West Bradenton.

West Bradenton is the older established side of the city, the stretch running out toward Palma Sola Bay and the causeway to the islands. The lots are generally larger than the ones closer to downtown, a lot of the streets have decades of mature oak and palm over them, and there is a good deal of canal and near water property mixed in among the ordinary block ranches.

Being closer to the water changes the specification more than people expect. Salt carries on the sea breeze well inland of the beach, so exterior hardware, fasteners, hinges, light fixtures and anything on the weather side of the house corrode faster here than they do a few miles east. On the near water homes we build outdoor work in stainless as a matter of course and we pay closer attention to flashing and trim detail, because this is where the exterior of a house is tested hardest. Inside, the work is the same familiar list: opening up a closed kitchen, rebuilding bathrooms, and replacing flooring that has had a long life.