Building to Meet Hurricane Codes
Good afternoon and happy Friday! Many of you have asked about how the HGTV Dream Home in the Florida Keys was designed and built to meet hurricane codes. Our friends over at sister site HGTVPro.com have the full story on building the home, including 31 very informative videos from the job site.
Watch the “Coastal Homes” video to hear HGTV house planner Jack Thomasson, architect Rick Wissmach and construction manager Mike Uhre discuss the techniques and materials used to make the HGTV Dream Home in Islamorada as strong as it is beautiful. For instance, there are concrete 16-inch diameter concrete piles going down seven feet into the ground.
Be sure to click on each of the tabs to the left of the player to explore all the videos for more on the home, including the backup generator, tankless hot water heater and even the tools used to build the home.
Finally, have you entered today for a chance to win the HGTV Dream Home in the Florida Keys? You can enter once a day, every day, but time is running out: the entry period ends Feb. 19.
MORE ABOUT HGTV DREAM HOME 2008
Enter the HGTV Dream Home Sweepstakes for a Chance to Win a Beach House in the Florida Keys
HGTV Dream Home Online Tour
HGTV Dream Home Giveaway Prizes »
HGTV Dream Home Giveaway Rules »
HGTV Dream Home Central »
Share Photos/Videos of the Florida Keys »
The Shore at Islamorada: Site of HGTV Dream Home 2008 »
This is truly my dream home. It would be a dream come true to win. I have been living in New Orleans my whole life and my family was back in New Orleans to rebuild immediately after the city allowed us to return. After being a Katrina victim I think we can outstand any hurricane. This home is so beautiful I don’t mind bearing through the hurricane season.
Have entered each day and would love to live in this wonderful home. Our two daughters live in the Ft. Pierce area so their families would be here with us a lot! We live in Washington State, on the Straits of Juan de Fuca, now but would trade our Pacific view for the Atlantic Ocean in a heartbeat. My son-in-law in Ft. Pierce pilots small planes.. once the marina area is developed will there be a place to tie up if he pontoons onto the Bay?
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We have put off buying a home in this area and now I know why. We have put up with our teensy rental and kept most of our belongings in storage just to be ready for the move to the HGTV 2008 Dream Home! Looking forward to meeting you March 16th!
I was in the keys once, and fell in love instantly…the laid back atmosphere, crystal blue oceans, and the beautiful sunsets made it hard to come all the way back to PA. I would drop everything to move into that house, and I would probably live there forever!
We have just returned to snowy, cold Iowa from our Florida vacation. Our trip to Islamorada and the tour of your Dream Home was fantastic!! What a beautiful site and home. I didn’t want to leave once I got there! So now this is my “dream home” to dream about until spring arrives! Thank you
Thank you for giving the public a chance at a beautiful home in a beautiful place. This is something many of us would only dream of. You give us the chance to win and make it a reality!
God Bless and Good Luck to us all.
I will be 47 this February, and I have many disablities including emphazema, diabetes, and stenosis of the spine. This would be a dream to own. Not only would the Florida air help my breathing, but the home is set up where my daughter and her small family could take care of me. I have had a lot of hard knocks in life but I have never been a quiter. Bridgett and Sadie my weiner dogs love the pic’s of the doggy dream house, and Tom and Kitty said they would love the Florida palms lol. I would have peace in knowing my grandson 8 months old would be raised in a good place. Thank you for the chances you give the public HGTV!!! I love your channel #1.
Prayers,
Kim
PS. We were thinking of leasing one floor as a bed and breakfast/inn. wow! So others could share relaxation, and make this affordable as well.
Islamorada translates to Island of Home. I am really looking forward to being home once more. I think it is great that there are so many people who can appreciate the utter beauty of the home and the location. I can’t imagine trying to win it to sell it off. This is truly a DREAM home. WOW! Spectacular job HGTV!!! I just would like to send each of you blessings and well wishes on this journey to the perfect home. May your hearts desires be fulfilled in the perfect time and place. Enjoy the thrill of it ALL!!! Best of luck!
I have been entering every single day and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS HOUSE! Winning would be an absolute dream come true for sure!
