Have you got a drab front exterior to your home or a 1970’s styled feature that desperately needs a make over but you just don’t want to spend big bucks on an update?
An exterior update could be just the thing and there are some ways to update the exterior of your house without breaking the bank.
In this article, we explore how owner builders can update the front of your colonial style home with stylish yet affordable ideas and still stick within your renovation budget.
If you have the misfortune of having an out of date front exterior in colonial colours you can easily update the colonial colours to something a little more modern and remove or update the colonial gable details. This solution is quick and will allow you to avoid the need to render brickwork or do too many structural updates.
Tips for updating your colonial style home within budget:
- Update the colour scheme to a modern shade – creams can work well to provide a neutral tone
- Update the window joinery with possible a grey or lighter shade
- Update the colour and style of the front door
- Update the colour and style of the garage door and consider adding in an electric roller door if the budget allows
- Fascia and front porch should also be updated colour-wise to suit the new colour palate
- Remove the existing timber work from the gables and any spires which look out-dated and replace with slats or modern material
- If the budget allows, you can also add slat blinds to the inside of your windows at the front to tie in with the slats on the timber work
- Update the colour of the guttering along the whole house
- Consider re-spraying the roof of the house to a more modern shade
- Update any coach lights on the front of the house with a modern stainless steel look
If addition to this, if you have the budget, you could also consider removing and replanting landscaping with modern succulents and plants such as cycads which are great for sun exposure and offering a modern look and feel.
Finally, the cherry on the top for updating the front exterior of a dated home is updating the driveway if this is dated with a terracotta shade. You can work with local driveway painters who can update the colour scheme to a more modern shade so that it blends in or even contrasts with the house.
All of the suggestions above are simple and easy for owner builders and won’t break the bank. If you are looking to update the front exterior of a renovation property, consider these small updates before jumping in a pulling apart the exterior of the property.
If you’re passionate about renovating and looking to become an owner builder we have the qualification to suit your needs. We offer a fair trading approved certification via an online owner builder course that is suitable for NSW and QLD residents.
To find out more click here to discover everything you need to know about becoming an owner builder today.