Taking up exterior home projects enhances the value of your house and improves its appearance. If you’re wondering how to design the exterior of your home, there are countless creative ideas you can explore, from updating your siding and adding landscaping features to installing new lighting. Thoughtfully planned projects not only boost curb appeal but also create welcoming outdoor spaces. It’s essential to keep a budget in mind while undertaking any project, as this will help you stay on track and complete the work within your financial limits, ensuring the best results for your home’s exterior.
Here are some examples of DIY with pro help improvement projects.
Siding Installation
Siding installation or replacement can be costly, but it may be necessary to update the exterior of your home if you have siding that is outdated or falling apart. Aside from being unsightly, old siding may also let in moisture and drafts. If you decide to install a new vinyl siding replacement, make sure you choose a style and color that suits your taste and matches the architecture of your house. If you have children, look for siding that is durable, safe, and easy to clean.
Before starting a new exterior DIY with pro help project, mark off a path around the site so no one gets in the way of any construction machinery, and make sure there are no low-hanging electrical wires in the area. Also, consider speaking with your neighbors about any potential disruptions that might occur during the project.
If you do not have the tools or are unsure of your skills for home repair, hiring a professional for help is always the safest option. It also ensures that the job will be performed well.
Replacing Shingles
Shingle replacement and chimney repairs are among the exterior home projects to DIY with pro help. This requires a ladder and a large amount of time. If you have low-hanging gutters, it may be better for a residential roofing service professional to perform this task. This is because you may need to use specialized equipment, which will cost you more. However, if your gutters are on the ground or a second-story level, it is possible to replace them with some help.
When it comes to the roofing repairs of your home, you may be tempted to try a DIY with pro help project or two. However, some projects such as solar install should remain out of reach for non-professionals. If you have areas on your roof where shingles seem damaged or completely missing, you will need to hire a professional to complete the job. If this is not an option for you, then consider using temporary solutions while keeping in mind that your future repairs will cost more if they’re not done right away.
Painting
Painting your home’s exterior is another project that you can DIY with pro help to make a major difference in its attractiveness and value. If you hire professionals, they will typically use a sprayer to apply paint quickly and easily. This technique can produce excellent results with little preparation from the homeowner beforehand. However, it has the potential to be expensive, so if you would like to save some money, consider buying or renting quality equipment and applying paint by brush or roller techniques instead.
There are basic guidelines that are followed to ensure success with your painting project.
First, you need to stock what needs to be painted and how much equipment you will need to get the job done. For smaller jobs like touching up nails, doorknobs, or hardware, all you need is an inexpensive brush and some paint. For larger surfaces, consider buying a roller to save time on large areas. Though more expensive than a brush, they save time and energy by requiring less physical effort on your part. If you only have a few windows or doors, try using a simple plastic squeegee instead of a brush or roller. These will also save you time and energy as well as produce a more consistently smooth finish.
You also need to consider the type of paint to use. Latex paint is the best choice for most home projects because it cleans up with water, makes it easy to work with, and quickly dries for faster recoating. Oil paints are also available, but they require specific thinner types and take much longer to dry.
Once you’ve determined the tools and material you need, the last step is to determine how long your paint job should wait before applying another coat.
If you do not want to spend money on simple paint supplies, consider using items found around your house as alternative materials. For example, instead of buying a roller, use a sponge brush or buy latex paint, try looking for powdered tempera at art stores that can be thinned with water. You can even make paints from natural ingredients such as flowers and plants.
Adding New Windows and Doors
DIY with pro help home projects can save you money and give you a sense of accomplishment that’s hard to match. A major project such as adding new windows or doors can improve the appearance of your home and help increase its value and efficiency. Installing new doors and windows on an existing home is often less expensive than removing the old ones, replacing them with new ones, and then repairing or repainting the wall surfaces damaged by removing the old doors and windows. Installing new doors and windows is a DIY with pro help that will typically increase your house’s insulation making it more energy-efficient.
Although window replacement may cost more than repairing existing ones, it will give you added comfort in heating and cooling your home throughout the year. When buying new windows, make sure they are low-maintenance models with special coatings designed to keep them clean and resist UV rays.
When you are searching for replacement windows or doors, it’s important to consider whether they are insulated or not. If they aren’t insulated, then you’ll want to purchase windows or doors with low Emissivity glass, which has an invisible coating on the glass that reflects infrared light into your home. This reflective quality helps prevent heat loss during cold weather months.
Waterproofing Your Basement
If you have a sump pump, you can do this job yourself by running new piping from the pump to the outside of your home where moisture will not cause any problems. You will need a backhoe or a shovel for digging a trench along the foundation wall so that pipes don’t become damaged over time from regular contact with soil around them.