It would just be a blessing to win such an amazing home. I’m keeping my fingers crossed daily.
Good luck to everyone!
The Dream Home is fabulous, the view is gorgeous, a lot of people put a lot of effort into it. To the person who will win this home: please pray for the rest of us!
Hi- We drove through Islamorado on the way to Key West last May and thought the community just grand.
My house burned to the ground at 5 a.m. on March and I was lucky (thanks to my guardian angels)to escape with the fire in the ceiling above my bed (said the Fire Marshall).I have not had a permanent home since.
Thanks HGTV for offering such a beautiful sweepstakes and I shall continue to try daily.
Sincerely,
Gaterial Messman
HI, Thank you for answering my question about the Hurricane safety. I followed the links to HGTVpro and found the extra bites and codes section. It didn’t load up, but if Fl has added to their building code, it must be safe.
I still would rather be in an earthquake than a hurricane however. IIRC Andrew was in 1993, the same year I had flown to Mount Dora FL from CA to meet my brand new grand baby. I think Andrew was the hurricane that hit while I was there, but I could be wrong. My boyfriend a building inspector remained in CA and was giving me blow by blow weather reports from CA on the hurricane situation. Those reports were far worse then the ones I was watching on the local Florida stations.
I am not from the Bay area, so the Bay area bridge was not a concern for me, but I was living in Orange County back in 71 when the overpass fell on the I-5 freeway.
My daughter says the sunsets in the Keys are spectacular and the photos she sent to me from her and her husbands trip there in 90 showed purple skies and lots of orange sunsets.
Thanks again,
Lynne
Everytime I enter, I have to take a tour of this house. This is a DREAM HOUSE!! My wife, son and I would love to win this and retire here. I hope that I win!!
I watch most of your HGTV shows and love all of them. I wish I could be as creative as Monica Pedersen, Jack Thomasson, Rich Brown, Juan Diago as well as Linda Woodrum and all the others. The things you all do for people are amazing and I hope you never stop having such a positive impact with so many lives.
I am 25 and have never won anything my whole life. I wish I would be able to live in a house half the size of that dream house, but it seems like that wish is drifting farther away. I pray that I can win just this one time because this house is a dream house and if I won it truly would be a dream comes true.
Thank You
For giving me a chance
Good Luck to all
Tara
How could the average person afford to accept this prize?! They would have to come up with the tax for their winning a 2.2 million dollar prize??? I have entered several times and then as I thought about it–how could I pay the tax on the prize? Even if it was put up for sale so you could actually receive anything positive for winning this home, How many buyers are there for a home like this?! This could very well be a sad and devastating ending to a happy dream home “winner”.
Growing up almost dirt poor in the Piedmont section of NC, somehow my mom and dad would squeeze out enough cash to go to Myrtle Beach for a few days each summer. This was usually accomplished by sharing the costs with my mom’s sisters and I remember these times as the very best of my childhood. My mother passed away when I was 15 and life rapidly went downhill, but every time I think I can’t deal with things life throws my way, I seek refuge by the shore. Finding a pretty shell is like discovering the greatest treasure and surrounded by all the beauty I am reminded of all my blessings and just how rich I am, without a dime.
Everyday I find I have to stop by the HGTV 2008 Dream Home just to drool on the furniture, figuratively speaking, one more time. With two daughters living on the Florida Coast and my husband and myself on the Washington Coast I can dream of being nearer to their homes and to my gorgeous granddaughters who are just at the age to begin their own families. Thank you, HGTV, for making these first retirement months so fun for us!
If I were to win I wouldnt even give a passing thought about if I could afford it. I would sell, invest the money for 5-7 years aggressivly and actually persue my dream of buying a large chunk of land as part of a preserve and running a horse camp with vacation cabins with a old west town theme some where near a national park. Would have Buffalo and Gyspy Vanners as an income producer as well. Ahhh it is fun to dream, it is also hard to let go of them when it is over too! It will all be over in about a week.
In addition and most importantly our debts would be paid and we wouldn’t have to work ourselves to death just get by. Thats a DREAM!
