Exterior Renovations

Thinking of upgrading the exterior of your home?

This is a great way to increase curb appeal and the value of your home.  Investing money back into your home with an upgrade like this will have the whole neighbourhood jealous. This gives you the opportunity to completely change the look and feel of your home plus it provides you with the opportunity to increase energy efficiency.   There are many choices to make when it comes to this project:

1. Landscaping - Good landscaping works with your home and contributes to keeping whats outside from coming inside.  What you do on the exterior of a house will affect its interior. 
One example would be planting a garden against your home's walls.  The trouble with this is the soil around your foundation walls is not as firmly packed as undisturbed soil. It has more airspace. So when you water your garden,the water goes straight to the foundation. This is never a good idea. If you want to avoid a leaky basement, keep gardens and large plants away from your home's walls.

2. Shingles - When it comes to the shingles of your home you will want to inspect the condition of them yearly. Having the proper shingles and maintenance can protect you from any unwanted roof leakage or damage from the different types of weather we face. Replacing them when their life span has reached its maximum is crucial to proper home maintenance.

3. Siding - Changing the siding is a great investment for your home. There are a couple different options to choose from with regular vinyl siding, concrete fibre board, engineered wood siding and stucco. Depending on the look you want, the budget and the type of maintenance you want will help in deciding as to which is right for your home. There are lots of features that can also enhanced your homes appeal with real stone or a prefabricated stone panel, columns, and lighting.  Adding proper exterior lighting to your home can also enhance the feel of your home to warm and cozy from dark and scary.
 
4. Windows and Doors - Whether you're going for the full exterior renovation or not this is the best time to change the windows and doors. This is also hands down a great investment and will increase the energy efficiency or your home.
Choosing between a double pane or triple pane window is an important factor in your efficiency.

-A double pane window is a better choice if budget is the largest factor as they are the best value upfront.
-A triple pane window will be a better choice if comfort is your biggest concern.  They are the most energy efficient and will enable your heating and cooling systems to work smarter and not harder.
Whichever path you choose you there will be an immediate benefit to your energy bill.