If you’re looking to make improvements to your home, consider switching things around and starting with the outside. After all, some of the most important infrastructure regarding your safety and security is on the outside, and given that this is the first part of your property that people see, it makes sense to prioritise it from an aesthetic perspective.
Many people are put off tackling the exterior, however, and it’s easy to see why. It seems much easier to work on things one room at a time, whereas outside, you’ve got the elements to contend with, less scope for DIY, and the issue of much of what you need to get to being out of reach.
If you’re struggling to know where to start, this article is for you. Below, you’ll find If you’re looking to make improvements to your home, consider switching things around and starting with the outside. After all, some of the most important infrastructure regarding your safety and security is on the outside, and given that this is the first part of your property that people see, it makes sense to prioritise it from an aesthetic perspective.
Many people are put off tackling the exterior, however, and it’s easy to see why. It seems much easier to work on things one room at a time, whereas outside, you’ve got the elements to contend with, less scope for DIY, and the issue of much of what you need to get to being out of reach.
If you’re struggling to know where to start, this article is for you. Below, you’ll find four of the best upgrades and services for ensuring that your home looks as good as new.
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1. Roof Cleaning and Repair
With matters of the exterior, it’s usually best to start from the top – and that means taking a look at the roof.
The roof is one of the most important structural components of your home, and it matters a great deal for how it looks overall, too. That said, it’s well out of the way, and to get a good view of what’s going on up there, you’re going to have to get on a ladder and take a peek.
Given the danger involved, it’s best to call a professional to come and perform a thorough inspection once per year. They may advise replacing some tiles, point out a leak that needs fixing, or recommend protective coatings. They might even suggest replacing the roof entirely if it’s found to be significantly degraded due to age, and while this is a big investment, it’ll be well worth it.
Most commonly, they’ll simply recommend that some new gutter guards be installed, which is easy and affordable.
2. Wall Soft Washing
Wall soft washing is the process of using low-pressure cleaning with carefully balanced solutions to remove dirt and grime. While it’s possible to pressure wash your walls, soft washing clears dirt while protecting the delicate surfaces of high-quality renders and thin paint. The process also treats the exterior surface, preventing algae and other forms of plant life from growing there and presenting as an unsightly green colour.
You’ll be surprised at the extent to which soft washing can transform a home, but it makes sense. When you consider that your walls cover the greatest surface area, it’s no wonder that bringing them back to life with a good wash offers such a profound improvement to your property.
3. Re-Rendering or Painting Your Walls
If your walls have degraded significantly – whereby the plaster is bursting or all the paint is peeling off – you’ll likely be much better off having them painted or re-rendered.
Rendering is generally more expensive than painting as it involves adding fresh material to the wall, but it can be truly transformative if done by skilled hands. Painting can look great, too, and if the degradation is mostly on the surface, this may look just as nice. If you own a red-brick home, many people in your position go for a half-and-half approach, whereby the bottom half of the home has the bricks visible while the top half is rendered or painted. You can also have your bricks re-pointed for a fresher look if you decide to go this route.
4. Updating Your Doors and Windows
Your doors and windows cover an extensive part of the outside of your home, and they matter a lot for how the place looks as well as for sustainability and safety.
Where appearances are concerned, you can use them to accent the base colour of the walls: if your walls are painted in a more muted colour, they could be coloured in something bolder to contrast them.
Wooden doors and windows can be stripped and repainted, and you can also take the hardware off and polish it.
If your fittings are PVC and very old, it’s often best to replace them entirely with modern fittings. Today’s designs are more secure and have a considerably better energy efficiency rating.
Wrapping Up
This article has by no means detailed everything involved with upgrading and improving your home’s exterior, but you’ll be a big part of the way there if you cover the points above. Take things one step at a time and be methodical in your approach, and you’ll have a stunning-looking home in no time.
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