Updating our Curb Appeal

Welcome to our new summer project!

If you caught a glimpse on my Insta Stories, we’re getting ready to add some major curb appeal to the exterior of our home.

You’re probably wondering to yourself “what’s wrong with their exterior?! At a quick glance, everything looks fine, right?!

While I would normally agree with you, I disagree in this instance.  There’s a ton of things that a photo just doesn’t show you, and weather damage is one of them!

Our house is situated in a way that when it rains, snows, hails or whatever it’s doing out there, the front of our house gets the worst of it.  Over time, water damage can take a serious toll on a home.

We’ve had issues with water coming in at our front door, our garage doors, we’ve even had water seep through our walls as it got in behind the brick. . .

You get the picture. Weather can slowly deteriorate materials. Especially if they are unprotected or exposed just like our home.

We’ve learned with this house that without regular maintenance, things could get dramatically (and financially) worst with time. Since we have a bunch of repairs to tackle, we’re also taking the time to update the look of our home’s curb appeal.

I’ve compiled a list of things we’ve either done or need to get done over the course of the next few weeks, I will be creating detailed posts regarding each one as it happens.

Windows

When we purchased our home, we knew the windows were original to the house. We saw signs of rotting and moisture everywhere. We had issues opening and closing the windows and the single pane glass was a sure sign nothing was energy efficient.

So we’ve invested a small fortune replacing them last summer.  We went with a white frame so my goal is to make it blend seamlessly with the house.

Repair Concrete Damage

With the weather conditions constantly being smacked against the front of the house, it’s no surprise that everything seems to wear out that much faster. The concrete foundation has weakened over time and is starting to crumble away. We intend to patch this up before it gets any worst.

(UPDATE: Click here to see this repair)

Garage Doors + Paint Trim

Although our garage doors are in working condition. They’re old and falling apart fast. We don’t want to wait for that dreaded day when something breaks down and we can’t get our vehicles out.

So we decided to replace our garage doors. We’re going with a quality garage door by Garaga.  Not only will it withstand the weather conditions but it will also totally transform the look and feel of our home.

To prolong the life of the trim around our house, we will be painting them. This will also help update the colour palette of the home.

(UPDATE: Click here to see our new garage doors)

Repair Landscape

Our stone pathway is shifting away. We need to clean out, re-level and re-sand all the stones.

(UPDATE: Click here to see how we repaired our walkway)

Front Entry

With an unprotected front door, we have the most problems here. We have two options, either build a covered porch that will protect our front door from the harsh weather conditions, (which will also have maximum impact on our curb appeal), or keep the storm door and just update what we currently have.

We have yet to decide.

Build a New Fence Gate

Our fence needs major work! Don’t even get me started on the backyard. However, since were only dealing with the front of the house for now, we will focus on the gate. We plan do something really cool and unexpected.

In addition to this list, I have a ton of small DIY projects that I will be doing to dress up the house.

Can’t wait to start sharing it all as it unfolds.

*Click through these links to see more about our exterior makeover: How to Repair your Crumbling Concrete Wall, Our new Garage Doors, Fixing a Walkway with Sinking Stones, Reviving our Exterior Front Entrance, Exterior Update, How to Renew your dated Driveway & Curbs, Five Ways to Upgrade your Front Door, Exterior Makeover: Before & After.