We’ve shared bits and pieces about our beach house progress on social channels, but we were long overdue for a detailed, photo-filled update about everything that’s been happening — including our latest (and hopefully final) floor plans.
Things look VERY different now compared to when we first bought the place. If you remember the original condition, it’s safe to say the house went through a serious “it has to get worse before it gets better” phase.
As shown above, we removed all the interior walls back to the studs. The large note on the wall was a contractor’s instruction to leave the curved lath intact so it can be easier to bend drywall around later — not a horror-movie warning.
On a recent podcast we talked about our reluctance to remove all the old plaster and patch things piecemeal, but the inspector and contractor convinced us it was safer to open everything up and address hidden problems rather than risk missing structural or health issues.
The decision to strip the walls down to the studs came down to two main reasons:
1. Condition. We could have patched the cracked, stained, or missing plaster and worked around it, but that approach would have added cost and time — and would have made electrical, plumbing, and HVAC work more complicated. Starting fresh proved to be the more efficient option.
2. Hidden damage. We found visible mold and termite damage in places, and removing the walls let us find and address additional problems that were not visible before. Discovering extra termite damage and warped studs validated the decision to open things up.
Though it was hard to strip the house apart, finding and repairing these issues will give us peace of mind and reduce the risk of future cracking or settling in the new walls. We’ll reinforce much of the framing to keep everything square and stable.
Opening the interior also confirmed our choice to replace the exterior siding. Behind the old siding we found large gaps, no housewrap, and no insulation between the siding and the interior plaster. The town inspector explained that cold air could easily penetrate those gaps, which would make heating the house inefficient in winter. Had we only patched the exterior and interior surfaces, these underlying problems would have remained.
Ultimately, these updates will make the house structurally sound and easier to heat and cool, saving time, money, and frustration over the long run. We’re also preserving original features where possible — the heart pine floors, stair railings and treads, doors and doorknobs, and the millwork and trim — all of which we plan to reinstall once construction is complete.
Removing walls revealed a few surprises, including a brick chimney stack behind a faux mantle that runs up through the front bedroom. It has some holes to repair, but we love the idea of revealing the brick to add character to both rooms.
We staged that discovery photo with some silliness and ended up with a few outtakes — the things you do when the contractor isn’t looking.
Most of the heavy demo and hazardous-material handling was contracted out. Working on the house ourselves during short weekly visits would have been too slow and risky, since older homes often have mold, lead paint, or asbestos — things best handled by professionals.
Stripping the house down also changed how we think about the layout. Seeing the true scale of certain spaces led us to rethink some of our original floor plan ideas, which I’ll explain after the next big update.
The largest problem we uncovered was one entire side of the house that had rotted and was sinking. That side had been enclosed years ago with improper materials, and the foundation was sitting on sand instead of proper footings. The result was a section that was literally slipping down into the ground.
We hoped we could reinforce the existing beams, but inspection revealed extensive rot and termite damage, and even asbestos shingles on that wall. Structural engineers, the inspector, and our contractor all agreed the safest option was to tear that whole section off and rebuild it from the foundation up. It was emotional to see such a large chunk removed, but necessary.
Both enclosed porch areas and the bathrooms behind them were in poor shape from years of water and weather exposure. Once demo was complete, we approved the reconstruction of that entire side of the house, which included new foundation and framing.
Rolling up to see a whole portion of the house missing was surreal, but rebuilding allowed us to bring that side back to level with the rest of the structure and to replace compromised materials with proper, durable construction.
Within a week the contractor had nearly finished setting a new foundation and rebuilding the structure. Because the house sits in a historic district, we matched original window and door placement so the exterior will look authentic when finished.
That rebuilt area felt solid and level for the first time in years. Before the reconstruction it slanted and felt unstable; now it’s straight and secure — a huge relief.
From the top of the stairs you can now see how the rebuilt portion divides the space. We used this opportunity to rethink the downstairs layout because the new side is much longer than we’d expected.
Originally we planned for a bathroom and mudroom in the long rear space, but it would have created an excessively long mudroom. Instead, we made half of that area into a bathroom and converted the former bathroom space into a cozy eat-in breakfast nook — a practical gathering spot for a vacation home.
The breakfast nook will provide extra seating and a flexible gathering area — perfect for kids, games, or cozy meals. To make the layout flow, we moved the kitchen to the rear of the house so the nook sits conveniently off the kitchen.
To plan the kitchen arrangement we used a kitchen planner tool to quickly test cabinet layouts. It’s not an exact rendering, but it helped us confirm the general flow: a tiled accent wall beside the back door, open shelves, and seating at the island instead of full cabinets on the island’s back side.
Upstairs we only made a few plan tweaks, mostly carving a little space from the middle bedroom to create functional closets for both the middle and front bedrooms. The main design change upstairs focuses on the back bedroom and its bathroom.
We removed an old door that used to block off the back stairs; a door on a step is no longer safe by today’s code. To preserve privacy for the upstairs bedroom while still allowing light through, we plan to add a wall with double pocket doors that include glass panels. The glass will let window light pass through, and the pocket or barn-style solution avoids swing-space issues.
Interior framing is now underway and the new siding — already painted — is about to go up. We’re excited to see the house at this stage and will share more photos once the siding and trim are installed.
If you’d like to follow the project from the beginning, look for our initial posts about buying the house, the before video tour, our decorating inspiration, and the post about choosing the siding color — they document the full journey from purchase through this major renovation phase.