THE CHANCE TO WIN THIS BEAUTIFUL HOME HAS BEEN A FANTASTIC MOTIVATOR FOR ME.IAM RETIRED AND NEED A CHANGE IN MY LIFE AND THIS PROMOTION HAS PROVIDED JUST THAT WHICH WOULD BE AN EXCITING PLACE TO LIVE OUT MY LIFE IN THIS BEAUTIFUL DREAM HOME WITH MY WIFE OF 44 YEARS.THANKS FOR THE CHANCE HGTV…
It’s nice to dream. We look forward to seeing who the lucky winner is. The house is beautiful and regardless of our financial stature would be a great reward. My wife and I visit the area every year to fish and have fun and usually stay at the Cheeca. The potter’s village down the street from the house has been the source of many wall treats in our Fishtalesinn. Good luck to all of you who take the time to dream.
I saw this house on the website on the 31st of December and my heart and thoughts went straight to my husband. This is his one dream, to own a house on the beach. Although I love the house, I know that winning this house would be the best gift I could ever receive, because I would relish every moment of watching him enjoy this place. He is just ga ga over this house. He absolutely loves the beach. It’s his passion. I almost lost him June of 07 in an accident and all I can think of is how much he means to me and our son and how I would love nothing more than to give him his one heart’s desire. It’s in my prayers and in God’s hands.
Thanks HGTV for the possibility.
Hi, I just want to say thank you for building the new Dream Home in the Florida Keys. Last year when you asked us to give you ideas of where to build the next dream home I emailed in and said Key West or the Keys, I feel very privileged that you picked that area. Thank you for giving us a chance to Dream!! Also, I love your HGTV.com website, it contains lots of useful information. We are remodeling my mothers house and we have used a lot of great ideas and products from your website.
I love this home. Right now the weather outside is sleet and freezing rain. I pulled up this dream home and thought please god , my husband and two children would love this. This home would be a great blessing for anyone that wins.
I love to take a tour of the HGTV dream home.It would be so nice to win this home.Thank you HGTV for giving me the chance to at least dream of winnig this house.like in the movie cinerlla sometime dreams will come true.And for one of you lucky people, it will.Good luck to everyone. thank you rich
I have had so many dreams about being in this home. It makes me teary eyed just thinking about it! I hope whoever wins will be as grateful for it as I would if I were the lucky winner. I love that HGTV is helping so many people by building these dream homes, not only the families that they award them to,but their heirs, friends, and people who know them. What a story of hope, and answered prayers!
Keep giving us something to dream about HGTV!
hey everybody,
i was a regular on last years blog, about the clues as to where the 08 home was gonna be built, i see katydid is still on, when i heard it was in florida, i declined on entering because of those horrible hurricanes, then i went and viewed the house on-line, simply breath taking, i just had to enter, i’ll move anyday to that huge piece of art, 3 words “SIMPLY THE BEST” 5 more “BETTER THAN ALL THE REST” Have a HAPPY VALENTINES to ALL OF YOU, Lisa Barnard…
It is getting really close to my heart. May the best one win!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love it like we all do. I keep my fingers crossed for the luck of the draw. I WISH, HOPE, & PRAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And DREAMIN!!!
Thank you HGTV and all the sponsors for this dream of a lifetime, a chance for living in Islamorada, Florida. I am a 67 years old single mom, with 3 grown-up kids and 4 grandchildren and we are all excited and willing to relocate to Florida Keys if we win this fabulous house. Goodluck to all contestants and more power to HGTV!
I watch HGTV all the time. The house is amazing. I’ve been telling my kids for years that our house was being built and it’s almost done. We would talk about all the beautiful rooms it would have and how happy we would all be. (I believe in seeing the vision before you receive it.) And I see my family in that house!!lol. I see me in that jeep and I see my husband and the kids fishing! It would truly be a dream come true to have that house. I’ve never won anything in my life but I know my luck is going to change this year!
Yes – a very informative video on the stucture of this beautiful Dream Home! I have been to the Keys 3 times in my life, the most recent trip was last July with my husband (his first time). What a beautiful and peaceful drive it is. It feels like you are driving on water sometimes on the long narrow sealevel bridges connecting the islands! The Keys are definetely a place we will return someday to explore some of the “hidden” beauty. We have always dreamed of having a home on the beach somewhere warm and beautiful and I told my husband the other day that our dream is going to be our next major goal in our lives (after the goal of delivering our first child in September!). Someday we will live on the beach
!!
