The sun and salt in Southwest Florida are at constant war with your home. And they are always winning. The job of a good contractor is to choose materials that put up the best, longest fight.
A client wanted a beautiful, rich, dark Ipe (Brazilian hardwood) deck. I love Ipe. It's gorgeous. But their home was right on the water, with full, blazing, all-day sun. I had to sit them down and have "The Talk."
I told them, "This deck can be the most beautiful thing you own, or it can be your second job." I explained that to keep that rich, dark look, they would need to sand and re-oil it twice a year. If they didn't? In six months, it would turn a silvery-gray and start to check (crack).
It's about managing expectations. They had to be honest about the lifestyle they actually live, not just the one they saw in a magazine. They ended up choosing a high-end, capped composite decking. It gave them 90% of the look, with 10% of the maintenance.
My professional recommendation: When choosing any material for the outside of your Florida home—decking, stone, paint, cabinets—your first question shouldn't be "How does it look?" It should be "What is the maintenance schedule?" Be realistic about your own tolerance for upkeep. In this climate, durability is the luxury.