If your home’s exterior looks old and tired, it might be time to give it a facelift. Many homeowners underestimate the impact of their property’s façade and instead solely focus on the interior. However, if you’re considering selling your house, improving the outside will help increase its value and attract potential buyers.
Whether you need to make significant or minor changes to the front of your home, read on for five ideas that suit different budgets and requirements.
1) Fencing
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Fitting fencing frames your front garden and neatens the overall visual. Adding boundaries to your home exterior also heightens privacy. When choosing the fence, consider how the colour, material, and style will blend with your property’s aesthetic. For example, if you have a traditional home, a white picket fence would look charming, whereas iron garden railing would appear jarring.
If your fence becomes worn out or damaged, ensure you replace it as it can look dishevelled and off-putting to house viewers.
2) Lighting
Fitting exterior lights increases the safety of your home by preventing you from approaching the entrance in pitch black. If you use a sensory system, the light will turn on whenever someone is near and scare off any potential intruders. Safety is often a top priority for homebuyers.
As many viewers want to see the house at different times, you can also improve the appearance of your home’s façade at night with decorative lighting.
Here are some ideas for exterior lighting:
- highlight your walkway with path lights
- decorate trees with outdoor string lights
- fit floodlights above the garage to increase security
- showcase flowers with uplights
- install porch light by doorway
3) Timber cladding
Exterior cladding, which involves applying a component to the property’s structure, can dramatically transform the exterior of your home, especially if your current design is old-fashioned.
Timber is a popular surface material as the natural shades of wood create a modern yet rustic aesthetic. You can maintain the colour with a coating or let it evolve into a distinctive silver-grey tone over time.
International Timber, the UK’s leading importer and distributor of bespoke and sustainable timber, offer a range of high-quality timber cladding with superior thermal efficiency, durability, weather resistance and sustainability.
4) Windows
In a YouGov survey, 71% of homeowners believed having windows in good condition, without signs of rot or flaking paint, was the most important factor in improving kerb appeal.
Replace old window frames and opt for styles that will complement your home more. Incorporating window boxes or flower ledges will enhance the overall home exterior’s appearance.
Larger windows are often sought-after by potential buyers, as they bring in more natural light and connect the indoors to the outdoors. Don’t forget to keep the glass clean and create a nice view into your home from the outside.
5) Front door
If you don’t have the budget or time to entirely makeover your home’s exterior, you can still make a big difference by upgrading your front doorway.
Replace your door if it has visible signs of wear-and-tear with a modern and more secure option. Alternatively, repaint the existing door and install a new door frame. A previous study found blue, white, and red doors would add the most value to a home.
As well as this, you could update your porchway accessories, such as the:
- doormat
- house number sign
- door knocker
- letter plate
- door handle
Hanging baskets and wreaths are another great way to bring charm to your doorway. If you want to make a bigger change, build a porch to frame and provide shelter to the front door.
Before making these adjustments, consider the property’s original style and how it’ll appear next to your neighbours’ homes, so your updates don’t look out of place. Ensure you maintain the improved appearance by regularly decluttering, gardening, and cleaning the outside area.
