How would you improve the kerb appeal of this front of house
Discussion
Looks a bit tired and needs freshened up. To improve the front of house look.
I'm thinking
Paint pebbledash
Paint smooth render and window inset render in a contrasting colour
Paint windowsills a contrasting colour, possibly dark brown to match the recently installed brown guttering
Or maybe even split face tiles to the smooth render below each window?
The concrete path along the front, probably paint that too. Maybe even the pvc window frames and door with a Matt paint.
Interested in what PH thinks. What would you do?
The white windows 3 x across the top is the width of the property, so all one house and the brown windows is the next house in the terrace.
I'm thinking
Paint pebbledash
Paint smooth render and window inset render in a contrasting colour
Paint windowsills a contrasting colour, possibly dark brown to match the recently installed brown guttering
Or maybe even split face tiles to the smooth render below each window?
The concrete path along the front, probably paint that too. Maybe even the pvc window frames and door with a Matt paint.
Interested in what PH thinks. What would you do?
The white windows 3 x across the top is the width of the property, so all one house and the brown windows is the next house in the terrace.
Get pebbledash pressure washed at a low pressure and see how it scrubs up. Might just need a clean. Use same on the concrete 'path' and see how that goes. Not sure about painting the concrete - surface looks pretty rough and 'corroded' so some sort of skimming might be needed there to make it smart if you want it really looking nice.
Clean and repaint the blue bits.
Get some decent uPVC window frame cleaner and get those back to brilliant white again rather than the bleached mucky white they are now.
Bin the wagon wheels - they look s
te.
Bin the light and get something modern to mount at the left side of the door.
A couple of large long planters with some nice bright plants in to go under each window would brighten the place up. A couple of large plant tubs either side of the door with a bushy type of plant in would also work. Or instead you could install some window plant boxes on the window ledges and put some bright plants in. Foliage and greenery always brightens things up and brings 'life' to structures - it just needs to be done in moderation and then kept in check.
Clean and repaint the blue bits.
Get some decent uPVC window frame cleaner and get those back to brilliant white again rather than the bleached mucky white they are now.
Bin the wagon wheels - they look s
te.Bin the light and get something modern to mount at the left side of the door.
A couple of large long planters with some nice bright plants in to go under each window would brighten the place up. A couple of large plant tubs either side of the door with a bushy type of plant in would also work. Or instead you could install some window plant boxes on the window ledges and put some bright plants in. Foliage and greenery always brightens things up and brings 'life' to structures - it just needs to be done in moderation and then kept in check.
At first glance I thought each section was a property, and was going to take my hat off to the person who'd created a coach house.
Along the lines of the other posters; clean the pebbledash and paint white(ish), paint below window bits the same colour, change the blue bits to non-blue, clean window frames, move waggon wheels to rear. If really going for it have the pebbledash parts smooth rendered.
Along the lines of the other posters; clean the pebbledash and paint white(ish), paint below window bits the same colour, change the blue bits to non-blue, clean window frames, move waggon wheels to rear. If really going for it have the pebbledash parts smooth rendered.
The blue, cream, brilliant white and dirty pebbledash are too many random colours?
A good clean is probably most cost effective.
Is the strip of land right next of the house public or part of the property?
Some planters maybe?
Front door doesn't belong with the windows really and I don't like pebble dash, but it would be easy to throw a lot of cash around for small gains.
A good clean is probably most cost effective.
Is the strip of land right next of the house public or part of the property?
Some planters maybe?
Front door doesn't belong with the windows really and I don't like pebble dash, but it would be easy to throw a lot of cash around for small gains.
It's never going to look 'traditional'. The old coach house look won't work.
I would.
Swap the old fashioned front door and fit one that matches the garage door.
Swap the light for something more modern
Ditch the hanging baskets and the climber. I like the idea above of some planters, on the floor under the windows.
Swap the 'office blinds', fit normal venetian blinds or similar.
Change the blue paint,
And yes ditch the wagon wheels!!
Clean the pebbledash. I wouldn't paint it as it will then not match the rest of the terrace, that would look naff.
I would.
Swap the old fashioned front door and fit one that matches the garage door.
