How to Boost Curb Appeal With Roofing, Siding, & Gutters
Remodeling your home’s exterior is a huge undertaking. If you don’t know where to start, check out our siding, roof, and gutter design recommendations.
Remodeling your home’s exterior is a huge undertaking. If you don’t know where to start, check out our siding, roof, and gutter design recommendations.
Just like all design efforts, the first step is figuring out your end goal.
If you want to boost your home’s curb appeal, focus less on the number of exterior upgrades you have done and more on how these upgrades fit together.
Why do you want to upgrade your home? Are you tired of its current style, or do you want to eventually sell your home at a higher price? If the former is your goal, the world is your oyster, but if you’re aiming for the latter, then staying neutral in your design choices and going with popular (but not necessarily trendy) options will appeal to a wider audience.
Although aesthetics are entirely subjective, our experience in completing thousands of homes across metro Detroit, gives us great insight to style trends and allows us to offer some basic design recommendations to get you started:
When aiming for new curb appeal, most homeowners focus on the siding first. That makes sense as the siding takes up most of the visual field when viewed from the ground level, so it’s often what makes a good (or bad) first impression. If you’re trying to disguise certain details of the home, such as an asymmetrical layout or roof line, installing multiple colors of siding can provide a distracting effect.
Textured siding, vinyl made to mimic the look of traditional Cedar Shake, can especially complement brick exteriors. Or, if your home is two stories, you could install Board and Batten vertical siding on the gable and horizontal siding on the lower levels of the house to produce instant neighborhood envy.
There’s no need to decide what colors and textures work best on your own, either. Our experts at L&S Home Improvements will show you different options based on your home’s appearance, provide recommendations if you need them, and can get a full satellite image of your home, if needed.
Sure, siding does make a strong first impression, but the color of the roof shingles plays a role in boosting home curb appeal. There are no “wrong” colors to use on a roof, but there are certain color combinations that might turn heads (in the wrong way), especially if they do not coordinate with your existing siding, or whatever siding you plan to install. For example, we don’t generally recommend installing a red roof on a home with green siding.
Some homeowners know exactly what they want, and others need some time to figure out what color combinations work best for them. Think about whether you want contrast and definition or a more consistent look. Viewing color combinations on other homes similar in height and shape is a great way to find inspiration when you’re just not sure what works best.
Our team can also work with you to find a color combination that can fit any mood, design style, or look you want to emulate. During your free project consultation, we’ll bring in shingle boards or sample shingles so you can appreciate the colors and textures in person. CertainTeed also offers a roofing visualizer tool that allows you to upload a photo of your home and test different colors.
Upgrading to dimensional (sometimes called architectural) shingles is one of the best ways to draw the eye to your roof line without having to worry about structural upgrades to handle the weight of actual slate or heavy tile roofing.
Many homes are installed with traditional or 3-tab shingles, which lie flat on the roof. Dimensional shingles are built with laminated or layered materials to create a more dynamic look, similar to wood shake or slate shingles, but without the added complications and maintenance responsibilities.
Most people overlook their gutters, but they help preserve the structural integrity of your home by preventing water damage and foundation issues. They can also improve curb appeal, especially when they seamlessly integrate with your roofing system.
Traditional/seamed gutters are more susceptible to clogs and feature obvious, unsightly seams that weaken over time. Comparatively, seamless gutters blend in naturally with both your roofing and siding, feature a continuous seamless design, and are custom-made on-site to the exact dimensions of your home. Plus, the seamless gutters we offer at L&S Home Improvements are available in over 50 baked-in colors and matte or gloss finishes. If you want a color that we don’t offer, you could always select a seamless gutter in a neutral color with a matte finish and paint over it.
In addition to design, gutter size matters. The standard size gutter on most homes is 5 inches. Gutters perform a function (removing water away from the home), so you want to make sure that the gutters are correctly sized for your home. If the system is too small, the gutters can’t handle the volume of water from your roof, causing spillover defeating the entire purpose of having gutters. During our free inspection, we consider roof slope, length of gutter runs, and amount of water movement. If needed, 6-inch gutters and downspouts are recommended for high-flow areas, steep roofs, and longer runs.
L&S Home Improvements is committed to helping homeowners across Michigan turn their dreams into reality. Our team can help you select the best roofing and siding options, along with gutter size and design, and create the perfect balance between aesthetic and function.
You can visit our website to view some of our past projects, watch the video below to see one of our latest transformations, or contact us today to schedule a free project consultation.
