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Curb Appeal Matters Now More Than Ever
The Capital ‘C’ and ‘A’ in Exterior Remodeling Success
The 2008 Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report shows that curb appeal yields the greatest return for homeowners. Even when today’s market suggests limiting spending, the opposite may be true when it comes to adding curb appeal to your remodel. Plus, there’s the added satisfaction you’ll get from living with a beautiful new look. Consider these top Return On Investment (ROI) remodeling projects in the coming year:
Deck Additions
Fact: Composite Deck Additions Recouped 110.1% and Wood Deck Additions Recouped 118.1% in San Francisco.*
Given the Bay Area climate, deck remodels are the exterior investment champions. If strategically designed and planned, decks expand the living area and enhance the livability of your home. Placing the deck at floor level and extending the deck view through large windows and/or doors transforms the outside area of your property into a seamless part of your interior space. This is indoor-outdoor living at its best. You and your guests will now enjoy fully the natural environment and built aesthetics of your home.
Siding Replacement
“On a national level ... all types of siding replacements—upscale fiber cement, midrange vinyl, and upscale foam-backed vinyl—returned more than 92 percent of project costs upon resale. Of these, the most profitable project was upscale fiber cement siding, which recouped 112.8 percent of costs.”*
Siding, an important consideration in your remodel, is available in a wide range of materials from fiber cement to stone and from brick to foam-backed vinyl. Cement fiber siding has emerged as the material of choice and stands as the current ROI star. Given its proven durability, style adaptability, and green qualities, the use of cement fiber siding in exterior remodeling has grown significantly in recent years. If the popular fiber cement doesn’t work for you, today’s market offers plenty of siding choices.
Shingles support the weathered romance of the Cape Cod aesthetic. Large panel siding (4′ by 8′) amplifies a minimalist look. Material and application methods help to complete the desired result. When painted, traditional-style siding and shingles look like wood. Format panels painted with high gloss create a modern metallic effect while flat paint creates a smooth plaster appearance. Green product lines are also growing, adding environmental impact to the homeowner’s list of purchasing considerations.
Window Replacement
“All types of window replacements—upscale and midrange wood and upscale and midscale vinyl—returned more than 76 percent of costs.”*
Windows should match the style of your home to achieve optimal curb appeal. You can select decorative mullions, single- or double-hung, casement, or sliders that move the sash horizontally. Modern windows also have built-in coatings that reduce heat transfer and glare, so you can remove old-fashioned awnings, ultimately brightening the interior of your home.
If your window frames are in good shape, you might want to consider a sash-only replacement. In this case, both window sashes are replaced with energy-efficient double-pane glass. The sash is wood or wood-clad. The hardware is modern. Just imagine: no more bang and clang from sash weights! The windows will look new, be more energy efficient, and amount to about half the cost of full window replacements.
Exterior Lifts and Expert Planning
Good planning leads to cost savings. With the right professionals, you should not over spend on materials, labor, or time. Scheduling and coordinating tasks is a critical part of the overall plan and a key cost-saving factor. One reason? Setting up the job site is expensive.
Scaffolding, for example, costs $9,000 on average for each installation. Once it’s up, make sure you don’t have to do it again. You can save hundreds of dollars, even thousands, if your exterior plan completes as many projects as possible at one time. What you save can go back into the project budget or cover some of your second-tier priorities—new windows, exterior paint, roof repairs, or solar panels.
Four elements comprise an effective remodeling plan:
- Strategic Design
- Complete Scope of Work
- Project Budget
Project Timeline
Your professional team should be a close partner, helping you to realize your vision for the exterior of your home and strengthen its most important impression—the first one.
Our Top Ten Tips for a Successful Exterior Renovation
- Conduct a survey of your entire house and create a complete project list, large and small.
- Choose a building contractor who will help you prioritize the work based on your budget and the ROI.
- Use a design professional—design-build contractor, architect, or interior designer to reap the full economic and aesthetic advantages of good design.
- Ensure that the building contractor provides a project plan that you approve of before the work begins.
- Ensure that the plan groups projects in logical order to achieve maximum savings.
- Make all of your design decisions and material selections before the project begins.
- Avoid “Project Creep”—adding items after the project starts.
- Get all needed permits and approvals prior to project groundbreaking.
- Choose green products if possible.
Talk to an active realtor in your area. They know what buyers want, need, and
expect.
©2008 Hanley Wood, LLC. Reproduced by permission. Complete city data from the Remodeling 2008-09 Cost vs. Value Report can be downloaded free at www.costvsvalue.com.