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How to improve the front of this house? Not keen on the tiles!

19 July, 2016

I'm really stuck on where we would start to improve the front of this house? We're going to extend out the back etc. and make it look nice inside. However, it's the outside I'm not keen on? All suggestions welcome...

Comments (8)

PRO
McCann Moore Architects
Render over the brick, change the style and colour of the windows - Maybe floor to ceiling on the RHS window and loose the curved window.

Clad the dormer in cedar or zinc. T

These are relatively straightforward changes, but will have a dramatic effect on the appearance of the house.

I have attached a before and after of one of our projects (we have extended as well but im sure you will appreciate the difference)
19 July, 2016
twamleyk
Oh my God, what that person said (McCann Moore) - amazing transformation!
19 July, 2016
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I would concentrate on the dormer windows, initially. I don't think the roofs of either are attractive, they both look mean and 'tight'. The brown cladding at the sides is wrong - it should be lead, painted timber to match the window frames or slate to match the roof. (Please don't use UPVC cladding!) Getting the detail right can be very effective. This is a new dormer bungalow I designed in a 1930s style, albeit in different materials. The dormer windows have flat lead roofs with big overhangs and moulded timber fascia. The flat roof dormer is probably more authentic to the house, but any style and detail has been lost when it has been re-roofed. A similar porch might work also well on your house. Although, if you go for flat-roofed dormers, you could do a great flat canopy porch with a hint of art deco style. The window arrangement in the central gable is very odd, too. But this may actually be improved by adding a porch. (Porches can often spoil a house, but the reverse might apply here) The garden is also very bleak. Some planting near the house, and even some climbers would make all the difference. The staining on the brickwork is strange, but I can't see enough detail. I would only repoint if the mortar is actually failing, as it can make a mess - get a professional to look at it, and make sure it is done well, with a lime-sand-cement mix. It won't make much difference to the appearance of the house. Simply cleaning off the worst of the staining might help - maybe with wire brushes - go carefully at first to make sure you're not damaging the bricks. The windows are not great, but could be a lot worse. If they are functionally okay, it may be good to keep them, and see how they look when some other details are changed. Depends on your budget.
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Good afternoon everyone! We are blown away by the amazing response we have had from this community, thank you everyone for your feedback. We are especially grateful to Jonathan for his valuable feedback.. the idea is genius and makes so much sense! Thank you so much Jonathan for taking out the time to help us! I have never seen my husband so impressed by an idea so much!! I have attached a couple more photos showing view of the garage from the front of the house along with the entrance gate itself into the property. I have also attached a copy of our floor plan. We would really appreciate your thoughts on what we could to with the garage and front exterior in terms of: Garage walls - What do you think about the brick work? Worth keeping, or should we clad? Garage roof - We currently have an unsightly metal sheet. We don’t want to fully rebuild but we’ve seen light weight roofing for garages which look like tiling. Any suggestions or thoughts on this? Front exterior - We’re looking to improve kerb appeal of the house from the front, any ideas welcome (cladding, paint, stone work?) Windows - these are the original single pane windows which unfortunately come with poor insulation. Any thoughts on what to do for those? Further to the front patio suggestion, is it worth installing an entrance which leads straight into the kitchen through the current ‘Study’? See floor plan. (We are planning to extend the current kitchen by a further 2.5m towards the rear garden). Any ideas, suggestions and comments will be really appreciated, thank you for your help!
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I’m just coming to the end of renovating a 1960s bungalow and I’ve gone for render and cedar cladding. It’s generated a lot of attention from people passing but and personally is a style that I think works so well with 1960s/1970s properties.
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Carole Wood
That is a very impressive redesign, however I'm guessing this may be a semi. in which case the neighbours may not be too pleased if you change their window. If so any improvements must take into account that it is one of a pair. As a semi owner we worked with our neighbours on the front of our houses - not always easy but great if you can.
19 July, 2016
Heidi Lloyd

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Just a few ideas for you......

Personally, I like your brickwork but agree with you on the tiles.

Cladding to replace the tiles on the dormer window, anthracite windows and matching front door, fascias and guttering. Finished off with a new driveway, garden lighting and some architectural planting - simple!

If you could bring the front door and garage forward though?
20 July, 2016
MattJW
If it is a semi, I think the best thing to do would be either to balance the front with a similarly shaped window so it didn't look as odd or be radically different rather than plain. Maybe divide the downstairs window into three/four long thin windows instead. Vertically cedar clad the dormers.
22 July, 2016
PRO
Croydon Window Company Ltd
Hi Zoe, The advice given by McCann Moore Architects is great with new windows in aluminium anthracite grey or if you prefer white aluminium which has been popular in our projects and a new modern door.
22 July, 2016
Zoe Boulton
Great thank you for all of the advice :-)
22 July, 2016
PRO
Adaliza
Rather than render, that can stain (my neighbour's new render keeps having to be redone as it's stained in the corners of the window and is now beginning to break up, despite being carried out by specialists), why not consider weatherboard cladding? It's cement, comes in a variety of colours, requires no maintenance and provides extra insulation. I used it on a first floor extension to my home and absolutely love it. I extended it out over the existing brickwork to tie in the whole of the back of the house. It's Marley Cedral Weatherboard Cladding in Forest Grey. See before and after ...
23 July, 2016

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