5 ways to add kerb appeal to your home
Returning home should always give you that warm feeling. However, if you’ve fallen out of love with your house, it could fill you with dread. Have you looked at the exterior of your home recently and thought it looks a bit drab or run down? Then it might be time for a spruce up. Here are my top five tips for turning that ugly exterior into the perfect pad.
1.Repoint brickwork
The first thing I’d say you should look at is your brickwork. Examine the mortar, is it cracked or crumbling? Repointing your brickwork will not only give your home a pretty inexpensive facelift but will reduce the risk of damp becoming an issue. This work can be done by a competent DIYer, but if there is a lot to repoint or there is a need for scaffolding, you might want to employ a professional.
2. Smarten the exterior with render
One great trick to improving your home’s kerb appeal is to add render to the exterior walls. Not only can it completely transform a dated or drab looking house, but it can vastly improve your home’s energy efficiency. Modern external house rendering can bring a sleek, modern look that is a far cry from the naff pebble dash of old. Rendering will require an expert, but apart from the odd coat of paint, it should last a good number of years.
3. Fix dodgy guttering
Of course, there is no point making the brickwork and render look great unless you have properly maintained guttering. Leaky, broken guttering will not only cause damp but will also detract from your house’s kerb appeal. Make sure you fix any loose or missing sections of guttering and keep them clear of debris. If you’re not sure how well they are working, wait for a rainy day and give them a quick inspection.
4. Add a splash of colour
Now you’ve got the structural elements sorted, you can think about the purely aesthetic changes to make. With new specialist paints on the market, adding a splash of colour to the doors and window frames has never been easier. You can now get paints that will even transform UPVC windows and doors. So, you’re no longer stuck with boring white frames!
5. Make an entrance
My final tip is an easy and affordable one, but one which will transform your entrance. Add a wreath to your front door. No, they’re not just for Christmas, wreaths can now be bought for all four seasons of the year. Hanging a decoration on your front door will not only welcome your guests but will greet you every time you return home.
