Are you considering renovating your home? The exterior of your house is one of the top areas you should focus on. This is one of the most conspicuous parts of your property; thus, upgrading it can significantly enhance your home’s curb appeal. In addition, the improved appearance can also help add value to your home. According to a study by Michigan State University, a good curb appeal can help increase your property’s value by 5 to 11%.
But exterior upgrades can also offer more benefits besides a better curb appeal. For example, they can help you create enjoyable living spaces for your family. Additionally, they can increase the safety and security of your home, add extra space, reduce maintenance needs, etc. Below are tips on how to renovate the outside of a house, which will allow you to enjoy these and many other benefits.
Give the Roof a Makeover
Updating the roof is one of the best ideas on how to renovate the outside of a house. The roof is essential to your home’s exterior, especially where curb appeal is corned. It also serves a critical functional role – protecting your home from the elements and insulation. Therefore, quality roofing can have a significant impact on the functionality and aesthetics of your home.
If you want to renovate your roof, you can conduct repairs and restorations, install upgrades, or completely replace the roof. For repairs and restorations, you can hire a roofing contractor to fix your roof if it’s still in perfect condition. Some of the top repairs you can make include fixing leaks, replacing damaged shingles, cleaning gutters, replacing insulation, recoating and repainting, replacing the flashing, etc.
You can also renovate your home’s exterior by adding upgrades to your roof. Some top roof upgrades include adding a skylight, ventilation, water shielding, installing or changing gutters, etc. Installing solar shingles or panels is another excellent idea for upgrading your roof.
Lastly, replacing your roof can help spruce up your home’s exterior. A roof replacement may be necessary if your current roof is old and worn out or has suffered extensive damage, for example, after a storm. Roof replacements are expensive and thus require a substantial financial commitment. However, they also have a high return on investment and can increase your home’s value by up to 107%.
Update the Windows and the Front Door
Sprucing up the front door and windows is another one of the top ways on how to renovate the outside of a house. The condition of your windows and front door can reveal much about your home. But asides from the aesthetics, they also have several functional roles, such as keeping intruders at bay, letting in light to your home, and allowing airflow. Therefore, updating them will help improve your house’s exterior and interior.
If your windows look worn out, there are a few renovation ideas that can help refresh them. For example, you can paint or replace window frames, add decorative grills, or install shutters and blinders. You can also replace your windows, boosting your home’s curb appeal. New windows can also offer more natural light and improved energy efficiency.
Many front door renovation ideas can help spruce up your home’s exterior. For example, you can repaint it, which can help significantly improve your entranceway’s appearance. Additionally, you can install new door hinges, knobs, knockers, locks, and other hardware. Lastly, you can replace the front door, which can be a good idea if worn out or badly damaged.
Paint the Exteriors
Exterior painting is another top idea on how to renovate the outside of a house. It’s one of the quickest ways to transform your home, making it appear more elegant. But, on top of improving the curb appeal, painting also helps to protect your home against the elements, moisture, insects, mould, dust, etc. Additionally, painting your home is a simple and inexpensive way to hide any flaws in your exterior walls.
One of the best exterior painting ideas is to touch up the paint on all surfaces, offering maximum aesthetic appeal. However, this can also be expensive – according to This Old Home, the average cost of exterior painting is $5,200 but can be as high as $12,000. Therefore, to reduce costs, you can do partial painting, for example, an accent wall, doors, window frames, flashing, etc.
Of course, when it comes to painting, you’ll have to decide whether DIY or hire a painting contractor. While you can paint by yourself, hiring professional exterior painting services can make the process faster and easier. Contractors can also deliver a higher-quality paint job, ensuring a better appearance of your home.
Install or Update Your Patio
Patios are another top idea when looking to renovate your exteriors. They are aesthetically pleasing, making them a great way to improve the appearance of your home. They also help to extend your living space and can be excellent areas to spend time with your family or even host guests for parties. According to HomeLight, patios are also a perfect way of adding value to your property and can have an ROI of up to 109%.
If you want to install a new patio, you can choose from various materials such as concrete, stone, granite, brick, tiles, porcelain veneers, pavers, loose gravel, and more. You can also improve the look and feel of the patio by adding some planters, furniture, lighting fixtures, an entertainment system, etc.
You can also spruce up your old patio by giving it a makeover. For example, you can restore the pristine condition of your patio material by power washing, painting, applying a new coating, fixing cracks, etc. You can also renovate your patio by installing new features like an outdoor kitchen or firepit.
Install or Update the Siding
Another idea on how to renovate the outside of a house is to install new siding or update the existing one. Sidings are a simple and inexpensive way of improving your home’s curb appeal. They are also durable and can withstand exposure to elements, moisture, dust, etc. Therefore, hiring a siding contractor for new siding can offer you a long-lasting solution to your home’s appearance.
