Although adding curb appeal to your home might seem like a costly endeavour, with a little planning and designer know-how, it is possible to save money on home renovations for your exterior. You can have it all with a cost-effective makeover that doesn’t compromise the quality and functionality needed to protect your home. Here we look at the best ways to save money on home renovations for your exterior to help you yield impressive results that increase your home’s enjoyment and value.
Love It Or Lose It: Consider The Overall Façade
Consider the elements of your overall façade. Decide what you love and what you hate. You might find there are a few things you can live with, reducing the items on your list that need upgrading, and thereby reducing the cost of your home exterior renovation. For example, if your windows are functionally in good condition, but you hate your siding or brickwork, you can replace your siding with a bold new colour, making your current windows less noticeable.
If you love your windows but feel your home looks outdated, you can add some simple detailing to accent your windows, such as shutters or stone veneer windowsills, to create more texture and interest.
Prioritize Your Wish List
If you find you have a lot of changes in mind, but can’t afford to do them all at once, consider prioritizing your wish list. We always recommend starting with either a) the items that are in ill repair and will cause costly issues down the road, or b) the items that will make the most visual impact. Although it’s always tempting to go with option B, it’s best to consider repairs over cosmetic updates. It is a wiser investment and, in many cases, will also create the visual impact you are looking for, killing two birds with one stone.
Some examples of important replacements include:
- Faulty siding that contributes to leaks and reduced energy efficiency/home comfort
- Faulty, rusted-out eavestroughs that contribute to water damage, impacting your roof structure all the way down to your foundation
- Masonry with cracks, missing bricks, damaged mortar, etc. that can contribute to water damage
- Old windows that leak or are not energy efficient
- Old soffits and fascia that contribute to water damage or pest infestation
- Old doors that are not energy efficient
All these repairs and upgrades will also improve your curb appeal.
However, if your home’s exterior is already sound, the items that would make the most visual impact include:
- Modern exterior wall finishes such as siding and masonry
- Windows with a new style and colour
- A stylish new entry door
Consider The Energy Savings
Exterior home renovations also contribute to energy efficiency, offering savings to help offset the costs. Weigh the potential energy savings against your exterior renovation investment to understand the financial benefits of exterior energy-efficient upgrades, including:
- Windows
- Entry, sliding glass, and garden doors
- Siding/masonry
- Soffit and fascia
Leverage Government Green Incentives
Boost your budget with the many government energy-efficient rebates, loans, and grants available. Programs cover exterior upgrades such as windows, doors, and improvements that make your home airtight, including:
- Ontario Energy Rebates: Up to $325 per window
- Canada Greener Homes Grant: Up to $250 per window
- Enbridge Home Efficiency Rebate Plus: Up to $325 per window and door
- City Of Toronto Home Energy Loan Program (HELP): Borrow up to $125,000 for energy-efficient upgrades
Consider Adding Accents
Accents can make a big difference to your home’s appearance. Some ideas include:
- Stone veneer: An emerging trend in exterior home renovations, stone accents are very popular. While real stone is very expensive, stone veneer offers a very affordable option that looks just as good and often better than real stone. Also known as cultured stone, this material is a manufactured alternative made by pouring coloured cement into a mould. The end product is lightweight, making it easier to install, also adding to your cost savings. It can be used in many ways, from accenting your garage to creating lovely detailing along your home’s foundation, and from accents on the upper corners of your home to windowsill detailing.
- Soffits and fascia: This often-overlooked exterior detail is located along the perimeter of your roofline and eavestroughs. It is essential to your roofing structure, playing an important role in your roof’s integrity and attic ventilation. However, these exterior elements are also visually impactful when upgraded. Available in 34 colours, you can coordinate your new installation to add contrast or create balance with a more unified look. Typically fascia is white, making it feel more functional than aesthetic. However, coloured fascia becomes an accent that brings the whole look of your exterior together.
- Entry Door: A new entry door has more impact than you might think. With the right colour and design, you create a stunning focal point for your home. You can complete the upgrade with affordable details such as smart new handles, a door knocker, a mailbox, new porch light, an urn, etc., to create a unique entry designed for striking first impressions.
- Eavestroughs: Another overlooked exterior feature, eavestroughs that are rusty, peeling, or just plain old white and boring, can take away from your home’s curb appeal. New T-Rex eavestroughs come in a variety of colours to coordinate with your exterior and your new soffits and fascia.
Modernize With Colour
We’ve mentioned several examples of home exterior features now available in a wide range of colours. You can replace all the outdated basic white elements of your home and modernize the look with a new, exciting colour makeover. Boring features you can upgrade with colour include:
- Soffits
- Fascia
- Eavestroughs
- Windows
- Brick
- Cultured stone
- Entry door
- Siding
For example, by simply installing colour-coordinated soffits, fascia and eavestroughs, your home has an instant makeover that creates a beautifully unified look. Replacement windows in modern black is another way to use colour as an upgrade.
Imagine the impact of a modern farmhouse makeover with striking board and batten white siding and black windows, or a contemporary charcoal siding paired with elegant sandstone cultured stone detailing. The colour combination possibilities are endless, allowing you to create a brand new look based on your budget.
Add Texture
Another cost-saving design tip is to find ways to add more texture. Some ideas include:
- Cultured stone accents
- Changing the direction of your horizontal siding to vertical board and batten
- Installing brick details laid in interesting patterns such as herringbone, pinwheel, Jack-on-Jack, etc.
How To Save Money On Home Renovations
The best way to save money on home renovations for your exterior is to set up a free consultation with exterior home renovation experts. At Weaver, we can consider your budget, assess your home, and come up with an impressive new look you’ll love.