4 Exterior Upgrades With a Small Price Tag & Big Impact
When it comes to making exterior upgrades, simple changes can make a big impact - and they don't have to be very costly or take a lot of time. Rather than investing in a complete remodel, consider these elements that make it easy to change the overall look of your home.
Install a Stone Walkway
A real stone walkway installed along the front of your home adds a wow factor, and can be used to connect exterior architecture with your hardscape. If you are thinking about adding a walkway, think about foot traffic. Where would guests naturally approach your home's front door?
Construct Stone Columns
For homes with a rustic style, stone columns or pillars can be a nice aesthetic addition. Faux stone panels and pillar kits are a quick and affordable way to transform an entryway. Faux stone is easy to install, waterproof, lightweight and durable.
Get Creative With Trim
It’s easy to add visual sophistication to an exterior with trim. Well-chosen trim around windows and doors makes them appear larger and more inviting. Trim and fascia products come in different lengths, widths, profiles, textures and substrates, for more options to complement your home’s style.
Light Up Your Yard
Accent landscaping features and make the entry to your home more inviting with low-voltage path lights. The wiring for these lights doesn't have to be buried; instead, you can conceal it under mulch or gravel. Solar path lights are another affordable alternative, although they require several hours of full sun to produce a strong light that lasts the whole night.
Stand Out With LP® SmartSide® Trim & Siding
You can count on LP SmartSide products for all of your siding, trim, panel, fascia and soffit needs. An incredible array of finishes and dimensions meets the widest possible variety of design requirements. There are LP SmartSide products for every home and every vision! Learn more about LP SmartSide Trim & Siding, or connect with a remodeler near you.
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Protecting Your Business From Subcontractor Mistakes
Both general contractors and building product dealers have a lot on the line when they use subs, so it's important to understand subcontractor liability. It's common for both dealers and Big Box retailers to hire a subcontractor to install materials like hardwood flooring purchased at their stores. GCs likewise have relationships with many trade subcontractors.
Continue ReadingTrends5 min
Using the Right Siding for a Modern Farmhouse
In recent years, designers have offered new visions of this classic style and have dubbed it the "modern farmhouse." Chip and Joanna Gaines from the home improvement show Fixer Upper were relentless promoters of the modern farmhouse aesthetic, which helped make it chic and add "shiplap" to more people's vocabulary. Last year, Builder magazine named the modern farmhouse one of the top 5 trends in floor plans. While craftsman homes still account for about 25 percent of all house plans, the modern farmhouse is rapidly gaining ground and now has about 15 percent market share.
Industry Trends4 min
A Mid-Year Look at 2019 Exterior Trends
While many building professionals actively seek out exterior trends at the start of the new year, it's important to keep on top of trends as we approach the latter half of 2019. Taking a mid-year look at what industry trends have dominated so far and what's to come will ensure you are delivering your customers timely recommendations when it comes to their home's aesthetic.
Industry Trends8 min
Building Smarter Starts With Smashing Silos
One of the most vexing problems in home construction is that productivity isn't rising fast enough - even though there are fabulous productivity tools everywhere you look. Making a process lean and efficient isn't always the answer, according to John Murphy from the consulting firm FMI. Sometimes a process can be scrapped entirely, which in turn causes productivity to soar. But it can only happen when all the key stakeholders - developers, designers, manufacturers and builders - tear down their respective silos and start collaborating more effectively.