A home makeover is generally a very fulfilling project for a homeowner, especially when it’s done correctly and cost-effectively.
As in the case for most large and pricey undertakings, the best way to maximize the benefit of time, human, and material resources in a home makeover project is to be clear about what you want from the very beginning all the way up to the very end of the endeavor. You might begin by asking yourself: Why are you doing the makeover? Is it because the house needs repair and renovation, anyway? Are you hoping to improve the house’s curb appeal and get a good price on a sale? Are you redoing an old house you just bought or rented to suit your personal taste? Or do you just want to make some changes and improvements to your own home because you have new and exciting home concepts for your own living space?
Never overlooked: The home’s roof is the most important feature to attend to when doing an exterior makeover
If you can be clear in your own mind about the motivation and goals of the project, it would now be a good idea to be equally clear about all this with your building contractor and roofer so they don’t bother to hard sell you costly features and materials that you don’t really want. Knowing exactly what you want in the makeover work will also help you determine how much of the existing structure you need to replace, and how much of it, you can just build over or build around.
What’s on top matters
Many exterior home makeover jobs involve work or renovation of the roof. This is mainly because the roof is always the most critical feature of any home as it proverbially defines a domicile. Having somewhere to live is often described as “having a roof over one’s head” as the roof is the main structure that protects people from the elements, whether the heat of the sun or precipitation. It is also the principal home structure that prevents the loss of home heat during colder parts of the year. For this reason, it is helpful to engage a good roofer early on in the planning stage of the makeover project and discuss what needs to be done or what you want to be done.
Everyone loves a DIY man; but this is certainly not the way to go when doing a home exterior makeover, especially on your roof.
At the same time, any renovation work done on the house needs to be protected from future damage by ensuring that the home’s roof is sound and sturdy. This is an important consideration for the protection of all other features, whether in the exterior walls, interior walls, floors, ceilings, windows, or even just finishing. Failure to attend to this could result in even more expensive when other parts of the house become damaged by precipitation, especially in the winter. An experienced roofer would quickly spot potential problems in your roof, whether they are the result of wear and tear, or are intrinsic to the original design of the structure. After all, roofing technology advances over the years, just as technology in any other industry does.
A close inspection of an existing roof by a good and fastidious roofer could reveal insidious problems such as mold and rot already underway, even if there were no conspicuous signs to alert the occupants of the home for several years. It goes without saying that remediation of these unseen problems would be the more urgent concern of your roofer than attaining a new or aesthetically appealing look. These issues should, of course, be of concern to the homeowner as well because he is left holding the bag at the end.
Internal damage to a roof might conceal other problems such as leaks, breaches in the insulation, or gaps that result in drafts or loss of heated air in the winter. This might not be a fatal issue, but it does translate to increased expenditure in energy which jacks up your utility bills and increases the total carbon footprint of your home. This is another important consideration to take up with your roofer.
A home makeover may often entail repair and refurbishing of vital features such as roofing.
Weighing the options
A certified and highly experienced roofer such as Universal Roofing and Exteriors should be able to present you with a range of choices in materials, designs, and overall concept. When planning an exterior makeover for aesthetic reasons, this is an important step that you should devote a lot of time and discernment to because it is often difficult to turn around if you change your mind when the work is already underway.
Start out right: Discussing your ideas with your roofer may be the best first step in planning a home makeover
Would you want to settle for a plain steel sheet roof? Or do you prefer the more classic look provided by shingles or tiles? Shingles can be as simple as asphalt composite, which doesn’t cost too much, or you might want to invest a bit more in wood shake shingles, especially if you have a high-pitched roof. You may also want to go for a high-end slate tile roof, or even approximate the appearance of one with the various faux slate tiles available in the industry. A well-established roofer such as Central Indiana’s Universal Roofing and Exteriors would have no problem sourcing a wide range of available materials and finishes to provide the particular look you may be after in your home exterior makeover. You must bear in mind, however, that cost cutting at the onset does not necessarily result in less total expenditure in the end.
A frank and straightforward discussion with your roofer will also allow you to explore upgrades or improvements to your present roofing. This may be in the form of better gutters, flashing, and downspouts, or even modern features that prevent the formation of ice dams during winter. Your roofer should also be able to attend to fix-ups or improvements on your chimneys, skylights, gabled windows, and other interesting features you might want on your roof.
Seeing the big picture
A home exterior makeover is surely not a task that you want to do nonchalantly, navigating through critical decisions by the seat of your pants. It is surely a project that has to be carefully planned at the very onset and then executed as planned. If you make it all up as you go along, you are likely to end up with something that you’re not really sure you like and will be surprised at how much over your budget you went with the entire project. Your best bet is to sit down with your roofer and discuss what you have in mind, what the possibilities are, and what it would take to make it all possible, long before you sign any checks.
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Author Bio:
Rob Yeary is the Owner of Universal Roofing. He grew up in Indianapolis. After graduating from North Central High School, he played baseball at Butler University. He has five children and currently lives in Carmel.
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