Answers
Exterior and Florida climate
Stucco, roofs, pool cages, driveways and paint — how this climate treats the outside of a house.
8 questions
- Are impact windows worth the money in Florida?Worth it for three reasons in this order: you never handle shutters again, the noise reduction is dramatic, and there is an insurance credit — though the credit alone rarely justifies the price. Partial protection earns very little, and installation decides everything.Read the answer
- Stucco cracks - cosmetic or should I worry?Read the pattern. Hairline cracks in a random web, or a fine crack over a control joint, are usually shrinkage. Worry about diagonal cracks from window and door corners, stair-step cracks following block joints, horizontal cracks, and anything bulging or hollow.Read the answer
- Pool cage got wrecked - repair or replace?It depends whether the aluminium frame is sound. Re-screening a structurally fine cage is a fraction of the cost. Replace when the uprights are corroded at the base, when anchors have pulled, or when the structure has racked.Read the answer
- Pool deck is cracked - overlay, pavers, or tear out?Look at why it cracked. Surface shrinkage on a stable slab takes an overlay well. Settlement, heave, or cracks that are offset in height need tear-out or pavers, because an overlay will crack again in the same place within a season.Read the answer
- Driveway is cracked all over - resurface or replace?Resurfacing hides cracks, it does not stop them, so the question is whether the base is still good. Replace when sections sit at different heights, when cracks are wider than about a quarter of an inch, when the surface is spalling, or when the apron is sinking.Read the answer
- How often should a Florida house be repainted?Stucco with a good elastomeric or high-grade acrylic lasts roughly seven to twelve years here, less on the south and west elevations. The lifespan is decided by preparation, not by the paint.Read the answer
- Putting up a fence - do I need a survey?Get one, or at least find the existing corners. Fences built on guesswork are the most common neighbour dispute there is, and moving one afterwards costs far more than the survey. Check the permit rules, the HOA and any easements before you buy material.Read the answer
- Outdoor kitchen in Florida - what actually survives?Assume salt air, ultraviolet and afternoon rain. A masonry base rather than wood framing, marine-grade polymer or powder-coated 316 stainless cabinetry, granite rather than quartz, and a roof over the whole thing if you possibly can.Read the answer