Modernizing exterior of 1972 home on the market
Tami LaVelle
10 years ago
We need to sell our old house. Inside has been remodeled but potential buyers never see the inside because the outside looks awful. Rod iron fence extending across balcony needs to go as well as the 4 house vents above. Ideas would be appreciated else we will have to move back into it!
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Allison Burnfield McAteer
10 years agoRelated Discussions
Anyone got any good ideas for making an ex council house look cool?
Comments (61)I live in the Scottish Borders and three years ago there was a government incentive to externally insulate the houses. Due to the construction of the houses (poured concrete they couldn’t have cavity wall insulation ) . The difference to the heating bills is unbelievable but the look of the house is fabulous as there was new render put on new window sills and down pipes .i agree with the comment that just doing one house would stand out like a sore thumb but it just takes one to start the ball rolling . Maybe speak to your neighbours and they may want to do the same . All the houses in my street had the cladding and it has transformed the look of the street . I have since revamped my lounge and kitchen. There was nothing wrong with the kitchen cupboards so they where painted ,new work tops and sink . I did have a breakfast bar that took up a lot of room which I have replaced with a glass table . My next project is my bedroom which is getting refitted with new wardrobes and draws . Ex local authority houses are well built and have big rooms , they are worth buying as you can do so much with them ,I have bigger cupboards than the rooms that are in some new builds . This is my kitchen, it is so much lighter and more space . The back board is the same as the work top , so no tiles to grout ....See MoreMy new house
Comments (24)In agreement with mmerton, if you want to be contemporary (grey) with the door and window frames, you should match the tiles. That is, grey hanging tiles, roof tiles and the tiles above the bay window. To be more of a contemporary style I would make the bay rectangular rather than rounded. However, I take that you want to retain some of the traditional features....See More60s townhouse exterior dilemma...
Comments (17)One has to question what is going on here, as you appear to feel your house does not make a 'good enough' statement? My first reaction to the exterior was to recoil at the rather 'pushy' cars parked outside, plus the tragic pvc door and weatherboarding! Apart from that the house looks to be quite a sensible, space-efficient design with the reduced heat losses that a terrace brings... Your house is not an individual, but is part of a row of three or even more, meaning that anything you do should take into account the others, be sympathetic and integrate with them. My attitude as a sustainable design consultant would be to only spend money on things that really need upgrading, and only do that with the greatest care so that you do not harm the structure and take into account condensation risk etc. Think carefully about the effect all your changes will make to heat loss and your space heating requirements! Also consider any possible overheating via glazing and be aware that glass has one of the highest carbon footprints while insulation is really low. Remember that every penny you spend earning money comes with an environmental footprint, and when you spend this money you then add a further environmental impact! The obvious areas which could be improved are wall insulation, glazing, doors and air-tightness. Any new glazing should be designed to give really low whole-window U values and should use warm-edge spacers. For me PVC is out of the question as it is rubbish, looks tacky and reduces glazing area. If you are using timber, then look into using Accoya, douglas fir or oak. Velfac certainly make quality windows and doors, but it would be better if all the houses installed them to keep the facade consistent. Thermally broken Nordan, SAS Pure, Aluprof slimline are other windows/doors to check out. If the weatherboarding is to be replaced, then I would advise using Marley Eternit Cedral or Cedral Click (Cembrit also offer a pressed cement board) which will never rot, but again, consider getting your neighbours to join in). You can paint this yourself with Dulux weathershield. Most cedar cladding looks awful once the UV light starts to break it down and the rain gets in. To me, the way we live our lives on the planet is much more important than the way things 'look'. People are exploited by the fashion and interior design companies into spending money on short-term whims and froth which all impact on the resources the planet creates for us. That is not to say that good design is unimportant -take a Harry Bertoia chair for instance - classics that just go on for ever. My motto is KEEP IT SIMPLE & SUSTAINABLE - QUALITY RATHER THAN QUANTITY. Hope this is helpful....See MoreUnusual 1930s House Renovation Project - Ideas? Help?
Comments (17)Jonathan, AMB, thank you ever so much for your advice and designs! We had been toying with the idea of pulling the garage forward. Back in the early 2000s, planning permission was rejected for a double garage in the opposite corner of the driveway but a sensible solution would be to come forward next to the neighbouring property, no light issues and should not upset the 'street scene'. I've always been keen on moving the stairs but associated costs have dampened my spirits a little. That saying, in there current guise they are incredibly steep and dangerous for the young and elderly. A new configuration may well improve the landing space/flow on the first floor. I completely agree about the driveway, my initial thought was grasscrete but we'll never have more than two cars... if that. With us eventually getting some gates up, that could be quite an inviting space. I've been watching a lot of house shows and they always mention about being able to see the garden from the front entrance which you have captured in that floor plan. Phases of work is a strong debate and you are not wrong AMB. I guess once we have a final plan, the phase of the works should fall into place. The fireplace was a family heirloom of the previous owner, took it out his grandad's property apparently! In terms of decor, we want to embrace the character of the property with an added modern twist. We are very keen to incorporate a hallway for the very reasons you mentioned. Thanks again for your comments and suggestions, all very useful....See MoreTami LaVelle
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10 years agolast modified: 10 years agoYour home is in a lovely area, so the issue is that potential buyers see tons of landscaping in their future. I would paint the front door and the garage door. Also, I looked at the home- staging can go a long way to selling a home quickly.
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