We are finally going to get into some long-deferred home maintenance this year, but we’re unclear whether there’s a best way to go about it. This is what we want done:
Replace siding with HardiePlank on the chimney and back of the 3/4 brick house. We may or may not replace the porch, that is in great shape as it’s not as exposed to sun/weather
Replace windows throughout house
Replace garage doors
Paint HardiePlank and the brick and the trim. In other words, the whole house.
Redo deck … but this is least important and definitely will be last.
Is there some order that makes the most sense to you experienced people? I haven’t started collecting bids yet. I have the name of a guy who can do both the HardiePlank and the windows, but he is a top-dollar guy. Is it likely to get a price break bundling those two items?
The right answer depends on the condition of these items. If there is any safety issue, address that first.
Next, prioritize what you will get the most value out of. Much depends on the type of house. If the garage doors are cracked/warped, or exceptionally drafty, and the garage is under a bedroom, this could be contributing to heat loss and higher energy bills. If it is a free-standing or separate garage, and the doors are not visible to the street, this may be a lower priority.
If windows are still mostly in solid shape, the answer is different than if they are cracked, completely cloudy, or unable to even open.
You need to get several estimates, from insured contractors.
You are more likely to get a discount, but only a small one, if one guy does most of the work. But he is still putting in x hours and deserves to be paid for them.
I would say windows, if the windows are older, replacing older windows with energy efficient new windows makes sense, it will save you on fuel bills and also potentially health if the current windows get condensation on them a lot. If the windows are relatively new and/or good quality, then you may not need to do it.
In terms of the rest of the items, I guess my question is what is your motivation? If you are planning to sell the house, then the most visual things (besides the windows if they are old and tired, which still would be a first concern), so for example replacing old, tired siding with freshly painted siding might be a good investment. If it is simply because you feel the house needs freshening up, then other than if the windows are old and leaky or if the garage door is really beat up, then it will be in what makes you feel better to get done first. You might be able to get a better deal if you do all the work at once, some contractors will give you a break (especially since some contractors specialize in windows and siding, for example).
None of it sounds like emergency work, which is good. One thing I will tell you, with the windows don’t use a contractor who gets windows from Home Depot or Lowes, even if they claim they are name brand, like Pella or Anderson. The windows they get from home depot and Lowes are made for those places, and to be blunt, they are inferior, and worse, contractors will bill you for the kind of prices you would get for 'real" Anderson or Pella windows, but buy them from the box stores. If they do the work, ask them where they will get the windows, and when they do the job, ask to see the bill of sale for the windows, to make sure they didn’t go to a big box store. It is worth the price to get better quality windows, the high quality windows in our house were put in right after the expansion that used Anderson from the home depot, and the difference is night and day.
I’ll give you my creds-gut renovated a house and sold it right before the great recession of 2008 hit (had a buyer in 4 days-surfing that wave was scary), and this is our 8th house. I grew up in a family that had a 3 generation countertop business. I have some aesthetic skills (I’m a fine artist who does commissioned pieces).
For resale, the windows would be dead last on my list. They will cost you a ton to replace and no buyers will appreciate them. Unless you literally have holes in your windows or the sashes are rotting out, leave them alone.
Garage doors yes because they’re not that expensive to replace and they make the front of the house look great. Have them painted when you get the house panted.
Don’t paint brick. If it’s already painted, have it sandblasted back to the original color, it may be less expensive to do that than to paint it. Then you’ll never have to paint brick again. Houses should be painted every 5 years or so. If you repaint the whole exterior, have them pressure wash and repaint the deck too, or you’ll wish you had. It can be bundled into the cost of painting the house for less than it would if you did it separately, typically.
What kind of siding do you have? If it’s vinyl, then replacing it with hardi plank makes sense for resale. If it’s wood and in decent shape, I’d just have it repainted.
I guess what I’m saying is do everything but the windows.
We are finally paying the house off this year, so this stuff is strictly for us.
The siding needs to be repaired in the back and on the chimney. Squirrels or raccoons or some varmint chewed threw the plywood (or whatever it is; yes, I’m an idiot) on the chimney. We’ve got a large patch on it now. And the deck was built really too high/too close to the wood on the back of the house (that way when we got here), so rain/snow/ice have accumulated and the bottom of the wood is in not-great shape. That really needs to be done.
There is condensation on the windows in winter and in some spots the sill is getting rotten. I think they need to be done, but it’s not crucial.
I just like the trend of paint on brick. A few houses in my 'hood have done it.
Garage doors are last on my list, but dh really wants them.
This house is about 30 years old. We are the second owner and plan to die here. The windows are single pane. The siding is not HardiePlank now. It’s wood.
Well…if it’s for you…I would go for what looks good and what will give you added comfort.
So…I would get Windows and siding done first. If there is condensation, the windows are not all that terrific…and your comfort level will increase (noise too…it will be quieter in your house). I would get the siding and windows done first.
Then I would probably do,the deck…but only if you USE your deck. If you do, think about how much you will enjoy a new, nice deck this coming spring, summer and fall!
Only if you have wood siding or if you are tired of the current color. HardiPlank needs much, much less frequent painting. How do I know? My 16 yr old house still looks freshly painted.
We replaced our original 20 year old garage doors about 5 years ago with insulated doors. It improves the comfort of the entire house. Our bedroom is above the garage and we can feel the difference. It helps in both summer and winter.
I would say that any place you have water intrusion, you really need to prioritize that fix. Water will destroy a house, and mold can make you really ill.
Get it tight and dry, then get it pretty.
I get that painted brick is pretty, but it takes a no-maintenance finish and makes it not.
We’ve passed on a few houses because the brick had been painted-if you have moisture issues, that will cause the paint to peel off the brick even faster and unevenly.
Our house was painted with Duration exterior paint…15 years ago or so. It looks like it was painted yesterday…except for the area by the chimney…that needs to be redone.
That may be a location thing-here in Atlanta HardiPlank needs to be painted every five years or it completely fades out (ask me how I know, augh!). Most our house is brick and stone, and we have part that has hardi plank on it. After five years the trim and hardi are bleached from the sun, and I use Sherwin William’s best paint, and good painters…
I would say do the windows first too. We replaced windows in a house from 1962 with vinyl replacement windows and they were all made to be the same size and it was done in one day. The old ones were sliders with aluminum frames and I can’t tell you the difference it made in comfort and draftiness. It was January, so we were pretty cold that day with the windows coming and going.
I now live in a house from 1867 and we replaced 3 windows so far. Took two days. We had to clear out the rooms completely, the old windows had to be cut out, and there was sawdust everywhere. Everywhere! If you’re staying in your house and keeping your furniture there, you may need to strategize about the windows if they’re tricky like these.
Why does your DH want to replace the garage doors? Is it just for looks or is it a function thing like the garage door opener isn’t working properly or the door isn’t insulated and he wants to work in the garage on stuff…?
We set out to do all five two years ago. With one exception. We used the pre-painted Hardi plank ,Hardi plank trim and the pre-painted Anderson 100 series windows. We never have to paint again. We are very satisfied with both products. I especially appreciate that unlike vinyl, if we change our mind about the color, the composite Anderson windows can be sanded and painted. They are a fantastic product. Our garage doors are frosted glass. It’s a great option in California. We bought the materials and windows and hired a local contractor/carpenter to install everything. We made sure that he had plenty of Hardi plank experience since it can be a tricky product.
Whatever order you decide, make sure you use the windows and, perhaps, the garage door as tax deductions. Energy efficient windows and doors can be a big ticket item and every penny counts!