Need help with exterior makeover

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

The front of the house makes it look really small. It's 2645 sq feet but looks half that size because the garage takes up most of the front of the house. We want to get a wood garage door with more windows. Fix the landscaping by cutting it. This isn't the latest picture of the front of the house. Trying to figure out if putting a window or some type of façade above the garage might take the eye upward and give it more curb appeal. Also, planning to get a new roof soon due to hail damage. This is a second home in Tyler, Tx that we will sell in about 4 years. It was a fixer upper investment so we don't want to spend a lot of money updating the front of the house. We considered painting the garage door in a faux wood finish but not sure how that would look.

Featured Answer

PRO

Dreamscape Outdoor Living & Garden Inc.

9 years ago

I like the color of the garage doors, it complements the
brick, don’t go with a darker color because the entire façade will look too
dark. The window to the right of the door was designed to balance the garage
doors, however the overgrown shrubs are obscuring this window. Remove the
shrubs and paint the window trim a lighter color (below)

Make the entranceway more inviting by painting the door a
bright color. Install an attractive flower bed in the front lawn. Before
planting anything, add organic soil and fertilizer. Plant small, low-growing
shrubs and plants. Or use one specimen shrub or a small decorative tree. Your
garden center can advise you. Around the edge of the bed, install lawn edging, it prevents lawn grass growing into the bed and looks
neat and tidy.

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Comments (10)

K Laurence
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I guess it all depends upon your market, whether or not you'll get a greater return on any money spent. I live in an area where whatever you spend on upgrades you are able to recoup your money & then some. ( a very high demand coastal city in So California).... one thing that draws my attention is the lack of interesting landscaping...
Ann Dallas
Original Author
9 years ago
It's not an area where you get all of your money back. The landscaping has been updated since this picture and plan to do more. I was going to post an updated picture but it's too dark. I'm mostly wondering what could be done above the 2 car garage that would be more appealing. I wondered if a window or something might help.
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K Laurence
9 years ago
A window added above the garage wouldn't add any appeal for me. If I were to spend money it would probably be spent on something else ( e.g., the garage doors, nice landscape lighting, light fixtures, things like that).
chloebud
9 years ago
I think wood garage doors might help, or simply painting them to blend more with the brick. It can be challenging to pull the focus off when over half the front is garage. However, it can definitely be improved. I would also paint the downspouts to blend with the brick.
katinparadise
9 years ago
It's probably going to cost you $3,000 to replace the garage doors with wood. I would just paint them a bit darker as suggested, along with the downspouts. Instead, I would spend money on a front door with some glass and painted a lighter color to bring it out of the shadows and pull the landscaping out completely. Replace it with something a little more natural and not as formal with some color in it.
Porter Edun
9 years ago
The windows are small and paned yes. It's a second home and putting a lot of money in to doors with more linear windows without panes isn't going to make or break the sale in the long run. Leave it to the new home owner in 4 years. If you want to paint it a bit darker great, but not too dark.

Agree, you would be better served working on the dark hole at the entry of your home and bringing light in with doors with some glass... simple glass not a lot of ornate glass... not being snarky... just read this over and not my intention by any means as that's not me. I feel you need to address your entry. I can't tell if it a single door or a door with sidelights or???
groveraxle
9 years ago
Not a fan of those brick gables and what looks like white flashing.
Ann Dallas
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
The pictures don't show how it truly looks but it looks better. It still needs some time for the small trees on either side of the window to grow. I"m thinking of adding shutters. It still needs something above the 2 car garage door.
Ann Dallas
Original Author
8 years ago
the front door and garage doors match now. We still have the handles to choose and have added. We are replacing the large plant that has gotten out of control.