For most modern and traditional homes, the exterior of the property is sometimes more crucial than the interiors. Renovating and revamping the cladding, windows, doors, paint, roofing, garden, balconies, or terraces help increase the saleability, looks, and value of your house. Most people stop the exterior renovation by giving it a lick of new paint or by adding cladding. While this may seem like a temporary solution, it is not always a permanent one.
While most property owners feel the exterior should maintain its practicality and serve its purpose, it is essential to have it looking good too. While considering this, think of historic homes with beautiful eye-catching exteriors, stone walls, and turreted castles. Now bring to mind old post-war houses, properties with peeling paint and chipped walls and cladding, broken and ruined windows, and discoloured doors.
You would not want your property to look off-putting to you, your family members, loved ones, friends, strangers, or potential buyers. Renovating the exterior of the house is as critical as maintaining the interior.
We are here to help you with a few tips to renovate the outside of your property in London.
Replace the Roof:
In bungalows, townhouses, and stand-alone properties, the roof is a very predominant feature. Replacing the roof falls under some of the permitted planning development rights, so you do not need special permission to replace the roof. You can alter the entire appearance, just the tiles, or the whole exterior roofing. While it is not an easy job, it is slightly expensive and labour intensive. It’s also a great time to add aluminium guttering while you’re at it.
If you plan to strip the roof tiles entirely, you could consider adding extra insulation. Rooflights to loft rooms will also get covered while you change the roof without incurring an added cost. When you are replacing the roof, keep in mind the entire outlook of the exterior façade. If the outside is contemporary, do not add a traditional looking roof, as it can spoil the appearance of the property. You could consider getting professional assistance from City and Urban Scaffolding Essex to provide necessary safety precautions while completing the roofing.
Replace the Windows:
Most people do not give a lot of thought to the appearance of their windows and only pay attention to the utility aspect. The windows actually add beauty and elegance to the property. They can alter the entire look and feel of the exterior façade and can be changed quite easily to give a new look. You can modify the size and shape of the windows to allow additional sunlight or wind, without getting special permission from the urban planning department.
If you are renovating the outside of a period property, you should take special care to find windows and panes that match the authenticity of the entire exterior. If you don’t have a traditional setting, you could opt for contemporary makeovers and add large window openings with narrow frame profiles and horizontal emphasis.
Add an Extension:
Changing the shape of the exterior can create a massive impact on updating and improving the entire outside of the property. Adding an extension can increase space while creating the look of a new property. You can add a porch, bay windows, a large single or double-storey extension to the front of the property, loft extension, or you could add a new featured chimney. Many extensions are cost-effective, but adding a new storey will cost a lot more than usual.
Rear, side, and front extensions are included in permitted development in England, so you only need to worry about the design aspects. While designing the extension, ensure you keep in mind the theme of the property and stay in line with the aesthetics.
Landscape the Garden:
People don’t always realize the change that a well-manicured lawn and a landscaped garden can bring to a property. Imagine a beautiful property but with a derelict garden. That’s how off-putting a bad garden can become. Planting schemes, professionally done-up gardens, decorative lighting, and added water features can change the entire outlook of the outside of the property. It does not cost much to maintain a garden and can add breath-taking beauty.
A period home or property can have an encaustic path, a walkway made from reclaimed bricks, dividers made from reclaimed wood, and so much more. You can easily have the walls repainted and rendered to fit the overall scheme of the property. Adding new plants, trees, shrubs, flowering beds, vegetable patches, and a grille can also change the outside of the property and make it seem brand new.