Beach House

[HumbleChief]

Sometimes I think the best thing to do is simply laugh at myself. Thanks for the added insight and have a great night Brad.

[Bradley Boltz]

Actually Larry, you should be laughing at my 56yr old(too soon to be so senior) self. I'm the one who used Larry instead of Michael. I hope he gets to do the job as it would be fun to design a beach house.

And in regards to the expense and durability of these newer multi-million dollar beach constructs (Fed Insurance subsidized by us lesser inlanders!), I would rather see them go back to the original beach shacks that periodically get "Flushed" and thus renew the original pristine beachscape. But, that politically charged conservationist view aside, some of those beach houses are just plain cool and I'd live in one if I could.-BB (for Brad not Larry, Boltz)

[VHampton]

I saw what looked like galvanized columns with post caps and corner column wrapped with ??? couldn't tell what - any ideas?

I'm guessing that the steel posts are fastened to concrete pile caps. The pile caps are essentially like footings which are wired directly onto the tops of the wood pilings.

It's not often done this way where the pilings are kept low to the grade, and then above the pilings they use steel posts to elevate the floor framing. My observation is that a steel post is must easier for the mason to build the CMU break away walls next to, rather than trying to fit the block alongside a 12" diameter wood support.

By the time this thread is done Larry, you and I (and whoever else is following along) will be coastal construction gurus.

And Bradley you are so right. I know a few old timers who said that back in the 1940's they used to change into their swim trunks inside make shift chicken coops (nestled in the dunes). They said that back in the day you'd have to be nuts to want a build a house near the ocean.

[HumbleChief]

Knowing Michael's previous experience on this board was the the genesis of my original question to Michael trying to figure out what he was really asking. I didn't read the engineering question in his OP so again, "I believe his question was purely asking advice on how best to achieve the look using Chief."

Guess we'll never know.