A well functioning house or functionally obsolete?
Our house is a reverse-floor plan, popular along the beach so that the main living level, kitchen and great room is on the top floor to maximize ocean views. These houses are typically on 8′ pilings so that finished first floor is above sea level (in many cases 2′ – 4′ height would suffice, but the extra height gives a better chance of an ocean view).
Over the past ten years, the trees have grown so much in our yard completely blocking our ocean views.
The only benefit (other than view) with this type of floor plan is that hauling groceries up two full flights of stairs helps keep us in shape.
We have a large landscaped back yard that has a pool, apple trees, live oaks – the same oaks that provide the canopy that blocks the ocean view. Right outside the gate is open space (common land) that is in its natural state. We have cleared a path through this space that leads us to a nearby street that is direct access to the beach. We are the only ones that use the path and it tunnels through a heavily wooded (providing more canopy) area.
We love our location in Southern Shores. But the floor plan completely isolates anyone in the kitchen and living room from the beautiful back yard and swimming pool. It’s no fun to entertain or grill outside while the family enjoys the pool on a sunny afternoon.
We’ve remodeled four or five times and we now face replacing the upstairs heat pump and fixing a leak in the roof from an older addition.
Our dilemma: do we keep patching a house that has outlived our purpose or is it time to demolish? Is there anything worth salvaging?
HGTV? Ty Pennington? Bob Vila? Anybody?
More on this later!
Good question. I vote demolition! It gets old walking those stairs with groceries. Build a tower, or a crows nest for the ocean view. You have a great location with outdoor living that's to die for. I would have the outdoors be an extension of my great room kitchen area. You'll use it even more. By starting over you can take advantage of green building methods that will save you in the long run.
You asked….. Heather
Thanks Heather – I appreciate the feedback and agree with you!