What you shoud know about building a home in florida

Don’t let our sandy beaches and laid-back energy fool you. There are plenty of curveballs when building a home in the Sunshine State, and it’s a very different animal to wrangle than projects in other climates. Understanding potential maintenance issues early is critical to smart decision-making during your build.

At the end of the day, you will have to maintain your home — that part sadly never disappears. What you can do is make informed finish selections that make life much easier down the road.

I’ve put together a list of things everyone should be aware of when building in our beloved Florida. If you’re building here (or thinking about it), read on.

The building envelope

HUMIDITY

Shocker — humidity and wood do not like each other. This has to be front-of-mind when selecting finishes, both inside and out.

If you’re dreaming of a solid wood front door, just know that you’re also signing up to maintain it for the rest of its life. The same goes for pool decks and exterior wood surfaces. While there are great options, pressure-treated lumber will not hold up long-term in this environment. Durable species like teak, ipe, or modified wood products such as Accoya perform far better. They come at a higher upfront cost, but they’re worth it if you’d like to avoid a rotting deck a few years down the road.

Humidity doesn’t stop at the front door. No home is completely airtight, which means interior finishes — especially wood — are also affected. This is where materials like MDF and engineered wood flooring really shine. While they might not sound glamorous, they are significantly more stable than solid wood. MDF resists warping and performs beautifully for cabinetry and detailed millwork. Engineered wood flooring uses a moisture-resistant core that greatly reduces expansion and contraction, aka, no buckling floors! And no — choosing these materials does not mean your home is “cheap.” It means you are wise.