House Renovation Tips

Why Wood Decays
The fungi that destroy wood have simple needs: Air, water, moderate temperatures, and not too much sunlight, thank you. Whenever the moisture content of the wood in your home is greater than 19 percent (it feels damp to the touch), ever-present fungal spores begin to grow. As the wood dries out, the fungi [...]

Wooden structures not built with insect-resistant wood can become fodder for termites. To prevent an infestation, try to avoid contact between earth and wood (termites must draw water from the soil every day). Concrete footings make it difficult for termites to reach the structure. Still, termites may attempt to bridge the gap by building brown [...]

Various composite materials are also used for siding: asphalt, asbestos, fiber cement, aluminum (ACM) etc. They may be in the form of shingles or boards, in which case they are sometimes called clapboard.
Composite sidings are available in many styles and can mimic the other siding options. Composite materials are ideal for achieving a certain style [...]

Masonry sidings are varied (brick, stone, stucco) and can accommodate a variety of styles, from formal to rustic. Though masonry can be painted or tinted to match many color palettes, it is most suited to neutral earth tones. Masonry has excellent durability (100+ years), and minimal maintenance is required. The primary drawback to masonry siding [...]

Metal siding comes in a variety of metals, styles, and colors. It is most often associated with modern, industrial, and retro buildings.
Aluminum siding is ideal for homes in coastal areas (with lots of moisture and salt), since aluminum reacts with air to form aluminum oxide, an extremely hard coating that seals the aluminum surface from [...]

Vinyl or plastic siding has grown in popularity due to the generally low maintenance and low cost appeal it offers.
Since vinyl siding is a manufactured product, it may come in limited color choices. Historically vinyl sidings would fade, crack and buckle over time, requiring the siding to be replaced. However, newer vinyl options have improved [...]

Wood siding is very versatile in style and can be used on a wide variety of homes in any color palette desired. However, most paints and stains used to treat wood are not environmentally friendly and can be toxic.
Wood siding’s installation and repair is relatively simple, although wood siding requires more maintenance than other popular [...]

1. For return on investment, the best home renovation is to upgrade an old bathroom. Kitchens come in second. If the only reason for renovating a house is to increase the possible sale price, the best way is to go with renovations that research shows return more than the cost to renovate. Adding extensions and [...]

Top 4 tips you need to know before even thinking of renovating your home.
1. Do it now
If you’re looking to remodel this year, now is a good time. You may even be able to get your contractor on the phone… on the first try!
The remodeling market has slowed down and contractors may not be as [...]