Everyone wants great curb appeal for their home. For a sense of pride, increased resale value and the knowledge that your biggest investment is well protected.
There are several considerations to weigh when making the decision to move forward with this potentially large renovation.
1) How bad is the existing exterior. If the old siding, or stucco is in good shape maybe it just needs a good wash and/or a coat of paint. That and few finishing touches could make it look like new for a quarter of the cost of replacement. A new coat of paint won’t fix damaged or rotten siding and it will only put a new color on top of outdated profiles like 50s 12 inch siding or 60s stone stucco or 30 year old vinyl siding so you may want to replace it anyways even if it is solid.
2) Do you want to take advantage of an exterior renovation to replace the windows or fix up rotted structure or build an addition? The time to do those types of renovations is before you replace your siding. Those renovations often create a mess of your siding making it next to impossible to repair so it’s a great time to replace all of it.
3) Will you be able to recoup the renovation costs. This depends on several factors.
A) How bad is the existing exterior? If it’s in great shape now, then replacing it won’t gain you much but if it’s terrible and really needs to be done then you will often recoup most or all the cost.
B) How are the neighbors homes? If your home is the ugly ducking among swans then a large increase in resale is likely. It’s less so if you are surrounded by ugly ducklings.
C) Is the market rising or falling?
4) Should you upgrade the insulation. The R value of homes has been improving over the last century so the older the home the worse it will likely be. There are several ways to add insulation to an older home and one way is to add it under the new siding. You will benefit from the lower heating bills and a more comfortable home. The costs vary widely with the more insulation you add and can be very affordable or a significant expensive upgrade.
5) What kind of exterior materials should I use. While there are dozens of options in the market today, there are 3 or 4 common ones for Alberta. These options are popular because the materials are affordable, readily available and there are experts available to install them. Amount the siding choices, vinyl siding, Hardie siding or other composite sidings are common. Stucco is the 4th common option. They all have pros and cons and vary widely in price.
These and other considerations should be discussed with professionals that have the knowledge to guide you through your options and help you come to an informed decision. Professionals like designers or exterior renovation contractors can guide you through the dozens of decisions you will need to make. Reach out to A.C.T. Construction and Renovations if you would like to start the discussion.