Exterior

When it comes to improving your home through involved and complex projects, no improvement will be more visible than those you make to the exterior of your home. Your interior will be open only to those who you choose to invite into your house, but every person that walks, drives, or runs by your yard will get to take a look at that outdoor improvement. In addition, people don't need to be looking at your home to take a long hard look at the addition to your house when they go by and it will often be at the basis of the opinion they form of those who reside inside. If you live in an apartment or condo building, you don't have to worry about the exterior of your home. But in any standalone unit, it can take a lot of time and thought to make it look its best.

Is that enough pressure for you? Good! We think that everyone undertaking a home improvement project on the exterior of their homes needs to have everything in perspective before they start their work. Understanding the importance that the project has to the appearance of your house and to the way in which your neighbours regard you means that you will take the job more seriously and be sure to do it right, the first time (did we mention that exterior projects often cost more money than those on the interior, and therefore are more costly when mistakes are made?).

In addition to the perceived appearance of your home, exterior home improvement projects are often surrounded by safety concerns. Deck construction, in particular, must be handled with care when it comes to home improvement. Some construction companies say that when it comes to installing a major outdoor improvement like a deck, the installation of these improvements is regulated by municipal bylaws. Failure to comply could mean big fines, possibly a failed house inspection and even more work!

This section of our site is dedicated to the carrying out of exterior improvements on your house. Whether you are looking to build a fence, a pool, or a deck, this is the part of the site that you want to go to. We will take a look not only at the details and expenses involved in this type of construction, but some area specific concerns as well (for example, different parts of Ontario for example, require postings to be dug at different levels in deck construction).

Again, on the topic of visibility, consider that, as far as your property taxes are concerned, it is the outdoor home improvement project that is going to cost you. City inspectors rarely have any idea of how your home looks from the inside, so these improvements won't cost you come tax time. However, city inspectors love to see an improvement or two go up on the outside. It means that you have increased the value of your home, and that means more money in municipal coffers. If you're looking at building, maybe you found the perfect vacant waterfront property, you're exterior design takes on whole new levels, as you're building from scratch.

You can't avoid an increase in your taxes when you make exterior improvements to your home, but you can definitely make sure that the job is done right. On this site you will find suggestions as to how best to go about your outdoor improvements so that they are safe and will last, as well as being improvements that the whole family can enjoy.