If you find the perfect home for your family but are not “wowed” by the home’s roofing or overall curb appeal, you have a big decision to make. Is there a way to conceptualize and evaluate home improvement strategies before purchasing a property you will need to quickly renovate? How do you know when a fixer-upper will cost too much, and that you should just move on?
Researching Home Remodeling Ideas
Fortunately, there are a host of resources to help you make your final decision about buying a roofing fixer-upper.
Exploring Inspiring Case Studies
You can peruse websites like Houzz.com to look at existing exterior styles and, hopefully, take some inspiration from these for your own home improvement designs. Some simple curb appeal upgrades you can consider may include:
- Repainting the home’s exterior siding
- Adding some professional landscaping
- Freshening up the home’s main walkway, stairs and entryway
For roofing remodeling specifically, try Googling phrases like “before and after home makeovers roof renovation,” where you can find “before and after” pictures that are truly amazing.
When making renovations to a home’s exterior details, like roof lines and color palette, planning for these modifications in a coordinated manner will help you achieve a cohesive result that greatly improves the home’s appearance.
Consult a Professional Designer
If you are seeking more extensive changes that would help you create a real “wow factor” for your home’s exterior, you will benefit most by consulting with a professional architect or designer, at least to help get your fixer-upper started. These professionals can do amazing things when it comes to turning “hum-drum” properties into something unique, quirky, eclectic, classy or whatever style you may be looking for.
For example, a plain ranch can be transformed into a modern craftsman-style home by adding a front farmer’s porch, hexagonal columns and modern shutters, and modifying the roofline surrounding the entrance. A plain colonial can be transformed into a brick front showcase with new architectural features such as white columns, black shutters, a portico and window trim. An experienced architect can guide you through your options.
How to Plan Your Roofing Renovation
If you really are not happy with the home’s outward appearance and are leaning toward a full structural and aesthetic renovation, it’s best to get your planning done early. Here are a few things to consider upfront before moving your exterior renovation project forward.
- What do you find most objectionable about the house?
- How will a renovation attempt to solve these problems?
- What is your roofing renovation budget? How will the renovation be financed?
- How long will the renovation take and how much disruption is expected?
- How long are you planning to stay in your house once renovated?
- How will the renovation affect your home’s market value?
- Working within your budget, how closely will you come to your “dream home?”
Roofing plays a big role in changing the look of the house you are renovating. Everything from material type – like asphalt or metal – to new colors and architectural styles can add dimension and texture to a roof. When paired with some new dramatic rooflines, a house can become practically unrecognizable from its original incarnation.
Are You Ready?
You may eventually decide that a remodeling project large enough to make a significant impact on your home’s appearance is not “in the cards” for you right now. Perhaps there is too much work, too little budget, or you simply don’t want to invest the time and effort. If so, continue your home search, or test the waters by talking to a real estate broker about listing your home, and look for something that more closely matches your wish list.