Thanks fcole for your blogs… it seems like “just yesterday” I was obsessed with the 2007 Colorado Dream Home and now here I am, daily checking in with you in the Florida Keys!! Ahhh… it’s so much fun to DREAM thanks to HGTV and the generous sponsors.
The Florida Keys are simply beautiful.We lived there on Big Pine Key for 14 years.It was the biggest mistake we made when we decieded to sell.We are now in Az.high dessert and you want to talk about a culture shock.All of our family is back on the east coast Two of our children are in the Florida Keys. One in Key Largo and the other in Tavanier.We are hoping to move back as soon as we can.I would really like to be back there to watch my grandchilden grow up. The dream house that you built is just beautiful,and I will continute to watch HGTV to see the lucky person who wins that spactacular dream home.I really love the show.I have gotten so many great tips and great ideas. Well good luck to everyone who has entered for a chance to win. You will love the Keys.
I have a question regarding the taxes due on the home and prizes. In past years, I thought there was a cash award that could help pay the taxes on the prize. Am I correct that there is no cash with the home this year? If so, when would the taxes be due and how could the winner afford to pay them?
Thanks,
Linda
I am a single mom of two boys, one 11 and one 13.
I have never been able to afford to own my own home, matter of fact no one in my family has ever owned their own home. Our family has always rented. My dream is to finally own my own home and know I will have a place that I can call my own and raise my two boys, and never have to move again. We have moved and lived several places, because it is hard, being a single mother of two boys. Well concidering my 13 year old son is 6 ft 2in now and continually growing. He is in love with Basketball and plans on being an NBA star, so with all the basketball games and practices that as well is quite expensive. No one in my family has ever been able to afford to give the kids they are raising a chance to start living out their dream. I on the other hand will go broke to give both of my children a chance to practice and live try and make their life what they wish for and trust me I am going broke doing so. As I see it someone has got to brake this curse of bad luck in our family. So I ahve not done it yet, but I am hoping bringing my kids up in a Christian based home and giving them the opportunities to succeed will help them succeed in life, where most in our family has not. I enter this giveaway most everyday and winning something like this would change the course of my whole families lives, for once and for all. Do I think I will win? I always try and stay positive, but with the odds of my family and winning. I highly dought it. My boys say we have a curse on our family, I always tell them someday you never know it might just turn around for us and let them know if you don’t play you can not win. I always try and keep positive thought running through their head, because staying positive is the only way you can beat the odds.
I would like to congradulate the winners in advance. HGTV I love you programs and will always continue to watch and enter. Thank You for making such a great channel.
HGTV thanks for the dream home giveaway and thanks for your great network and programming. I am so glad I don’t have to live without it.
Does anyone know if I accidently enter twice in a day if I will be totally disqualified or just the second entry will be disqualified? I can’t remember if I registered today so I am conserned.
Hey everyone…the secret door in the bathroom is the toilet:)
I have been an HGTV junkie since its inception…not sure if anyone remembers how small the company actual was, but I still have the address and 800 phone number they listed for contacting them! (Yes, I tried the number out of curiousity and it is no longer in service)
The house is utterly amazing! My normal style is vintage or antique, and this would include colors. I prefer a muted palette…I just like old things and wouldn’t think of bringing anything new into my home, but for some reason the Dream Home speaks to me, and it really did surprise me. I really do like everything about it, including the bright colors.
Kudos to the design team and everyone involved. It truly is a work of art. (How clever to have interchangeable slipcovers…I really love that!)
Just dreaming about being the winner is pretty cool! Good Luck to all!
Good evening,
I’m tickled with all your guesses what hidden treasures may be behind the French Door across from the M.Shower. If you go to links for still photos of each DH room you will find the treasure that awaits would be the Master Porcelain Throne. Now you may want turn your treasure hunt to the standard door in the Master walk-in closet with the settee front of it. A Surprise for the blessed winner or is part of the mechanical brains that efficiently run Albright. I will look forward to seeing how what sleuths you are.