Having a basement in your home can be an expensive investment but also a very convenient one. Basements are the perfect place to have extra rooms, including bathrooms and bedrooms. They are not only great for storage or recreational activities, and they can even turn into extra living space for your family.
However, basements need many repairs and maintenance to keep them dry and protected from water leaks. If you’re considering DIY with pro help, it is important to look at the waterproofing methods you can use to ensure there will never be any water flowing through your basement.
If you want to waterproof the area around your house’s foundation, you should start by digging up all grass near the area, removing any dirt, and sodding the ground with new grass. This will allow you to inspect for any cracks or leaks that may be occurring there. If you want to work on your basement walls, you can use a rubber membrane to prevent water from going through them. It would help if you also considered covering earthen materials with a plastic membrane. For concrete surfaces, repair them by using hydraulic cement before applying the rubber membrane.
When working on the basement floor, the best way might be to install a perimeter drainage system made of perforated pipe with weeping holes placed in gravel surrounding your basement’s foundation wall. In this case, the water will drain towards the outside instead of seeping through your basement floor.
On the other hand, you can dig a trench around the exterior walls and cover it with tar paper or other waterproof material. You should make sure to slope the area slightly away from your home’s foundation walls before backfilling to prevent any water accumulation there. This method is also very effective for preventing moisture under concrete slabs if the ground below consists of gravel or rubble stone, allowing any water to drain easily.
Sealing Doors and Windows Against Water Damage
Doors and windows are areas of a house that can be susceptible to water damage. This is usually caused by wind or rain blowing against them, but it could also be due to a leaky roof or other problems in the home. When your doors and windows aren’t sealed properly, they can cause bigger problems around your home. Failure to take care of these problems can lead to rot, mold growth, and many smaller issues.
There are two ways to seal doors against water damage. The first way is called flashing, which involves creating a small barrier at the bottom of your doorframe or nailing it in place with trim boards. This method prevents rain from coming in through the sides of your door and allows you to determine exactly where to caulk later on. It also keeps moisture from ever entering the threshold, one of the most common causes for rot and mold growth inside your home.
The other way to keep water out is by simply caulking around any gaps that may be present at the bottom and sides of your door frame. This is a quick and easy way to seal your door, but it gives you as much control. This DIY with pro help project is not commendable for areas that experience constant high humidity.
Windows can be just as leaky as doors. They usually have a storm window, which keeps rain out of the main window opening when this is closed properly. However, if there are any gaps around the storm window or between it and your main window frame, water can still seep in during a storm or due to other problems outside your home. This causes rot, mold growth, and other issues that can lead to big problems, especially in areas where storms and heavy winds are common.
To stop this from occurring, you can do stucco repairs that involve either adding a layer of caulk and foam insulation over the entire window frame to seal it against water damage or cut and fit pieces of exterior grade trim boards to each side. If done properly, this will keep your storm window sealed when it is closed and prevent water from ever getting inside the main window opening.
Installing a Deck or Patio
If you want to create additional living space on your property, consider building one DIY with pro help projects. All it takes is some major carpentry skills, along with lumber that can be cut into the types of pieces you’ll need for your project. A good starting point is using ready-made deck kits available at home improvement stores; they contain pre-cut wooden materials that are easy to install without any complicated measuring.
When building a deck with asphalt paving, you should keep in mind the people who will use it the most. If you plan on hosting barbecues and pool parties regularly, choose a type of flooring that’s easy to clean and scratch-resistant. You can search for sod for sale to use on the floor. If your family and friends mostly use the area for outdoor dining, try something more durable like stone or wood. And if you want something versatile for any occasion, opt for composite flooring materials made out of recycled plastics and wood fiber scrap. Composite floors come in multiple colors and resemble real hardwood without maintenance to cover scratches and stains every year.
While designing your deck or patio, ask a professional or hire a contractor to help build your project. It would help get multiple estimates for rock delivery to ensure you’re getting the best price for your budget.
Building a patio can expand the options for outdoor living, but it might require municipal permits depending on the size and location. So ensure to check with local authorities and dumpster rentals before starting construction. Keeping in mind both your budget and the time you have available for completing this type of project will help keep you on track so that you can enjoy the benefits of outdoor renovations in due course.
If you want to enhance the appearance of your home for less money, consider doing exterior DIY with pro help home projects. As the weather changes, more and more homeowners are looking to DIY home projects to save money. When planning a project like this, it is important to determine which projects can be done by oneself and which cannot.