The exterior of your
house is as important as the interior of the house. It
is the exteriors that will give a visitor the first
impression on how the interiors are going to be. The
home exteriors are subject to ware and tear by the
elements of nature, so care must be taken to lay the
exteriors well and with good quality materials. There
are certain portions of the exteriors that once laid
are expensive and difficult to relay. At a certain
point in the construction of your house, work will
take place simultaneously in the interior and exterior
of the house. Here are some tips on how the exterior
work should be carried out.
It is best to pour the garage flooring and
install the drywall in the garage before installing the garage
doors. It is easier to install the drywall before the garage
doors are in place. Get doors that are insulated. Install the
required wiring for an automatic door, though you do not
intend to install them.
If you have planned Brick Work or Rock Face
on part of the house, it is better to do it before the stucco
or siding is applied. While choosing the color or style of
bricks or rock to be used, take a piece of siding and trim so
that you can match the colors.
While the siding is being installed the
worker will install gutters as well. Siding comes in a variety
of materials and styles. Some subdivisions lay down what
material has to be used for siding. Use vinyl siding to reduce
maintenance. Wrap wooden posts and bare wood with vinyl as
well.
If the weather is fine stuccoing can be done
at this time. First a layer of building paper with webbed
wiring is put on the house. Then a layer of scratch coat is
applied and finally a coat of paint of your choice is applied.
After your plot has been backfilled and
graded, you can begin work on the driveway, garage floor and
sidewalks. If you pour your sidewalk too close to the
foundation, cracks may form at the corners. Leave some space
between the sidewalk and the foundation wall. You can choose
from a variety of surfaces for your sidewalk like, plain
concrete, stamped, a number of surfaces can be applied.
Decking should be done after the siding is
prepared. Deck finishing comes in different types like
painted, stained or vinyl. It is best to choose something that
needs little or no maintenance and is durable.
If the deck is about 24" or more above
the ground then you need a railing for it. Some types of
railings need to be maintained on a daily basis and other are
relatively maintenance free. Railings are available in wooden,
aluminum, plastic and glass etc.
Many subdivisions have rules for landscaping
and a time limit for completion. When you buy your land you
have give a performance deposit to the subdivision. Once the
exterior of the house and the landscaping is completed
according to the rules, this deposit is returned.
