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In reply to the discussion: Engineer Warned of 'Major Structural Damage' at Florida Condo Complex [View all]GulfCoast66
(11,949 posts)People in the NE live in their homes for 30 years, pay them off and suddenly they have 600K or more to buy an ocean front condo. Paradise in their mind. Torture in mine but we are all different.
But have no idea that with ocean front comes salt. And seawater. Both of which creates the need for constant, and very expensive maintenance. No matter how well built an ocean front property is always in the process of rotting. And yeah, iron and concrete with salt contact rots.
Its not that they necessarily dont want to pay the maintenance cost, but they cant. Live on a generous fixed pension but 15-20K every few years was not in their calculations. So they put it off.
I dont doubt there were some design issues as well, but that is what maintenance can fix.
Ironically the homes best suited to ocean conditions are the one built of wood and the real old ones with pegged wood construction. Many still stand and are as strong to day as the day they were built. Yeah, they need paint every 4 years. But the bones are strong.
I spend a lot of the time on the coast. I maintain a boat that sees nothing but saltwater. It is insidious and never stops corroding everything it touches.