Home foundations are meant to be tough — after all, they need to support a huge, heavy structure and everything (and everyone!) in it!
But that’s doesn’t mean it has to be ugly, does it? Shoes protect our feet, but we don’t have go around with sensible footwear on all the time, do we?
PAINT AND LANDSCAPING
Some homeowners choose to paint their foundations. Inexplicably, many who do this choose to paint them gray, thereby rendering them the same color as they were before, except now they need to be regularly maintained to avoid peeling and flaking as well.
Depending on how much of your home’s foundation is visible above ground, you might want to plant bushes or shrubs to cover up the ugly. This solution has a few drawbacks, however.
Yes, bushes and shrubs are attractive, but it takes time — years, sometimes — for them to grow to a size that’s big enough to do the job. Also, having a lot of vegetation close to your home can promote mold and mildew growth. If your house is painted, plants rubbing up against it can cause premature cracking and peeling, depending on what you plant.
HOME FOUNDATION COVER
One of the best solutions for beautifying your home’s foundation is installing decorative covering. Most people go with stone or brick, as this is the type of material most closely associated with heavy-duty work like holding up houses.
Time was, foundations were actually completely made of real stone, rather than concrete. These were basically an invitation to all types of vermin and snakes to enter the dwelling, however, so concrete became a welcome — if unattractive — replacement.
Now you can have the best of both worlds — the strength and impermeability of concrete and the beauty of stone or brick!
Again, the amount of foundation visible above ground can vary by as much as a few feet, so the amount of material needed varies greatly as well. If you go with fieldstone and you have a walkout basement, it will cost a lot more than another style of home.
VENEER PANELS
One way to save money is with stone veneer — thinner slices of stone connected and sold in panel form. With a trowel and a bucket of mortar, these can be installed in a day.
An even cheaper way to go is vinyl veneer. This can be bought in styles that mimic all kinds of stone and brick. People driving by will never know it’s not real (unless they see you putting it up).
Dressing up the outside of your home does wonders for its curb appeal. Whether you go with budget, moderate or top-of-the-line products, the improvement will be tangible.
Renovation by Burbach knows what your house needs to improve its public face. Whether it’s covering your home’s foundation, installing new shutters or building a new front porch, let Renovation by Burbach help you make your house the envy of the neighborhood.
