‘How often should I remodel my home exterior?’ This is a question our clients often ask us when considering elements of their home exterior. It tends to come up when a specific element of the home needs replacement, such as old wood siding or windows that lack energy efficiency. However, the answer to this question really depends on your desires and the condition of your exterior. Here, we look at how often you should remodel your home exterior from a design perspective, with tips to make your exterior remodel project successful and affordable.
How often should I remodel my home exterior?
Exterior home remodeling is often driven by deteriorating materials, reduced energy efficiency, and home design trends. Strictly speaking, if you look at a home where all the exterior details and materials are the same age, you’ll likely feel the need to remodel every 20 years or so. However, this answer is far too general because every home is different, with different materials, different installation times, and, of course, a different sense of aesthetics.
Therefore, your desire to remodel your home’s exterior is likely driven by one of these factors, whether it’s the look, damage, or lack of energy efficiency that gets you thinking something needs to change.
How long should different exterior home remodel projects last before needing to be updated or upgraded?
This question is easier to answer as it considers the life span of specific materials. A well-maintained home can expect to see exterior home remodel projects last as follows:
Windows
Windows start to deteriorate as they reach the 15-year mark, with parts such as seals, argon gas, and laminate finishes starting to fail. In most cases, windows will require replacement when they reach 20 years.
Siding
Siding also depends on the materials:
- Vinyl: Every 10-20 years
- Fibre cement: Every 50 years
- Aluminum: Every 20-40 years
- Wood: Every 20-40 years (note you’ll have to sand and repaint wood siding every 2 to 5 years)
Eavestroughs
The typical galvanized steel and aluminum eavestroughs seen on most homes need replacement every 20 years, while vinyl can last 50 years or longer.
Soffits and fascia
Soffits and fascia are part of your roofing system supporting your eavestroughs. In this case, you should look for signs of damage, as the timing for replacement can vary drastically. Signs of damage include:
- Rotting wood
- Mould, algae, or fungus growth
- Chipped, peeling paint
- Sagging
- Loose or missing boards
- Cracks
Brickwork
Properly installed brickwork can last upwards of 80 years. However, a faulty roofing and eavestrough system can cause brick damage, which can accelerate deterioration.
Entry doors
A high-quality door should last at least 30 years but could show signs it is no longer energy efficient as early as 20 years in.
What exterior elements of a home tend to be timeless?
Timeless exteriors tend to focus on classic architectural details and materials that aren’t too specific in colour, texture, installation method, or style. Here are some examples of timeless exterior elements:
- Brick: When you consider a brick home, brick façades tend to have a classic, timeless appeal that stands the test of time. However, if you choose a brick that is too specific, such as the modern, edgy slate bricks you see on many newly built homes today, chances are your home will start to feel outdated within a decade compared to a basic red brick, sand, or light gray façade.
- Siding: Siding is also timeless, but again, you must consider the colour and installation method to keep the home from becoming too trendy. In this case, the dark siding in blacks and slate gray is more at risk of becoming dated compared to mid-tones and neutrals that will continue to hold their appeal. Some people might also feel the modern white farmhouse look with black windows is already dated. This look often looks out of place in suburban housing divisions built between the 60s and 90s, compared to a home in a more mature neighbourhood with distinct home designs or on a larger plot of land.
- White frames and trim: Sticking with white window frames, eavestroughs, soffits, fascia and other trim details will tend to have a more timeless look compared to deeper colours, something too specific such as red, or materials such as copper.
What types of home design style trends are likely to be short-lived?
The problem with jumping on the style trend bandwagon for exterior designs is that they cost a lot of money to replace. When you choose trendy styles for your interior, you can focus on more affordable updates such as paint colours and furniture and invest in a makeover every 10 years or so. With your exterior, it’s not quite as simple, so you need to make choices that will have more staying power. Your exterior choices are also out there for the world to see, so it’s not something you can hide.
Some design style trends that are at risk of falling out of favour before their time might include:
- The white modern farmhouse with black windows
- Dark, moody exteriors with black/slate brick or siding
- Faux unfinished cedar siding (and most likely actual unfinished cedar siding)
- Over-the-top Cape Cod designs
- The “millennial mansion” popular for teardown/rebuilds in mature neighbourhoods with smaller homes
- The latest contemporary styles, such as neo-mid-century, neo-colonial, or neo-anything really
The trick is to embrace exterior home remodel ideas that have a sense of history and heritage suited to the neighbourhood and architectural style of the home. Trying to make a house into something it is not, is like “putting lipstick on a pig”. It just looks awkward and out of place. You want to invest in durable materials that last both from an aging and curb appeal perspective. By focusing on the architectural influences of the home, you can create a more timeless look.
If you are ready for an exterior home remodel, click here to request a free quote from the experts at Weaver Exterior Remodeling.