This house isn't anything like the house KentuckyYeti has shown us in pictures. Our house kind of has a long story. We started working with the contractor back in the Fall of 2020. We bought some land, and then since permits take so long to get and everything to get designed etc. In the spring of 2021, that terrible freeze that got all the way down to Galveston, TX affected the lumber supply. You couldn't buy pilings. I was calling supply and distribution lumber yards all over the Southeast looking for Coastal Grade Pilings. None, Zilch, Nada.
In the meantime, we bought another house, this being down on the beaches of Texas, around Galveston. But since we had the land for the first house, we finally got it all together and are getting it built!
So for the past year, we've had a vacation house, but it wasn't the one we designed, nor is it close to the water. You can see the water from the deck, but it's 3 streets back. Now it's going to be rental/investment income property.
If there is one thing I've learned from you guys, its the rental income property management. Some of you have multiple houses and rent them out. I've talked to a few of you about it. Not too difficult to get started doing either really if you have a good budget.
My wife and I pretty much designed the house we are having built. The contractor, who by now is a pretty good friend, helped draw it all on CAD. He's a good guy, something like 74 years old. But he has a team of workers, so he doesn't sub anything out at all, except the septic tank and the shingles on the roof I think. He does the electrical and his guys do pretty much everything else.
But the house is 2400 square feet, on two floors. The upstairs is going to have two bedrooms and one bath and this elevated walkway open on each side to the living room below. Plus, it has about 1500 feet of outdoor deck space. In the summer it's just to hot, but Fall, Winter and Spring, it's so nice to sit outside.
Anyway, the beach is just beautiful. I've posted some pictures before, you can drive on the beach, although we were just there for Thanksgiving break, and the water was pretty high. Like I said, it's close to Galveston and Surfside. I know they are 30 miles apart, but there is a highway "Blue Water Highway" between the two towns. Well, Surfside is a collection of beach cottages. It's got a certain charm, and the people are nice. They want that "Stay Weird" vibe that some cities like Austin have. Galveston is nice. I like it anyway. It's got this gritty sea-side town feel and it's a really old, old town.
There is a drive thru Margarita stand in Surfside. How perfect is that! Daiquiris, and all sorts of mixed iced drinks. Well, I'll keep my alcoholic side in the closet for now...
The island is Follet's Island. The whole length of the Coast of Texas is protected by the barrier islands. It's pretty interesting to read about them. The Intercoastal Waterway is on the inside bay side.
Anyway, It's not in New Mexico, or even Santa Fe.
Here are some pictures.
First the gratuitous dog pictures. They are worse than a couple kids, they love to roll around and get coated in sand and stinky sea water.
Blizzard:
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Blizzard and Rainy:
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The house sits on a corner lot. The pilings go down 18 feet. They use this truck sized jack hammer to beat them into the sand.
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Its just sand. This is on Follet's Island. Wikipedia says the highest point on the island is 3 1/2 feet. But I think it's a little bit more than that, perhaps 7 or 8 feet.
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Here is the garage. It can only be something like 300 sq. ft. The walls are breakway and NOT attached to the vertical pilings.
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Here is the view. This is looking straight East.
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Here's my wife and the contractor. He laid out the master...excuse me "primary" bedroom and bath so she could visualize what it's going to look like.
They are standing in the bathroom, and the Primary bedroom is along that back wall.
In our neighborhood, there have been 30 houses built in the last 2 years. And every time I drive to Galveston, There are a constant 6 to 8 houses under construction.
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That little area with the mitered corner is going to be a pantry off the kitchen. The long skinny room to the side is the laundry.
Then there is going to be a side deck 20x20 off the laundry room. It's going to have the same view as the picture above since it's
on that side.
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We are going back down for Christmas break, so I'll post some more pictures. The builder said he would have some walls up this week.
