When Don H. decided it was time to renovate his home exterior, he didn’t realize how much he would enjoy the upgrades, but this is what he had to share when the project was complete:
“First of all, just coming to the conclusion we wanted to do the whole house took some time, but once we committed, we knew there was no turning back. We could’ve done it a lot quicker than we did, but at the same time, we wanted to be part of the process. John and Peter were great. They worked around our schedule, and they allowed us to be as involved as we wanted to be. We couldn’t be happier with the end result; it’s almost like having a new home.”
Don H.
If you’re not familiar with the stages of a typical home exterior overhaul, you’re not alone, but once you understand the process, and realize it’s not as disruptive as you imagined, it might just be something to re-consider.
Admittedly, it does sound a bit overwhelming to strip out your windows, doors, cladding, insulation (if you have any), and roof, but the benefits will manifest in several ways. The most obvious is the aesthetic improvement that will increase your home’s curb appeal. Whether you’re planning to sell, or not, a facelift will have a tangible effect on the physical response to your home. While it also provides an opportunity to invest in a lower maintenance exterior, the even greater advantage will be measureable with the improved energy efficiency of the property. By sealing up leaks and installing a high-performance building envelope, you should experience a decrease in climate control costs, and an increase in comfort levels.
The way a project is typically outlined, the roof, soffits, fascia, and eavestrough, are the first to go. It makes sense to start with the roof, since it can interfere with other stages of the renovation. It doesn’t mean it can’t be done in a different order; it just helps simplify the process if it can be done first.
Next, the exterior is removed down to the paper; the stripping and insulating are done on the same day. In Don’s case, the shell was upgraded with 1.5” Atlas Energy Shield insulation. It’s important to get the insulation up quick, because it’s the insulation that provides the resistance to heat flow – also known as the “r-value” – not the siding. With somewhat of a blank slate, the installation process is very similar to applying product to new home construction.
The next step is generally to remove the windows. Any 2×4 wall construction is built out to 2×6, and a small crew is able to replace several windows in a single day. It doesn’t actually take long to pop out the old and install the new; in fact, in most instances, it’s a matter of mere minutes. Of course, the interior trim and finishing does take a bit longer, but the key is that your home is not exposed to the elements for very long. Once the windows and doors are in, the final stage is to apply the durable, exterior material you’ve chosen. Whether it’s one of several Hardie Plank siding options, brick, stone or stucco, your home will now have a strong first layer of defense against the inevitable, local climate fluctuations.
The entire process will normally be complete in four to six weeks, including the time it takes to select colours, product qualities, and to order the windows. If this sounds intriguing, we invite you to take the next step and let Simply Yours Windows Doors conduct a no-obligation, in-home consultation at a time that’s convenient for you! Give us a call, or contact us to start a conversation.
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