Home façade renovations represent a trend that has been changing the face of Toronto neighbourhoods over the last decade and revolves around the modernization of homes’ full façades. The term façade comes from the French word and describes the part of the home (the frontage or face) that faces the street. In the world of real estate, it equates to what many would generalize as “curb appeal”. However, don’t let this generalization fool you, while façade renovations can absolutely do wonders when it comes to aesthetics, there are numerous functional benefits that can be achieved through a façade renovation. In this post we will explore a variety of options for façade renovations that can improve the functional and aesthetic elements of your home as well as add value in a competitive Toronto real estate market.
Selecting the right materials for the façade of your home
Many older homes in the city of Toronto were built with exterior building products that have not stood the test of time. These have included yellow bricks, pink precast cladding, and outdated aluminum siding, amongst others. Many of these products are prone to discolouration, deterioration and after decades, are looking “dingy”. Additionally, Toronto homes and building products have Canadian winters to contend with, which offend expedites the necessity of repair and replacement of exterior building materials.
If you are deciding to renovate your home’s façade it is very important to consider the overall new look you are going for. When it comes to the façade of your home, colour, contrast, and materials are some of the key elements to consider from both an aesthetic and function standpoint. Classical colours are always preferred and recommended – going with neutral or earth tones ensures your home won’t end up looking “dated”. Contrast is important for depth and should be used to allow certain elements to stand out (e.g. aluminum colour vs. stone cladding colour), adding necessary “pop” in a predetermined way. Specific accenting elements can also be used such as decorative inserts to the same effect. Building elements that need to be considered when renovating your complete front of home façade include:
Cladding :
When selecting the right cladding for your home it is important to consider design as well as durability. Some building materials (e.g. stucco) require more upkeep throughout the years than others (e.g. brick).
– Brick veneer (e.g. Stonerox)
– Stone veneer (e.g. Ontario stone veneers)
– Stucco (e.g. Durock)
– Vinyl siding (e.g. Gentek building products)
– Modern aluminum or paneling (e.g. Longboard architectural products)
– Fibre Cement siding (e.g. James Hardie)
– Wood cladding (e.g. stain grade or paint grade pine, poplar, maple, cedar)
Porch materials:
– Natural stone (e.g. Banas stone or Oakville stone)
– Wood (e.g. pressure treated lumber, cedar, composite decking)
– Concrete (e.g.. Coloured or raw)
– Railings (e.g. Aluminum, wrought iron, glass, wood).
– Pillars/Columns (e.g. Aluminum, wood, fiberglass).
Other items:
-Windows (e.g. Bow, Bay, Casement, slider, etc.)
-Doors (e.g. Steel, executive steel, fiberglass, wood).
-Soffit, fascia, evestroughts. (e.g. Aluminum vs. wood).
-Roofing (e.g. asphalt shingles, rubber membrane, standing seam, wood shake)
-Electrical (e.g. pot lights, chandeliers, fans, security camera, and receptacles)
-Mouldings (e.g. plaster, wood, precast concrete, fibre board, aluminum)
-Caulking (Selecting the right colour, best match)
Not every element from the list above needs to be incorporated, but it is important to consider these when envisioning the final design and finish of your home’s façade. Each project is different, and you will need to consider your budget and desired quality of finishes (standard versus premium) when designing the new façade of your home. In some cases, you may be able to get away with keeping some existing elements such as an existing door or windows, but it is recommended that unless they are new and fit well with the proposed construction, they are changed to optimize the finish quality.
Adding space and improving the function of the front of your home
Many homeowners in the city of Toronto elect to renovate their home’s façade to incorporate new building elements for increased functionality. These are just a few of the common renovations that can improve the functionality of the front of your home:
Portico:
One of the most functional trends includes the incorporation of a new portico. A portico is a structure consisting of a roof supported by columns at regular intervals, typically attached as a porch to a building. Inspired by Greek and Roman structures, porticos are common in classical architectural styles. The primary benefit of a portico is that it provides shelter against the elements. No one likes to be searching for their house keys while being pelted by rain. Porticos also protect the front exterior part or your home by reducing the amount of precipitation coming in contact with building materials. Posts or columns, different styles of soffits, new aluminum, lighting, and colours add up for a complete revolutionized look.
Porch enclosure:
Many homeowners in the city of Toronto choose to go one step further and build a fully enclosed space. These enclosures are not the aluminum and glass panels that where popular in the 1980’s, but complete with drywall and insulation, framed walls exterior cladding such as brick, stone, stucco, siding, or a combination of these products. These enclosed entrances, foyers or mudrooms can be equipped with features such as closets, built-in cabinetry, or other storage solutions that provide great functional value.
Smaller functional needs/wants:
Relocating or increasing the size of the porch stairs or adding or increasing the size of the windows or doors can act as a catalyst to renovate a homes’ façade. The reason for this is that many areas of a home are interconnected and by modifying one area you will directly affect another area. It is important to keep this in mind when perusing these types of renovations.
In conclusion:
Whether you are looking to improve the function or design of the front of your home, it is important to work with experienced professionals that can guide you through the design process, help determine if a building permit is required, make recommendations on the right materials, and have a team with the ability to provide quality integrated construction creating a consistent and appealing final product. If you have any questions about the topics in this article please feel free to reach out to us at Grand Building and Contracting.
Here is a link to our portfolio which contain some home façade renovations that we have completed over the years:
