Disaster Home to Dream Home: An Exclusive Interview With Cori Bosco

Introducing Cori Bosco, a former educator turned influential figure whose journey into the digital realm began with a DIY home renovation turned tumultuous home disaster. Known as "EastCoastFloridaDIY" across social media platforms, Cori has become a prominent voice in the realm of home renovation and design, particularly on TikTok (@eastcoastdiy). Despite her background in teaching, Cori's path veered unexpectedly towards online influence, driven by a unique combination of passion and circumstance.

Today, we get a quick look into Cori's story, from initially sharing glimpses of her kitchen to ascending as a sought-after collaborator in the renovation sphere. It was the unanticipated challenge of her first house flooding that propelled her into social media stardom, captivating audiences with her authenticity, genuinity, and resilience. From modest beginnings to navigating unforeseen obstacles, Cori's narrative exemplifies the transformative power of adversity, inspiring countless others along the way.

Without further ado, let’s get into this Q&A!

1. What were you doing before you became an influencer? 

I taught gym for 8 years - both of my parents were teachers and I taught at the same school that they did. I had 2 kids going to the same school where I taught so we had the same schedules which made it easy.  

2. What was the first video you ever made, and what was the first video that went viral?

I started with content creation in May/June of 2020. My daughters were into the dancing side of it, and I quickly realized there was a realm of tik tok that wasn't just dancing - I started to see videos of houses and DIY projects. We had just moved into our home on the water and started to do renovations, so my daughters encouraged me to post something.  

My first tik tok was of our kitchen, I pointed the camera over to our built in ice maker and then panned to the view in our backyard. People started commenting and asking questions, and I would answer their questions with videos. I very quickly got hooked into posting, and showing little by little my DIY projects. 6 months later I got my first paid collaboration opportunity with Home Depot, I agreed to it, and they provided all of the materials!  

It was at this time that my husband found out he was getting deployed, and that he would be gone for a year. He normally helped me with renovations, but encouraged me to do this one on my own. I decided to start a series DIY-ing one room at a time while he was away. 

3. Have you always been into DIY projects? How did you learn to do all of those renovations? 

Prior to tiktok, my husband and I had been flipping houses together for a few years. He would do the majority of the work and I would do the smaller details, the “pretty stuff.” After watching him do the projects I didn't know how to do for a few years, I picked up on the processes - this was quite a learning experience. I like to tell people to “start small and learn as you go.”

I went through a lot of trial and error, and was held accountable by my followers because they were excited and impatient to see the finished product! By continuing to post and gain a following, I picked up a lot of brand deals and learned the ins and outs of social media.  

4. Tell me about what happened with your first home.

To preface, when we first bought our house it was a fixer upper built in the 70’s. We were told that during one of the prior hurricanes water had gotten in, so we knew it was a possibility. I spent the entirety of his deployment renovating. 

To watch the whole home renovation, check out this TikTok from Cori’s page that has 63 million views and 6.3 million likes: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTLbMXwto/ 

At this point, Cori’s husband was still deployed and would be returning home in less than a month!

Her husband returned home on Valentine's Day. 

Then, in September, hurricane Ian hit. 

My husband works for the sheriff's department on the emergency team, and while he was at work, I stayed home to make sure nothing happened - we had also raised our sea wall 12 inches during COVID to hopefully prevent any water getting in in case of a hurricane.

I remember standing there as the hurricane was coming from the west side and watching the waves go over the sea wall. It was 9 pm when the waves started hitting the sliding glass door. I left around then to go stay somewhere else. I had a friend that lived not too far away from the house and went by for me to get some pics. Once I saw the pictures, I knew we were screwed; it looked like there was 4 feet of water in and around the house at one point. 

If it was fresh water, we may have been able to save it, at least some of it, but it wasn't. As soon as salt water touches your stuff, it’s ruined. We were in complete disbelief. Once we got everything cleaned up, we had to figure out what to do, but three weeks later, hurricane Nicole hit. It reflooded everything, even the pool popped up and was raised three feet out of the ground. We ended up tearing the house down, and sat idle for a full year planning and waiting for the city to approve everything.

We stayed at a rental house while we were rebuilding, and made plans for the new house to make sure this hopefully never happened again. It was our dream property from the beginning so we really wanted to keep it and rebuild on it. The new house is 4 feet higher, and the pool is on the second floor so if it floods again it should only hit the garage. 

Cori’s journey reached new heights of recognition in March of 2022 when she snagged a spot on the renowned Drew Barrymore show, showcasing the widespread appeal and impact of her content. 

Drew Saw her tiktok and her producer reached out to her to be on the show. At the time it was during COVID, and they weren’t doing interviews in person, so it was all via zoom. 

“Cori saved the video of his big reaction to show Drew! Teacher turned TikTok sensation Cori Bosco (@eastcoastdiy) joins Drew to talk about working on an insane home-makeover surprise for her husband  while he was deployed overseas. She documented the whole thing on TikTok and now has over five million followers.”

Watch the interview here: https://www.thedrewbarrymoreshow.com/videos/viral-tiktoker-cori-bosco-shares-military-husbands-reaction-to-surprise-home-reno-drews-news

5. What’s next for eastcoastfloridaDIY? 

In terms of the house, we’re hoping to have bare minimum done by the end of june/July 2024. I’ll be sharing all of that content along the way, as well as after. I’ll also be doing “how-to’s” when the house is completely done. Right before the hurricane’s hit we had just bought two flip houses, so we will be working on those as well. I try to just be true to myself, and if it doesn't work out, I can always go back to teaching!  

Cori’s journey from educator to influential home renovation and design figure is a testament to the power of passion, resilience, and adaptability. Through her online platform, Cori has not only shared her own experiences but has also inspired a community of followers to embrace creativity and overcome challenges in their own lives. As we reflect on her story, it's evident that Cori's impact extends far beyond the realm of social media, serving as hope and empowerment for all those who are hesitant to pursue their dreams. With her determination and commitment to authenticity, Cori continues to leave a mark on the digital landscape, shaping the future of home renovation and design one project at a time.

Some recent projects Cori has finished!

Follow Cori on Social Media!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eastcoastfloridadiy/?hl=en 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eastcoastdiy?lang=en 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EastCoastDIY27 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/EastCoastFloridaDIY/61559652111972/?mibextid=LQQJ4d  

Federal Brace is and continues to be a hub for influencers, DIYers, designers, architects, contractors, and more.

A big thank you to Cori Bosco for sitting down with us and sharing her story. We are inspired by her perseverance and ability to turn a bad situation into a positive one!