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Hopes and Dreams vs. Budget

I would love to build a house without budget considerations. But reality is a cruel mistress (the only one I will ever get!) We could not afford a waterfront lot and certainly not a very large house. There is an elasticity between amenities and cost. More goodies, the higher the total cost. We have basic requirements; walls, roof, floors, indoor plumbing, etc, the City of Marathon has requirements; structural loads, roof wind resistance, minimum elevation for the house, permit fees,…

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Hurricanes, Wind and Flooding

Hurricanes, Wind and Flooding After living in California all of our adult lives, we are (mostly) nonplussed by earthquakes. We have experienced small ones barely noticeable, to those that damaged San Francisco and caused elevated highways to fail. Our current house is wood construction, which reacts well to moderate earthquakes. We accept that we cannot predict when they will happen. We hope we are prepared with food, water and shelter. Hurricanes on the other hand, we have limited experience. I…

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