Wednesday, November 6, 2013

How to Prepare For a Home Exterior Renovation - Part 1


Your house is how you represent yourself to your neighbors. A dilapidated and rotting house, or even one with just chipped paint and an unmowed lawn might give the people around you the wrong idea. Sure, we all get busy and let things slip through our fingers, but that is a fact that people don’t often consider when they look at your home. A damaged exterior doesn't just present a negative cosmetic effect on your home, but can also be the source of other bad things such as leaks (water or energy), pests, and falling property value. It is for these reasons, or perhaps others, that you might have found yourself seriously considering an exterior renovation to your property, whether it be just new siding and paint, or an entire exterior home makeover. Regardless of what type of project you’re planning, be sure to approach it in a practical manner by following some of the following tips:

Understand Your Neighborhood

Make sure that you understand the neighborhood that you live in. You can create an eyesore for years to come by making a number of mistakes- from overbuilding to picking the wrong paint color. While you always want your house to stand out, it should be because it looks exceptional, not because it looks out of place. If you live in a neighborhood that was primarily built with a modern aesthetic, don’t turn your house into a Victorian mansion or Southern plantation. Also keep in mind that people that would want to buy a house that is considerably bigger or fancier than what’s typically found in your neighborhood most likely aren’t shopping for houses in your neighborhood. This is also something that you should remember for interior renovations, as well. If you are unsure about the direction you are going with your renovation or remodel, don’t hesitate to talk to your neighbors, a realtor, or just take a drive around the neighborhood for ideas. Your contractor should be able to help you out with any decisions you’re unsure of as they’ve probably installed siding or redone a roof in your neighborhood (or at least a similar one) in the past. Don’t be afraid to listen to other’s input for your choices, especially if they work in the field.

Don’t Under Budget Your Renovation

Nothing can be worse than embarking on a cruise that only gets you halfway to your destination. To prevent an unfinished or shoddy remodel, be sure you can afford what it is that you want. While you can certainly juggle estimates and mix-and-match paints and parts, don’t end up with something that looks bad or unfinished. If you cannot afford the renovation that you want, give it some time. As long as your structure is not failing or costing you an absurd amount of money that a quick fix wouldn’t take care of, there’s no need to rush into something that won’t benefit your family in the long term. It is also important that you have clear quotes on all parts and labor from your contractors before you let any work begin. If for some reason you cannot afford the work being performed, you could damage your credit or end up with an angry contractor on your hands. Remember, a contractor has to go buy materials and find laborers for the job he is performing- both of which costs a lot of time and money. Not only is it bad for your credit to start a job you cannot afford, it’s bad karma as well. Also, don’t think that the job will necessarily end up being cheaper if you do it yourself. The price you’ll pay for the correct tools, materials, and possible code violations may surprise you (not to mention if you have to pay a contractor to come out and fix some of the mistakes you made).

Next time I will discuss some more things you should watch out for when preparing for an exterior renovation, so please check back soon!



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