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With many Canadians finally emerging from their winter hibernations, the warmer weather, budding trees, and chirping birds have people shifting their attention to spring cleaning. But renewing your home doesn’t have to be restricted to the indoors - sprucing up the exterior can not only upgrade the look of your home, but also increase its curb appeal and reap exponential rewards, should you ever be interested in selling.
Start at the Top
One of the biggest things that potential new home owners are looking for are those big-ticket items: new furnaces, or air conditioning – and, of course, a new roof. Many home buyers are looking for homes with recently repaired or newly installed roofs. They may go so far as to ask for you to install one as a condition of sale.
Regardless, it’s beneficial to periodically evaluate your roof to ensure it’s in good shape. Storms, the ravages of winter, and wind can all have negative impacts on your roof.
Niagara Roof Masters recommends inspecting your roof with the I.O.U. Method:
- Inside: When you look inside, you’re looking to see if there are holes in the deck, which can be evidenced by sunlight showing through the plywood. You may also see dark stains, streaks, or sagging, which can be evidence of moisture from rain seeping through or poor ventilation.
- Outside: Outside, you’re doing a visual inspection of the roof, focusing on key things: missing shingles, cracked or curled shingles, and bent or detached flashing for example. These can all be evidence of structural damage and gaps in sealing that can cause water damage and heat loss.
- Up the ladder: Finally, a trip up the ladder can help you evaluate whether you have loose nails or gutter debris, which can add up to significant problems if you don’t rectify them in a timely manner.
Inspecting a roof can be an opportunity to not only repair or replace your roof, but also consider some aesthetic upgrades, like installing a skylight, which can make your home stand out from others on the market.
So How Much Does a New Roof Cost?
Depending on the type of roof installed, or the labor required to put it together, a new roof’s cost varies significantly. For instance, roofs with asphalt shingles fall on the lower end of the spectrum, while opting for a copper roof will set you back quite a bit.
Average cost of labor: The cost of labor in Toronto starts from $31 an hour, but in most large-scale projects like roof replacement, it’s more common to be charged a flat rate.
Average cost of a new roof: $9,000 to $20,000 (cost may vary depending on the materials used and on the complexity of the project).
Work on Your Foundation
Your home can have the most beautiful facade on the block, but if the foundation is weak, its value can come crumbling down. Exploring foundation improvements can not only shore up your home’s structure, but can also add significant aesthetic appeal.
Companies like D’Angelo Brick Repair specialize in foundation parging and repair. Professional parging can provide that perfect finishing touch, giving your home a clean and polished look.
Some of the benefits of parging include:
- Improved insulation, protecting your home from the elements.
- Keeping rodents and pests away.
- Prevent water from getting into cracks and causing structural damage.
How Much Does Parging Cost?
- Average cost of basic parging: $3 to $4 per square foot.
- Average cost of parging with mesh: $5 to $7 per square foot.
How Much Does Stone Skirting Cost?
- Average cost: between $30 to $50 per sq. ft., depending on material and house size.
Along with these measures, don’t forget to ensure your chimney is free from cracks, leaks, and other problems.
Add Some Finishing Touches
Many homes embrace siding to provide that finishing touch for their home’s aesthetic. D’Angelo & Sons Roofing & Exteriors also provides customers with vinyl, wood, and aluminum siding options that can keep your home’s exterior looking pristine for years.
Whether you choose more modern vinyl or aluminum approaches, or you embrace the more contemporary and historically authentic stylings of wood, siding brings not only aesthetic benefits to your home, but can also improve your home’s insulation.
How Much Does Siding Cost?
Exterior siding cost in Ontario will depend on the materials. The cheapest option of vinyl siding will cost around $8 to $12 per square ft, engineered wood siding will raise the cost to $15 to $20 sq. ft. and brick or stone will be the most expensive - from $50 per sq. ft and up.
For more details on exterior renovations and repairs that can benefit your home, please contact any of the aforementioned companies.
Disclaimer This content was funded and approved by the advertiser.