Swap the light for something more modern
Ditch the hanging baskets and the climber. I like the idea above of some planters, on the floor under the windows.
Swap the 'office blinds', fit normal venetian blinds or similar.
Change the blue paint,
And yes ditch the wagon wheels!!
Clean the pebbledash. I wouldn't paint it as it will then not match the rest of the terrace, that would look naff.
Edited by megaphone on Friday 28th March 07:26
Do nothing at all unless it is a lagger in a gentrification area that's coming back to life or has come back to life. Also, check on the mental state of the people living in the rest of the building.
If it's in a st tip location with fktard inhabitants next door then the wagon wheels already make it seriously stand out fancy.
If it's on the cusp of the whole building or zone coming back to life then you'd want to bring in the other owners to any plans for a basic smartening/cleaning up.
Whether you'd spend nothing, a few k or a bucket of money completely depends on the nature of the environment around it.
If it's in a s
t tip location with fktard inhabitants next door then the wagon wheels already make it seriously stand out fancy. If it's on the cusp of the whole building or zone coming back to life then you'd want to bring in the other owners to any plans for a basic smartening/cleaning up.
Whether you'd spend nothing, a few k or a bucket of money completely depends on the nature of the environment around it.
wolfracesonic said:
I think it would look better with an Escalade parked in front of it…
LolMy Escalade is just a memory now unfortunately, although a nice memory at that.
Let me answer a few questions and by the way, it's not my house, it's a friend's. He can't post pictures for 2 weeks as a new member, otherwise he would do it himself.
House is in Northern Ireland, in a semi rural setting on the edge of a large town, 2 miles from town centre. It's probably the most premium post code in a 10 mile radius, at which point, you're then in Belfast postcodes.
The house is stone built, in 1850s. Was originally 9 houses in a terrace, now converted to 3 houses.
The area is mostly old buildings, some still original, some modernised. For context, these pics are from the immediate area.
The terrace is question is directly behind this house.
And if you turn 180 to look the other way, you see this style of house
Prior to reaching the terrace is question, you pass these terraced houses (the actual house is about 50 yards down the road)
In terms of immediate neighbours in the terrace, here are pics from both ends. The left group has been painted grey. The right, unpainted. The middle 3 sections (white windowframes) is my friends.
I believe the boat is no longer there lol
The boundary is around 4 to 5m in front of the house, so part of the tarmac you see belongs to each property. I think that probably would look better with some sort of boundary definition.
Now that there is more context of the area, does that change anything?
Here is Google earth of the area. There is a river behind although no flood risk due to elevation. X marks the property.
I'm saying to him, tired house in a premium postcode presents an opportunity. It's 4 bedrooms, 1600sqft and bought at a relatively knock down price. The rear is a mess, ugly, but loads of potential. Concrete rear is a great base for a proper patio, sloped garden could be a nice feature and the almost 2 century old wall just needs cleaned and presented better, to turn it into a nice garden feature. All those climber plants need to be torched with fire IMO.
He's got £20k to spend and the inside is spot on for the most part, I reckon he invests the majority outside, front and rear.
DonkeyApple said:
Do nothing at all unless it is a lagger in a gentrification area that's coming back to life or has come back to life. Also, check on the mental state of the people living in the rest of the building.
If it's in a st tip location with fktard inhabitants next door then the wagon wheels already make it seriously stand out fancy.
If it's on the cusp of the whole building or zone coming back to life then you'd want to bring in the other owners to any plans for a basic smartening/cleaning up.
Whether you'd spend nothing, a few k or a bucket of money completely depends on the nature of the environment around it.
This is important, the rest of the area and neighbours, so I've addressed that above. Just not really sure of the best approach to take away the tired look. Oh, and the slate roof will be professionally cleaned.If it's in a s
t tip location with fktard inhabitants next door then the wagon wheels already make it seriously stand out fancy. If it's on the cusp of the whole building or zone coming back to life then you'd want to bring in the other owners to any plans for a basic smartening/cleaning up.
Whether you'd spend nothing, a few k or a bucket of money completely depends on the nature of the environment around it.
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