Impression always lasts and although you’re not aiming for that when thinking about improving the facade of your house, you still want it to look good on the outside. Neat and organized, just right for your taste.
This demonstrates the need for curb appeal. It’s what makes passers-by and visitors stop, and give your house a second look. It’s what makes you want to go home. Just the sight of your home gives you comfort, away from stress. Plus, improving your home’s facade increases its selling value. No wonder exterior renovations and improvements are popular.
But before you hire a professional to do this and that, you have to know how much it’ll cost you first. Costs vary widely depending on whether it’s a simple repair or a full-out renovation. There may even be do-it-yourself projects that can save you money, instead of calling in the professionals. It’s important to know in which areas you can save at least.
This simple guide offers you valuable tips on how you can improve the exterior features of your home. It also includes how much each improvement can cost you. Hopefully, in the end, these tips can help you decide whether you’ll need a simple repair, a full renovation, or a quick DIY project.
Front Door Makeover
A front door makeover is a simple way to freshen up your home’s facade. You can either have it repainted or refinished.
If you want an entirely new look, you can replace it with a new door. According to the Home Owners Alliance UK, a front door replacement can cost from £650 to £3,250, depending on the material used. A custom-made door can be expensive at £3,250, while a composite door is at £1,875. Affordable options are oak doors at £1,250 and UPVC front door replacement at £650.
Cladding
But if you need a total facade makeover, you may opt for cladding. It’s currently a popular choice for homeowners because aside from adding aesthetics to a home, it makes the exterior weather resistant. It also increases insulation and reduces noise pollution.
Considering it’s a full makeover, expect to spend £3,500-£5,000 for cladding a 2-bedroom house. And since you’ll be spending more on this kind of improvement, consider the type of material you’ll use and the maintenance it requires in the long run. Modern cladding can be either made of glass, wood, fiber cement, UPVC, metal, or good old brick.
Rendering
If you want a cheaper option that offers the same quality and transformative results, go with rendering. Rendering can cost between £2,700-£5,400 for a 3-bedroom house. It can cover a wider area at a cheaper cost compared to cladding.
Aside from improving the facade of your home, a rendering products supplier can help your home become protected against weather elements and make your home’s exterior stronger because the render doesn’t crack. And if you use a colored render, there’s no need to paint your home’s exterior.
With rendering, you can also blend the old and new parts of your house. That way, there is uniformity in its facade. This is achieved through the application of rendering substances that can often contain synthetic resin, lime, cement, and sand. When combined, they can form a high-quality render that is used to cover the exterior walls of your house.
Painting
Like a front door makeover, painting is also a simple and affordable way to improve your home’s facade. You can treat this as a DIY project if you have the skills. You only have to spend on the paint.
But if you don’t know how to paint, best leave it to the professionals. Exterior painting is considerably cheaper than interior painting, mind you. This can cost between £850 to £1,500 for a 3-bedroom house. But if you live in London, you may have to pay more especially if there’s scaffolding needed for the job.
Roof Makeover
According to an article in Homify magazine, the cost of updating a roof can vary widely. It depends on what type of roof job you will pursue.
If your roof simply needs cleaning, you can invest in a pressure washer that can cost between £50 and £100. But if you want to replace sun-faded roof tiles, you will spend between £28 and £35 per square meter. It can become an expensive project if you decide to change the entire roof with costs ranging from £40 to £80 per square meter. If you do this though, you will be required to add insulation to the new installation and that can be added costs.
All these suggestions don’t require planning permission. You’ll need one if you’ll add an extension to the front of your house or use a different cladding to that extension. To be on the safe side, check with your local building regulations and control.
