Collaborative post
Whether you are contemplating selling up or just want to improve your home’s appearance there are many options for exterior upgrades. A new look, cosmetic or structural, can substantially increase the kerb appeal and value of your property while enhancing your enjoyment of it.
Cover It
The front facade of your home has the potential to showcase the beauty and uniqueness of the property. External walls can be upgraded to rapidly change your house’s visual appearance and character, restoring it to period charm or transforming it to match contemporary trends.
There are many options for exterior finishes including render, brick slips, masonry paint, or stone, metal and timber cladding. Your property’s age, style and location will influence which of these options is most suitable and budget is always a consideration.
Whichever you choose it is possible to completely transform the look of your house or enhance existing features with a new exterior finish.
Open Up
Windows are not simply functional but an important part of the design aesthetic of your home. Introducing replacement windows can significantly alter the appearance of the property. You can reinstate sympathetic styles to a period home or create a statement with ultra-modern windows.
On their own replacement windows can create an impact but when combined with an overall refurbishment of the exterior of your home they can add a wow factor that will impress. Don’t forget to add a replacement front door to match your new windows for a full upgrade.
Drive Away
Functional and practical, driveways are often overlooked when considering upgrading the outside of your property. But a well-laid and modern driveway is important for many potential homebuyers and also adds significantly to the kerb appeal of a property. You should check whether your new driveway has to be SuDS compliant, allowing water to drain away, before beginning work.
Gravel drives have many benefits including being permeable, affordable and a deterrent to unwanted visitors as it crunches underfoot making a silent approach impossible. Block paving is hard-wearing and also provides a high-quality look to the exterior of your home. Block paving costs may be higher than gravel but when professionally laid it lasts for many years.
Give It Some Space
Improving the visual appearance of your home can be difficult if you’ve inherited a poorly placed extension or the proportions of the building are not aesthetically pleasing. The right way to tackle this is to engage the services of a qualified architect to help you improve the look of your home.
Depending on the size, location and style of the property you could extend outward or upward, subject of course to any planning requirements. A 1970s bungalow can be transformed into a stunning modern home by adding a well-designed loft conversion. Or you could improve the symmetry of a house by adding a ground floor extension or front porch.
Admire the Landscape
Your garden is an extension of your home so upgrading your outside space is the perfect way to enhance the whole property. If you are plant savvy you could do this yourself or if you prefer a professional touch you could hire a landscape gardener.
The garden should reflect the style of your home. So, a traditional country house will be complemented by a cottage-style garden while a modern, contemporary home may benefit from a more structured and architectural landscape design. Pay attention to the front garden as this is what is seen by visitors, passers-by and potential house buyers.