Living and renovating in Pensacola

Whether you’re new to Pensacola or you’ve been a local all your life, there are likely things you don’t know when it comes to renovating a home in this much-loved part of Florida. Luckily for you, you don’t have to be an expert. Internationally renowned Refresh Renovations are specialists in home renovations throughout the coastal and wider Pensacola area.
A huge range of different elements can influence a cities styles, shapes, types, and sizes of homes - from the climate to the local economy. Pensacola is no different. Famous for its white sand beaches, reliable and warm climate - and not to mention, amazing fishing - Pensacola is a perfect place to live and build your dream home. The average house prices in Pensacola, Florida in 2018 ranges from $145,000 to $179,000 USD. Averaging 220 sunny days per year and boasting the shortest average commute time in the USA (19 minutes), it’s the ideal place to nest. Who wouldn’t want to live there?
With a population of around 50,000 people and 62 constituent neighborhoods, Pensacola has three primary neighborhoods - Pensacola Beach, Downtown Pensacola, and North Pensacola. Pensacola Beach has a variety of contemporary condos, townhouses, and beach houses. Like the rest of the world, Pensacola is following suit, with older homes being renovated, adding to the pre-existing charm and historic richness of the architecture in the local community. “Residential homes here are often fun with vibrant color schemes, large windows and sweeping porches to take in the breathtaking views of the Gulf of Mexico,” says Hayley English, Refresh Renovation Specialist in the Pensacola area.
Located in Florida’s ‘panhandle’, the area is surrounded by more than 50 miles of coastline including the emerald-green Gulf of Mexico waters and stunning crystal clear bay areas - meaning a lot of old homes can find themselves in the direct path of extreme weather. In 2014, the Pensacola area took a huge hit from Hurricane Ivan, a category 5 hurricane that destroyed many homes with extreme winds of 120mph and became a major point in Pensacola’s history. Ivan had significant long-term effects on the community, including a need for stricter building codes, something Refresh Renovations Specialist Hayley English and her team is well-versed in.
“We’ve identified different materials that are useful to protect a home in bad weather, things like hurricane nails, wind-resistant materials, reinforced roofing, marine-treated exterior plywood sheathing, and very strong concrete,” says Hayley, whose team considers climate durability a factor of renovating when dealing with customers, due to the impact of hurricanes and tornadoes in Pensacola. Tired of dealing with the unpredictability of the storms that regularly threaten the U.S, homeowners are looking to strengthen their homes allowing them to be better prepared - with concrete exterior walls being one of the most widely adapted choices for renovators.
On the more extreme end of the scale, safeguarding homes can result in very unique architecture with some homeowners incorporating watertight ship doors or creating ‘dome homes’ that are strong and Martian-like in appearance all in the name of reinforcement. Refresh Renovations Pensacola are building experts in the area and can help locals figure out their own home strengthening improvements, from reinforcing roofing systems and exterior openings, to securing fences and porches. By taking precautions now, homeowners can save time, heartache and money if a hurricane hits the Pensacola area.
The ability to transform a vulnerable house into a strong and stunning home with personality is the renovator's dream. With loads of older homes ripe for the picking in the ‘Five Flags’ area, not to mention a unique climate that’s influential but manageable, the sunny Pensacola area is the perfect place to transform a tired dwelling into a residential masterpiece that will last for generations.

Get in touch with Refresh to discuss your home renovation project

If you would like to discuss home renovation options for your next remodeling project, please use the inquiry form on this page to provide us with your contact details. We will get in touch with you at a time that suits you to discuss your project. If you would like to provide us with more information about your project, we have a more comprehensive inquiry form on our "Get in touch" page too.