When you are considering a major home renovation, you want to make sure you choose the right contractor for the job. You want a good price, but you also want the work done correctly — you’re likely going to be looking at it for years to come, so you want to [...]
Gutter guards. Should you get them? We don’t think so. Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of this popular product and see why homeowners are attracted to it and why it’s not the miracle they are hoping for. Gutters need to be kept clean so that [...]
The first step in a successful home remodel is a plan. And not just any plan, either — a careful, well-thought-out plan yields the best results. A home exterior renovation is different from an interior one in many ways, but one key difference is motivation. You may grow tired of items piling up in [...]
Siding still provides a decent return on investment — one of only a few home improvements holding its own in a shaky market. Although the numbers are up and down, many projects have generally been bringing in a lower ROI in the last 10 years. In 2005, homeowners could expect an 86 percent ROI [...]
Did you know that not all stucco is equal? Finestone Stucco is much more equal than others. Stucco has been around for hundreds of years, and it likely will be around for hundreds more. It was originally made of lime, sand and water, but nowadays Portland cement is used in place of lime, in [...]
Stone exteriors are expensive. And why is that? Aren’t stones just sitting in the ground, waiting to be dug up and taken? Yes, but they are very heavy and require skill to install properly. No doubt about it — a pound of stone and a pound of vinyl siding are going to [...]
Your home’s siding is like your body’s skin — it covers and protects the important parts, but you still want it to look nice. Moisturizing and waxing aren’t the way to go with your siding, however. What should you do for your siding to keep it looking nice through the fall and [...]
Is your ranch house ho-hum? An exterior renovation may be what you need. Ranch homes — also sometimes called ramblers — are ubiquitous in the West, where the style was created in the 1920s. Some ranches are modern and gorgeous, but others can be real plain Janes. Since they are low to the ground with a streamlined style, some ranch houses can seem to fade into the landscape. Make [...]
Fall is a true test for your rain gutters and downspouts. If they’re not in good shape, you could have a real mess on your hands once the leaves (and the rain) start falling. Let’s take a look at what can go wrong with gutters, the damage that can result and what you can do [...]
When you are remodeling your home’s exterior, shutters are an important consideration that should not be merely an afterthought. Though they don’t cost nearly as much as siding or stonework, shutters can make or break a home’s look, so you must choose carefully. Shutters come in two basic types: wood or [...]