keep in mind.
Coastal homes have certain demands regarding materials that one must fulfill to ensure they can sustain in salty environments. So, if you are planning to build your dream coastal home, we have put together five considerations to ensure you design a home that can withstand a beachy environment.
5 Considerations When Building a Home Near a Coastal Locale
Below are the top five factors to consider when building a home near a coastal region:
Prevent Corrosion
Preventing salt damage is one of the key considerations when building a home near a coastal locale. Salt is a highly destructive element of nature. Salt particles don’t dissolve in the air. Instead, they begin to build on the surfaces in the environment — which can be buildings in a coastal region.
Salt build-up can significantly damage your home’s interior and exterior surfaces. Therefore, if you plan on utilizing materials like stainless steel in your home’s construction, it is critical to consider factors like corrosion and how to minimize it.
Choosing an appropriate grade and high-quality stainless steel built to withstand a coastal environment can be a great way to ensure it lasts for many years. Switching out stainless steel for other materials that tolerate corrosion from salty environments is also another possibility worth considering.
Consider The Wind Load
Strong gusts of wind accompany beachy environments. The facade of a property near a beach may have to resist a lot of battering from the wind. This makes it critical for homeowners planning to build a home near a coastal area to windproof all exterior surfaces, from walls and windows to doors and roofs. Doing so can help you avoid dealing with the stress and expense of a damaged property a few months after the construction.
When picking materials for the exterior, try selecting materials that are strong enough to endure a salty environment. Ideal building materials for coastal properties include clay tile, brick, timber, concrete, etc. Moreover, positioning your property to deflect the blow of the wind or adding large trees to your landscaping may be a great strategy to protect the exterior of your property from strong winds.
Additionally, consider laminating the glass on your exterior surfaces like doors or windows. Choose an impact-resistant coating for the job. This will help ensure the glass on your exterior surfaces can withstand strong winds without shattering. Laminating your exterior glass will also allow you to improve the stability of your home.
Maintenance
When planning to live near the beach, it is vital to consider the maintenance requirements of a coastal home. One drawback to owning a coastal property is that it may require greater maintenance than properties not located in a coastal region.
Therefore, you must commit to building a coastal property, knowing that you may have to spend a considerable amount on maintenance. However, you can adopt preventative measures to minimize maintenance expenses. Some preventive measures include keeping sand from entering your home or installing durable materials in the construction
Flood Zones
When building a home in a coastal locale, most individuals want to be as close to the beach as possible. However, it is important to consider the hazards to your home structure. One major hazard of living near a beach is that it is highly likely that the location you have chosen is a flood zone.
So you should consider elevating your home or installing preventative measures like longer overhangs on the roofing. Determining the flood risk factor can also help you ensure you don’t end up building your dream home in a high-risk area. Here are a few more preventative measures to consider when building a home in a flood-risk area.
- Install water systems and air conditioning units above the ground: This will help you to avoid costly repairs caused by flood water getting into your water systems and damaging your air conditioning units.
- Ditch carpeting and opt for tiled flooring: If flood water seeps into your home, it can severely damage your carpets and force you to replace the entire carpeting. This can be a costly undertaking. Choosing a more water-resistant flooring alternative like tiles might help save you from this expense.
Material Choice
The materials you choose to build your home with come under the most critical considerations when building a home near a coastal locale. Not all materials do well in coastal regions. Here are a few tips for selecting appropriate materials for your coastal home:
- Avoid opting for metal components. The life of metal surfaces and elements is fairly low in coastal regions. This is because metal is a highly corrosive material. Instead, you want to select alternatives like concrete or cedar. Both of these materials are not only water resistant but also aesthetically pleasing.
- Go for materials known to endure salt air’s corrosive nature. This could include opting for low-maintenance composure materials that handle coastal elements well.
- Choose non-wood composite exterior trim components. PVC plastic (non-cellular) and fiberglass are excellent substitutes for wood.
Build The Ideal Coastal Property with Bella Homes
The best way to ensure the construction of your home matches the requirements of a property located in a coastal region is to trust the experts at Bella Homes. We are renowned luxury coastal home builders in Florida, Delray Beach, and the surrounding area. A drive to provide impeccable service and years of experience building stunning homes on the shore has allowed us to become the number one coastal home builder in Florida.
We can help create a beautiful, low-maintenance, functional home that ticks all the boxes for you. So what are you waiting for? Contact us now by dialing (561) 510-6000 so we can work on bringing your vision to life!