When most homeowners consider exterior home remodeling it is usually for the purpose of enhancing the looks, repairing worn out siding, or adding to the value of the home. Before you start on your exterior home remodeling project, here are some things to think about.
Besides enhancing the looks of the exterior of your home, another reason for considering exterior home remodeling is to reduce the overhead costs associated with owning or living in a home. Especially in areas of the country which experience extreme weather conditions such as very cold winters or very hot and muggy summers, reducing energy costs should be a top priority. A great deal of energy passes through the walls of a house, therefore exterior home remodeling should involve the decision regarding not only an appropriate quality and thickness of siding material but also the proper amount and quality of insulation to keep the cold air out in the winter time and the cool air in during the hot summer months. If the siding of a house is of inferior quality or the siding of a house is not properly or sufficiently insulated, a lot of energy will be lost and the energy costs will obviously increase.
Vinyl siding has become extremely popular to those involved in exterior home remodeling because of what it adds to the looks of the house and because of its low maintenance and long lasting qualities. If you intend on doing the exterior home remodeling yourself, you can expect to pay about $1.00 a square foot for vinyl siding in contrast to 7.00 per square foot if done by a professional. Replacing the siding is the best place to start an exterior home remodeling job because experts predict a return on investment to be around 88%. The overall cost will run somewhere between $3,000-$12,000 depending on how big of a job it is and who ends up doing the majority of the work. When it comes to home improvement, particularly exterior home remodeling, a lot can be accomplished both decoratively and in terms of the overall reduction of energy costs.
Fiber cement siding is another option for improving the outside looks of your home and reducing energy costs. Because it is more complicated to install, fiber cement siding is obviously going to be more expensive overall. For a typical home in Boston, for example, experts say that fiber cement siding will cost approximately $9500 in contrast to $7600 for vinyl siding. However, the advantage to fiber cement siding is that it is thicker and provides more insulation against extreme temperatures.
When going down your list of exterior home remodeling projects, keep in mind that the replacement of windows can have the same effect on the looks and reduction in energy costs that replacing the siding of a house can have. Windows can greatly improve the look of a room and the outside of a house. Old single pane and loose fitting windows should be changed for tight fitting insulated windows which drastically reduce the amount of energy that is lost through old windows. The beginning price for a good window will be around $450. So for a home with 10 windows the exterior home remodeling project for the windows will cost $4,500. This is a very good price for window replacement and will add significant value to your home and give you a return on investment of over 80%. Obviously, you can always buy more expensive windows depending on the size of your budget. But whatever you spend will be a great investment.
When planning your next exterior home remodeling project, don't forget the significance of what your exterior doors do to enhance the curb appeal of your home as well as reducing the energy costs. During extreme weather conditions such as very hot and cold temperatures, the inside temperature of your door can be very comfortable while the other side can be very cold or blistering hot. Exterior doors are one of the most used parts of your house and are used numerous times during the course of a day. Therefore, it is important to be sure that the door is of the quality and fit to significantly reduce the energy costs and to add value to your home because of enhanced curb appeal.
A new exterior paint job is probably the quickest and least expensive way of improving the curb appeal of your house and has the highest return on investment percentage. A good exterior paint will cost about $40-$50 a gallon. An average 2000 square foot home will use around 10 gallons of paint so the overall cost to paint the outside of your house will only be around $500. On a tight exterior home remodeling budget, a good ole paint might be the way to go. Unfortunately, however, painting the outside or your home will do nothing to reduce the energy costs. Painting the outside of your house is something that can wait until you decide to sell your home to give it the greatest curb appeal to a prospective buyer. A new fresh paint job always leaves a good impression!
The condition of your roof is always a primary concern when considering where to place your priorities with your exterior home remodeling projects. Because of the importance of a sound roof to the well-being of the total house structure, an old roof will be a concern to any potential home buyer or someone considering buying your home if you choose to sell. A leaky roof can cause water damage to many other parts of the house such as the walls, floors, and even the foundation, and cause other problems such as mold and insect infestation. If the roof is a problem, it is probably wise to put whatever available money you have into its repair to avoid many other costly repairs later. Also, a good quality roof will do a lot of keep the energy costs down.
written by Dr. Martin