New Year, New You, New Home

How often do you keep your New Year’s Resolutions? If you don’t keep them, how does it make you feel? When you drop the ball, you probably don’t feel great about it. That’s okay, though, because we can all relate.

We can’t say we’ve been successful in completing all of our personal New Year’s Resolutions either, but as a roofer in Charleston, SC, we can think of a few resolutions you can easily check off the list.

This year, why not resolve to improve your home?

 

Last year, we wrote about some of the South Carolina homeowner trends we expect to see in 2016. If you’re looking for a big change, that blog post is a good place to start.

Even if you’re just looking to make a smaller change for your New Year’s Homeowner Resolution, we have you covered. Each day, we help homeowners make their homes a little more perfect, with improvements both big and small.

Contract Exteriors is a GAF Master Elite installer, an Elite Preferred James Hardie Installer, and a Gold Installer for AZEK Decks. We know our stuff. But we’re happy to help with small improvements, too.

Small Resolutions

Sometimes, when it comes to New Year’s Resolutions, you want to start small. If you resolve to do something huge and fail to do it, the disappointment becomes overbearing. When you achieve a small victory, though, it empowers you to pursue even bigger and better resolutions.

If you want to start small with your first homeowner’s resolution, we have a few suggestions. These are small things that will save you money on power and heating bills, help the environment, increase your home’s curb appeal, and make your neighborhood a better place to live.

You might try:

• Power Washing - Just like anything else, siding gets dirty, grungy, and faded over time-- if you don’t keep up on it, that is. Some siding is better than others, and some types of siding require less maintenance, but they all deserve a nice bath every now and then. Before you power wash your siding, take a look at this guide from Lowe’s to make sure you don’t damage your home.
• New Lights - When you think about energy-efficient lights, you might gravitate toward interior lighting. Well, exterior lighting is important, too. LEDs work great for exterior accent or track lighting, and you can purchase CFLs or LEDs for your main fixtures, too. Look for outdoor-specific Energy Star rated fixtures. They’ll often have automatic shut-off features so they don’t stay on all day if you forget to turn them off, too.
• New Windows - Old, energy-inefficient windows can waste as much as 25% of your home’s energy. If you’re looking to save money on your power bill and spruce up your home, energy-efficient windows are a great place to start. We can install true replacement windows, custom built for your home. Better yet, they can be installed without any disturbance to your home’s interior or exterior.  
• New Appliances - Energy Star appliances are often around 20% more efficient than their less environmentally-friendly counterparts. According to Energy.Gov, home appliances like dishwashers, refrigerators, and laundry machines account for about 13% of your home’s energy costs. You can make an investment in your future with new, energy-efficient appliances.
• New Doors - Installing new doors has two main advantages-- it boosts your home’s curb appeal, and it can help save on, you guessed it, energy costs. Energy Star-qualified doors boast tighter-fitting frames, possess energy-efficient cores, and reduce heat transfer. Poor-fitting doors greatly increase energy loss. Additionally, people love good-looking doors more than you might think. New, energy-efficient doors that compliment your home can offer as much as a 135% recoupment upon resale.

If you’re ready to make a bigger commitment to your home in 2016, we have a few suggestions for that, as well.

Big Resolutions

When it comes to your home, the big-time New Year’s Resolutions are just as attainable as the smaller ones. With a trusted contractor at your side, resolutions have never been easier. With Contract Exteriors, there’s no need to constantly push yourself and beat yourself up over your goal-- instead, we make it easy. We can work right alongside you to improve your home.

With these larger homeowner resolutions, your home will last longer, your investment will become more valuable, and you’ll be awarded with a new look and feel for your home.

This year, resolve to make your household into the dream home you’ve always wanted.

• New Roof - Your roof is one of the most important parts of your biggest investment. Sure, it protects you from the elements, but it also drastically affects how your home looks to the outside world. If you choose the best roofing materials for your home, your roof will never cause you worry. It can and will meet your architectural and aesthetic needs, it will protect you, and it won’t ask much in return except for an occasional inspection. As a roofer in Charleston, SC, that’s why we’re proud to work with a variety of GAF materials.
• New Siding - If you’re planning on moving in the next couple of years, new siding might not be the best investment. If you plan to stay, however, new siding is a great New Year’s Resolution for your home. New siding can make your home feel much more upscale and updated. It’s like living in an entirely new home. If you’re wondering if you’d benefit from new siding, we’ll be more than happy to give you an honest evaluation.  
• New Deck - You live in South Carolina, so most of the year you can enjoy the outside of your home just as much as you enjoy the inside. Your deck is a big part of that. A customized deck is something you’ll enjoy for years to come. As a big plus, AZEK deck materials can withstand both the weather and everyday hazards-- a spilled glass of wine or some grease from the grill are no problem.

This year, resolve to make your home a nicer place. You can make big changes or small changes, but a resolution to improve your home will be something you’ll appreciate for years to come-- and something that will make you smile for years to come.

This year, make your New Year’s Resolution come true. Improve the value of your home, save money on energy costs, and experience renewed satisfaction in being a homeowner.

Premeditated Excellence

Randy Hann