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April 28, 2022Easy & Inexpensive Ways to Transform Your Home Exterior
So your neighbor has told you your house doesn't have much "curb appeal", and you have decided to transform your home exterior. I am here to explain why you don't need a massive budget, to make a big impact, when making a home exterior renovation.
There are several ways to make exterior home upgrades that don't cost a bomb. Some are more labor-intensive than others, and some are more costly, but all of them will make a big difference to your home's "curb appeal".
1. THE PAINT JOB
The most obvious way of transforming the exterior of your home is with exterior paints.
There are several factors to think about when choosing exterior paints, so think carefully about these questions before making a purchase:
- Are you wanting to improve your home to sell it?
If this is the case, it is strongly advisable to choose neutral colors, as neutral colors are much more appealing to prospective buyers.
- Do you like bold contrasting colors?
That's great, me too! But as a voice of experience, a color that looks great on that little square on the tin, can be quite overpowering when you put it on a large expanse of wall. Tester pots are a fantastic way of getting a sneak preview of what a color will actually be like, once it's up.
- Are you going to do the work yourself?
If you are, remember this can be quite a labor-intensive process, old flaking paint needs to be removed before you start work, and care should be taken working at heights.
2. THE USE OF SHUTTERS
Shutters are another excellent way to transform your home's exterior. Whether they are old-style wooden farmhouse shutters or modern poly satin, they will add beauty and style to the exterior of your home.
Here are some pros and cons of adding shutters to the windows of your home.
Pros:
- They are quick to install.
- They look great.
- You can have your windows open to allow in air, whilst keeping your room shady and cool on a hot day.
- They are a fantastic security feature.
Cons:
- Well there is only one con really, and that is: they could easily take up your entire 1K budget, unless you are really nifty with the DIY, and can make them yourself out of wood.
3. BUILDING A PORCH
If you don't have one already, a porch is a lovely addition to the exterior of your home. It not only creates a modicum of privacy when you open your front door, but it also keeps your guests, or yourself, dry when it rains, or cool when it's sunny.
A beautiful, and cost-effective porch, can be built using mainly wood sourced at your local DIY store. The main thing to consider with this option is whether you have an adequate level of carpentry skills and whether you have the right tools. Tools can be expensive and can eat considerably into your budget if you have to start buying them.
Obviously, you need to check your planning regs before embarking on this option, but as long as you keep your structure primarily in wood, you can normally construct a porch without needing to make a planning application.
4. EXTERIOR TRELLISES AND CLIMBING PLANTS
This is a beautiful way to transform the exterior of your house. It can be achieved well within your budget, and is a relatively quick and easy transformation, even for the novice.
The trellis:
Trellises can be purchased relatively cheaply from most good DIY stores, or garden centers. Alternatively, you could think about making them yourself, with very little skill needed.
Care should be taken when fixing the trellis to your wall. If you use stainless steel screws and spacers, then normally a trellis can be lifted away in the future when you want to paint. This will cause very little damage to your wall, or the plant that you have loving trained up your trellis.
Which climbing plant?
You have a lot of options when it comes to climbing plants. You could go for something fast-growing like the Russian vine, which can sometimes grow so fast, that it will cover an entire wall in a season. Or you might prefer something slower growing, but with abundant flowers, such as Chinese wisteria, or passionflower. Alternatively, you could be attracted to a sweet-smelling plant, like rose, or jasmine.
Be wary of ivy, and other plants that will adhere to the brickwork of your house, and cause damage.
Plants need a lot of water for the first 2 or 3 seasons after planting.
Whatever climbing plants you choose, your local garden center will be able to give you good advice and will know what will grow best in your soil type.
5. PLANTING TREES
If you like the idea of screening your home and are lucky enough to have a garden of sufficient size, trees are a great way to go.
Some incredibly fast-growing evergreens would very quickly form a hedge and screen your house from view. The drawback of these is that they need constant trimming to avoid dying off, and they can make your front yard shady and damp.
A feature tree is a beautiful idea, and again your local garden center can help you choose the perfect ornamental tree for your climate, your garden, and your soil type.
2 points to remember when planting trees:
- As with climbing plants, young trees will need an off water for the first three years.
- You should beware of planting trees too close to your home, as roots can undermine your home's foundations.
THE TAKE-HOME:
As you can see there are some very interesting ways you can make exterior home upgrades, without it costing a fortune. With a few simple changes, you can make your home stand out from the others on your street.
It's worth remembering that, usually your local DIY store or garden center will have experts on hand to guide you if you get stuck.
I hope you've found this article informative, and I wish you luck with improving the "curb appeal" of your home.
At Century Bay Builders, you’ll find the experts that can help you create a stunning and unique space according to your taste, budget, and preferences.
Ready to start? Get in touch with us to start planning the home of your dreams.
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