However, the benefits of siding installation go beyond aesthetics. A new siding can help protect your wall from damage by the elements, insects, moisture, mold, etc. Siding also reduces the maintenance costs of your home – you don’t have to worry about a new paint job every other few years.
You can choose from several materials when installing or replacing siding. Top options include fiber cement, wood, composite wood, stucco, stone veneer, aluminum, and vinyl siding. Each of these sidings also comes with various colors and design shapes, giving you more options for decorating your home.
You can also spruce up your siding – if you already have one installed on your home. Top ideas include power washing it to remove accumulated dirt and dust. You can also hire a local siding contractor to restore the siding by applying a fresh coating or painting it. Lastly, you can replace your siding, which can still be an affordable option – according to Angi, new siding costs between $5,500 and 17,300.
Renovate Your Garage’s Exterior
An exterior garage makeover is another excellent idea on how to renovate the outside of a house. In many homes, garages are located in conspicuous locations. Therefore, how the garage looks from the outside can heavily influence the appearance of your home.
When renovating your home’s exterior, one of the top garage makeover ideas is sprucing up the garage door. You can do this by power washing it, giving it a new coat of paint, painting the trims, or adding new garage door hardware. Alternatively, you can replace your old garage door with a new one, significantly boosting your home’s appearance.
Besides the garage door, you can also spruce up the exterior of your garage by painting the garage columns and adjacent walls. Alternatively, you can give them a new look by installing siding. Some top siding options include stone veneer, metal, wood, brick, vinyl, etc.
You can find many more creative exterior garage upgrade ideas to help your home’s exterior look more elegant. For example, you can install new light fixtures around your garage, which can help accent it at night. You can also planters around your garage, which can help to enhance the visual appeal of your home.
Upgrade Your Landscaping
If you’re looking for more ideas on how to renovate the outside of a house, you should try landscaping. For many homeowners, landscaping is one of the top ways to improve the appearance of their homes. Landscaping services are also affordable while also having a high return on investment. Therefore, landscaping can increase your property’s value while making your house look more elegant.
You can choose from many landscape designs and ideas when renovating your exteriors. One of the top ideas is to plant and maintain a lawn. This is one of the easiest ways to give your yard a makeover. Additionally, a well-kept lawn provides a relaxing play area for your family and pets.
Besides a lawn, another top landscaping idea is to plant trees and shrubs around your property. Trees can add beauty to your home, improving its curb appeal. They also help enhance air quality by releasing oxygen and filtering carbon dioxide, dirt, dust, and other pollutants. Additionally, trees are money, and they can add value to your home. And the best part is that they don’t take much to maintain – you can easily care for them yourself or hire local tree services, which are very affordable.
Outdoor lighting is another excellent landscape idea that you can use to renovate your exteriors. It can accent various landscape features around your property, making them appear more elegant. At night, landscape lighting can make your home appear livelier and more inviting while adding a layer of safety and security.
Revamp the Driveway
The driveway is one of the top areas to focus on when looking for how to renovate the outside of a house. It’s one of the first elements of your home that visitors will see. Therefore, installing a shiny new driveway can help make a great first impression. A well-kept driveway also helps to add character to your property and can make your outdoors look cleaner and tidier, improving curb appeal.
You can choose from several driveway designs and ideas when renovating your home’s exterior. Top options include concrete, asphalt, pavers, gravel, crushed concrete, and turf driveways. You can also improve the appearance of your new driveway by adding borders, installing driveway lighting, or putting up a decorative mailbox.
If you already have a driveway installed, you can spruce it up in several ways, making it look new again. One of the top ideas is to hire pressure washing services, which can help eliminate accumulated dirt, dust, and grime. You can also repaint, refinish, or, in the case of an asphalt driveway, apply a coating or sealant.
Install or Update Your Fence
A fence plays a pivotal role in the curb appearance of your home. Depending on your fence’s condition, it can give a positive or negative first impression. But apart from aesthetics, a fence helps to keep your home secure and private. And if you have kids or pets, a good fence can help protect them from dangers outside your property. Therefore, if you want more ideas on how to renovate the outside of a house, fence upgrades are another top idea you can consider.
You can use many fence ideas to give your exterior a makeover. If you don’t have a fence or the current one is worn down, installing a new one is an excellent place to start. Some of the top fencing options you can choose from include wood, metal, chain link, vinyl, concrete, or stone fence. You can even plant a live fence, for example, bamboo, and cider trees.
If you already have a fence on your property, you can give it a fresh look with a few creative ideas. For example, painting your metal or wood fence can instantly improve its appearance and make your home look more elegant. You can also give your fence a facelift by installing light fixtures, planting trees along the border, or installing a vertical garden.
You can find many ideas on how to renovate the outside of a house. The above are some of the top exterior renovation tips that can help improve your home’s appearance. They can also offer many more benefits, such as improved comfort, functionality, safety, and security. They can also be a great way to improve your home’s value if you want to sell.