Blessing to the winner!!!!
Is it me or are half the people commenting here just INSANE? Give me a break, HGTV doesn’t owe anyone a thing. This is a sweepstakes, it is FREE (yea, yea I know taxes and all that). I would be so thrilled to win. If you are worried about tsunamies or hurricanes or don’t like the style of the house or the location, neighbors etc…DON’T ENTER! That gives me an even better chance to win.
FCOLE; I am curious about how they merge the online entries with the ones they get in the mail and how the winner is chosen.
THANKS HGTV FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME!
You guys really have out done yourself this time. I have to admit I’d never entered any of the dreamhouse giveaways before, because they were not “my” dream home. At 46 it blew me away when you took the time to do the little things like somewhere to tie your flies. I really appreciate all your sponsors & HGTV for giving folks like my wife & I such an enjoyable time entering & watching. I’m fortunate in my dreams that I live in the south & have a beautiful wife & family, like everyone else that home, that beach, Key West, it’d be great to share with the world. Thanks again & God Bless!-Jay in Alabama
This home is just great and that can’t be put in words, the view well, sorta like heaven, you just can’t place a price tag on it, it goes beyond that, congrats to all who played a rule in this fantastic development of this home / CONGRATS and continue this situation in the next venue…
Oh yes thank you for the great view / AWESOME..
Questions and Comments on HGTV’s BLOGS
Reference: HGTV Dream Hurricane House
It is paradise down there.
HURRICANE PROOF, sure is…………! cough…
A window will blow OUT during a hurricane if the MPH are high enough.
Why worry yourselves on something that will never be a dream.. UNLESS YOU ARE THE WINNER:-)
“Did you Win”?
On the master floor, i did not see a toilet. Is there a toilet in the master bath?
Being a customer home builders daughter (my father now has passed on) this is one of the best houses that I have seen hgtv build. I went to the keys a couple of years ago and fell in love with it. I live in Texas in the hill country.. you just can’t replace the ocean. If I were to win.. I would go down for a two week vacation with my family and then turn around sell it and give the monies to charities.. call me crazy.. but there are so many people that need our help. Great job HGTV
Hi! i just want to say that anyone that see s that house will dream is theirs,who would not like to win a house like this beautiful house,just I hope that someone that really need s it could win it,I’m sorry but I think has to be someone no rich because they can afore a house.
thank you for let us give a opinion and for the opportunity for someone to win the dream house.
I absolutely love this eye candy on so many levels!!! The team of Thomasson, Brown, Diago along with the special touches and elegant simplicity of Woodrum and Pedersen deserves an award! The architecture/layout and pragmatic green solutions to coastal living along with decor,elegance,simplicity,low maintenance and the stunning location are truly a dream!
As a midwesterner I have taken probably more than half of my vacations on the southern Florida coastlines even as a single and now with my family with the hope of someday moving here permenantly. This house speaks to me/us with it’s wonderful views and serenity of the ocean as an extension of the layout and decor within. The detail to fun, such as the little fishing post in the garage is not to be missed, even down to the cabinet/drawer handles. Or the doggie outpost…what fun! Love, love, love the tower and master balcony for early morning breakfast…aahhh it is a dream house and how I wish that it was mine!!! Keep up the wonderful work HGTV as you are a source of inspiration to many. Thank you. Anna
What are the costs involved and how much, to the winner of the Dream Home Sweepstakes? Cost to live in it, taxes, insurance etc.
This house is almost too cool; I liked last year’s log house better. The pastel blue and white throughout reminds me too much of Minnesota winters. The view is colossal though–what a glorious spot!
Patrice
This home is beautiful!! Just what I would expect from HGTV! I LOVE the living room with it’s corral color scheme! I just wish that HGTV would build a dream home that someone could actually afford to keep. It is so sad that none of the winners have gotten to keep the homes. If I were to win I would LOVE to keep the house but there is no way I could afford the taxes. How sad. Couldn’t we have a $500,000 dream home instead of a 2million $ dream home…a $500,000 house would be a dream home to me any day!!
Thanks for the lovely ideas though.
R