One of the most transformative projects you can undertake for your home is exterior remodeling, and features like a new roof, new siding, and other updated features can greatly impact the overall appearance of your home, as well as its value.
If you own a home that’s more than a few decades old, it might be time to consider updating some of the features, or even fully renovating some aspects that have become worn past the point of usefulness.
For example, you might need to consider a new roof if yours is more than twenty years old, or it might be time to get new siding or a new coat of paint for your house. You may also need to consider updating the small features like the mailbox and the hardware around the door.
Improving your home’s “curb appeal” is a definite benefit of improving your home, but improving the functionality of your home and its value are also excellent benefits.
Modernize Carefully with Brand New Features
If you’ve decided to update your midcentury home with a contemporary look, it’s important to realize that you might need more than a simple coat of paint to accomplish the job. However, sometimes a coat of paint is all you’ll need. It simply depends on the age of your house and whether you’re looking at a drastic change or a bright and breezy update.
If you’re updating the roof and exterior of a particularly old home (perhaps fifty years or older), your contractor will need to work carefully to detect problems that may impact the remodeling schedule or require unanticipated changes. It’s not uncommon to find hidden rot or damage that’s remained hidden for decades.
Beyond the roof, siding, doors, and windows, here are the small features that will help you transform your house from old and tired to fresh and modern:
- New trim in a color like white
- Energy efficient windows in a modern style
- Updated gutters that aren’t crooked and dented
- New light fixtures and door hardware in modern designs
- A different style of shutters (or none at all)
Any feature on the exterior of your home that isn’t a major feature (roof, siding, windows) is something that you can change to add to the overall modernization of your house.
Updating Your Home’s Roof
Out of all the remodeling projects you may consider for modernizing your home, updating the roof is definitely one of the most impressive options at your disposal. You can paint your siding a different color or get new siding for a modest update or paint the exterior bricks a different color to make them appear more modern.
However, a completely different type of roof is an incredibly effective option for updating your home. For example, you might have a roof made of traditional shingles that’s similar to the roofs on millions of homes around the country. However, if you’re interested in modernizing your home, a steel roof or a slate roof could give you the update you need.
Simple Maintenance: Modernizing the “Easy” Features
You might have several major projects ahead of you, and planning the roof replacement, new siding, and other significant details with your contractor is only part of modernizing your home’s exterior. You might benefit from some simple, basic maintenance tasks that will improve even more the larger projects you’re also tackling.
For example, do you have some beautiful but leggy roses or bushes in the front lawn? After your contractor and his crew have completed their work, you might spend a weekend with some mulch and some trimmers to clean up the yard.
An interview and post on Houzz reveals:
“Small items such as flowers, new bark or edging and a new welcome mat are very quick and inexpensive ways to instantly add curb appeal.”
You can also paint the front door (if you aren’t already getting a new one), as well as place a few potted plants at the front door. To modernize the façade, it’s a good idea to choose shrubs or landscaping features that aren’t too complex and showy. Keep the greenery subtle and the colors neutral (such as gray, white, and beige).
Interested in Exterior Remodeling? Work with Gettum Associates
If you’re interested in updating the exterior of your home with new siding, a new roof, or any other modern feature, get in touch with us at Gettum Associates. We offer on-site consultations and will help you choose the best new roof for your house.
Need help choosing an exterior remodeling contractor you can trust? Download our FREE Contractor Hiring Guide! The insider secrets in this guide could save you $1,000’s on your next remodeling project!
