Is your ranch house ho-hum? An exterior renovation may be what you need. Ranch homes — also sometimes called ramblers — are ubiquitous in the West, where the style was created in the 1920s. Some ranches are modern and gorgeous, but others can be real plain Janes. Since they are low to the ground with a streamlined style, some ranch houses can seem to fade into the landscape. Make yours stand out with a new exterior covering and some distinctive architectural touches.
BRICK IS PREVALENT
One particularly pervasive type of ranch home exterior is brick. In some neighborhoods, brick ranches line both sides of the street as far as the eye can see. Renovations are needed before dystopia sets in! As you know from the Three Little Pigs, however, brick is a durable home exterior, so while yours may be boring, it may still be in good shape. What to do? Cover it up! Brick exteriors are perfect foundations for stone veneer or stucco coverings. Your house will instantly gain character and style. Choose a bright color like white or pale gray and you’ll hardly recognize the home you’ve known and loved.
ALUMINUM OR VINYL SIDING
Siding is popular too, but since it comes in different colors, ranches with vinyl siding don’t always look so cookie-cutter. But that doesn’t mean they look good — especially if yours has aluminum siding on it. Aluminum is great — until it gets old. Then it’s chalky, dented and possibly corroded. Vinyl siding is low-cost, quick to install and can instantly transform your home’s exterior from worn to beautiful. If you can afford it, go with fiber cement siding — it cleverly mimics the look of wood or stone and is more durable than vinyl.
A LITTLE OF EACH
Consider mixing and matching for real flair. Do the front wall in stone (or stone veneer, if you’re trying to save money), and cover the gables and the rest of the walls in a cream siding. Don’t have any gables? Add some! It’s a manageable project and really brings visual interest. Adding a portico can have a similar affect.
Remember that your home’s exterior takes up a lot of square footage, but other aspects of curb appeal are important too, such as the front door. Paint it a bright, new color, or replace it with a beautiful wooden door with glass panels. If you have a veranda or porch, don’t forget to include it in your renovation plans. Re–cover the posts, make sure the rails are in good shape and repair or replace any crumbling stonework.
To transform your ranch house from blah to wow, call Renovation by Burbach, the Salt Lake City area’s leader in home exterior remodels. You will be delighted to come home every night to your beautiful new house. Contact our experts today to get started on ideas for your ranch home’s exterior renovation.
