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ashley_melnick

What can I do to the back of my house?

Ashley Melnick
9 years ago
We bought the place for a awesome price. Corner lot, huge yard. We couldn't beat it. It needs alot of love on the outside. As you can probably see the siding needs to be fixed, and the one roof needs to be replaced. But other than that, the house is still standing and theres nothing we cant fix! Anyways, Im looking for ways to touch the back of this place up! My only thought is stacking stone for the chimney, to match the front porch once to do the reno! Can I please get some ideas. Possibly even deck ideas. The door you see on the right where the steps are will be replace with a sliding door soon and I would love to have a screened/encolsed area right off the door along with the deck. Ideas please! Thank you!!

Comments (14)

  • weaselemu
    9 years ago
    You need shutters and some landscape after the deck is in.
  • PRO
    Design Harmony
    9 years ago
    One long porch across the back would unite the space and add a bit of character to your rear yard. I love the idea of building out the chimney with stone or brick to make it more of an architectural feature. Extending that low roof over right door along at least part of the deck would give you a protected area for kids to if it's raining, dry off pets or BBQ. I would also paint the doors a fun color like poppy or navy and add shutters to dress out the windows in a complimentary color.
  • PRO
    flair lighting
    9 years ago
    shutters wont work due to chimeny window placement on a few...are you repl. all the windows?
  • delyanks
    9 years ago
    I'd stud around the chimney to make it larger. Flare it out at the base. Then stack stone that.

    The porch I would do like flair's bottom left picture. I'd run it from the door in the middle to match the roof line of the door on the right.

    I'd bump the soffit out 1' on the back gable. Make sure you vent your roof at the top of the gables and go all the way across.

    Flower beds and grass and your set.
  • Ashley Melnick
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    This is the pic that was on the listing. The grass got fixed real quick! It looked like a jungle lol. The doors I did paint, a nice red. All windows were replaced and new. However, I would still like to replace that one lonely bottom window between the two doors (kitchen window) and make it a little bigger. French doors was another thought. We been back and forth, debating on sliding or french. I really like all of your ideas. Never thought about half of them. Thanks for the picture, too! That helps alot. I would love shutters, but that chimney is in the way. So in order to make the back of the house 'pop' I have decided the stone going up the chimney will have to do. This house sat for years as a foreclosure, and half the town wanted to make it a 'drive through'. My goal is to make it as nice as possible since the neighborhood looked at it as a 'slum' for all those years. Nice corner lot, where no matter which way you leave or enter town it stands out. Again, thanks for the ideas. I'll have to talk to my husband! And show him that picture. I'm kinda liking that. Great idea.
  • Ashley Melnick
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    Heres a look at the front of my house. Please note this picture makes it look the property is slanted. It's not. This is also the original picture from the realtor. The siding on the house now matches the garage. The porch has been redone, however it was for the time being since it was too cold to do much. The new porch, I feel, doesn't go with the house. We need something different. The second floor window area, looks weird. Or is it just me? This is a house built in 1875 and teeny tiny back then without the garage. The old owners built that garage and master suite above it, lost the place and we basically paid for the garage. So it was a steal. I couldn't pass it up! Theres nothing wrong with the place that cant be fixed. Im just running out of ideas - inside and out. We been working on the inside ever since we purchased it and I can no longer think of what to do! Any ideas on the front?? Again, thank you
  • PRO
    flair lighting
    9 years ago
    new windows and siding. just start there. the porch will look more cohesive then. close in the bottom of the porch with lattice. do you need to replace the roof or is it good? you need some steps and sidewalk.
  • handymam
    9 years ago
    Ashley, it really would help of you could post pics that show what you have now instead of telling us what it looks like now. I think your house has great potential! :)
  • PRO
    Baywolf Dalton, Inc.
    9 years ago
    Before adding stone or any other material over brick, have a good mason look at your home. You may have existing tuck pointing that needs to be done and covering up the brick could cause problems in the future. I would suggest spending money on French doors and a well built deck.
  • Ashley Melnick
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    Here is a pic of the new porch. My husband, no experience did this himself. It is put together very nicely, so I give him props. But I don't feel it goes with the house. We are painting it white, I was planning to put white lattice under the porch. Add grey carpeting, and put stacking stone in shades of grey on the front of the house. I can get a pic of the inside in the morning. New windows havent been added because I would like to see if I should go bigger or what. What do you guys think? Thank you again, so much for your ideas and help. I can't seem to find anyone in the area who actually knows something.
  • handymam
    9 years ago
    He did a nice job. If you are painting the porch white, perhaps you would want to paint the window trim white also.

    I don't think I would put the stone on your house. White lattice under the porch is a classic.
  • Ashley Melnick
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    I would like to add the stacking stone to the front, like around the door and windows (to the wall of the house). The porch goes with the house? What would you do with those upstairs windows? keeping my options open and getting other opinions and ideas.
  • Ashley Melnick
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    Here is a pic of the inside