Make the most of life on the coast

Travellers come from far and wide to experience WA’s world-famous coastline, but lucky us… it’s just in our backyard or on our doorstep. If you’re building on the coast, then we mean that literally. To make the most of your coastal block, you need to familiarise yourself with some of the requirements to maximise your home’s liveability and durability.

Home Design

• Keep the roof pitch low and your windows reasonably sized to protect against coastal breezes and gusts.
• Don’t be afraid of heights! Build a two storey home to really maximise your coastal views.
• Consider the possibilities of an “upside down” design – putting your living and entertaining spaces upstairs. Your kitchen, meals and other entertaining spaces will go to another level in more ways than one on the second storey of a coastal home. The only view better than that wine and cheese platter you’ve prepared is the sunset over the ocean!
• Pick a colour palette that complements the coast – think subdued and tasteful.
• Outdoor showers are lovely to look at and practical – letting you wash off the beach sand before you head indoors.
• And when in doubt, trust our home design experts. We’ve got plenty of experience in designing stunning coastal homes – including timeless Hamptons-style designs.

Corrosion Protection

• It’s amazing how many people forget that the ocean contains salt, so make sure you use corrosion-resistant materials during construction.
• This rule applies right down to your mortar. The proportions of cement to lime to sand in your mortar have to be adjusted, with plastic wire or stainless steel ties to cavities.
• Sarking is required between roof tiles and rafters, plus additional nail or clip fixings for tiles.
• Metal surfaces need a galvanised steel or epoxy coating. Colorbond Stainless Steel is great, and Colorbond Ultra Steel for those within 200 metres.
• Glass doors and windows need to be made of thicker glass depending on your wind rating.
• Metal roofs require tie-down straps.
• As a general rule, look for marine-grade or marine-condition on any products that are going to be exposed to the elements.

Maintenance – what you can do

• You’ve covered your construction requirements, your home is looking beautiful, so you best look after it!
• Thankfully, with robust construction materials and assuming you’ve taken the precautions above, you can keep your home looking and feeling great with just a six monthly exterior wash and a yearly recoating of painted steel and timber – you can get that done in a weekend or two!
• Also be sure to keep an eye on any rust and treat it immediately. Products to remove and protect against rust are readily available from hardware stores.