First Impressions
We all want our home to be the belle of the block—and you showed us that it takes dedication, pride, and tough work to attain it. You impressed us with restored, historically accurate details, brand-new porches, fresh color schemes, and more. Here is a look at the top picks for curb-appeal remodels in our sixth-annual Reader Remodel Contest, chosen by the editors at This Old House.
After you’ve browsed these stunning curb-appeal makeovers, you can see all of this year’s entries at here at This Old House.com.
Winner: Restoring an Old Gem to Former Glory: Before
Who: Jim W.
Where: Lake Mills, WI
The exterior of this house was in bad shape. I removed vinyl siding, repaired rotted wood, and stripped all old paint from the clapboard, windows, and front columns. All nails were countersunk and puttied. Missing wood and trim were replaced to match original. Clapboard and trim were sanded, primed, and painted. The front porch was totally dismantled and rebuilt using as much of the original material that I was able to save. Columns and base columns that were rotted and damaged were rebuilt with a wood epoxy, sanded, primed, and painted. New footings had to be poured for the columns—the old columns rested on a single boulder that had settled 6 inches. The front porch was jacked up and I made new bases for the columns and also made the railings myself and installed the new spindles.
Winner: Restoring an Old Gem to Former Glory: After
Who: Jim W.
Where: Lake Mills, WI
The physical labor was the hardest part. I did all of this myself, from demolition to completion. The satisfaction I received from restoring an old gem to its former glory is the part I liked the most. Plus, I got to know many of the neighbors in town as I worked over the years on the house. In addition to painting the house in authentic Victorian paint colors, I made the stained-glass windows for the staircase, the front door, and other first floor windows that incorporate the color scheme. The barn was painted to match the house. I also added the period landscaping. I saved money by recycling as many materials as I could, completing all the work myself, and making many of the missing parts. The front sidewalk was built using bricks given to me after a local house in town was torn down.
Who did the work: I did all the work myself.
Cost: $10,000–$25,000
Pride of Ownership: Craftsman Bungalow: Before
Who: August and Ellyn A.
Where: Bartlett, IL
We needed a new roof due to hail damage. However, the siding was also damaged and needed replacing. This opened up the possibility of making our old house look like a Craftsman Bungalow, which we always admired. We decided to add a new roof, siding, and window wraps.
Pride of Ownership: Craftsman Bungalow: After
Who: August and Ellyn A.
Where: Bartlett, IL
We managed to stay within budget, despite a few unexpected problems that came up. Our contractor has said several times that we have the best looking house on the block and we agree 100 percent! We have received many compliments, including an honor bestowed on our house by the village we live in: a third-place win in the “Pride of Ownership” contest the summer after the remodel. In May 2012, our house received a historical plaque, also from the village’s Historical Society. It was noted in the description of our house by the Historical Society that we “have extensively restored the home’s exterior in a historically sensitive style that accurately reproduces period details.” Our house was constructed in 1924-1925, but it no longer looks old and dated. We now live in a house that we can be proud of.
Who did the work: We did some of the work ourselves but a contractor did most of it.
Cost: $25,000–$50,000
1890s Queen Anne: Before
Who: Jim and Barb G.
Where: Ridgefield, CT
Our house is a Queen Anne, built in the 1890s. The house was converted to vinyl siding in the 1960s. We wanted to restore it back to its original architectural state.
We removed all vinyl siding and found the original clapboard, gables, and fish scale shingles all in remarkable shape for the age of the house. We also found a window that had been covered up by the siding!
1890s Queen Anne: After
Who: Jim and Barb G.
Where: Ridgefield, CT
To save money, we did a lot of research on colors for the house ourselves versus using a color specialist. We also competitive-bid our stone, brick, painting, and landscaping. We like best that our home is one with a history. It was the home of D.F. Bedient, who owned the hardware store in town in the 1890s, which up until 1998 still bore his name. We wanted to bring this beautiful home back to life, embrace the history of its original architecture, and make it a source of joy and beauty to the street and town. We hope the Bedients would be proud of our work.
Who did the work: We did some of the work ourselves but a contractor did most of it.
Cost: $50,000–$100,000
Highlighting Detailed Trim With a Whole New Look: Before
Who: Beth B.
Where: South Deerfield, MA
The beautiful 1900 house we bought was in need of some serious TLC on the inside and out. The exterior of the home needed roof repairs, shingle repairs, painting, new windows, new front porch ceiling, stone-work repair on the front porch, concrete repair on front stairs, and new landscaping.
Highlighting Detailed Trim With a Whole New Look: After
Who: Beth B.
Where: South Deerfield, MA
Choosing the colors for the exterior paint was very difficult. We wanted to give the house a whole new look and highlight the detailed trim on the house. However, we love the color! We love our new windows and our front porch. Pretty much we love everything we have done. This house has so much to offer and we love watching it transform. People often stop by to tell us what a difference our remodel has done for the street. It is an amazing house and we are so thrilled to be bringing it back to life.
Who did the work: We did some of the work ourselves but a contractor did most of it.
Cost: $25,000–$50,000
Empty and Neglected Wreck Becomes Clean, Crisp, and Cheerful: Before
Who: Bill G.
Where: Lake Orion, MI
The house had been vacant for more than two years when I bought it at a County tax auction. The exterior had been neglected for decades and need a fair amount of TLC. The wood siding and cedar shakes needed repair, replacement, scraping, and paint. Various sections of roofing needed repair and replacement including the cupola. The gutters needed work. All the double-hung leaded-glass windows (31 of them) needed reglazing. The landscaping was severely overgrown and needed serious attention and a haircut. The front porch steps had collapsed and needed replacement. The arched leaded-glass front door had been stolen.
Empty and Neglected Wreck Becomes Clean, Crisp, and Cheerful: After
Who: Bill G.
Where: Lake Orion, MI
The hardest part was working 35 feet up on the cupola’s roof and siding. This required a couple extra sticks of chewing gum to calm and steady my nerves. The part I like the best is the transformation this house went through from an empty and neglected stripped wreck to a lovely addition to the neighborhood. Previously, the house looked dark and foreboding, and now it’s clean, crisp, and cheerful. I also appreciated the compliments and encouragement provided by my neighbors. It kept me afloat during some of the more trying days. I was also very fortunate to have an excellent cabinetmaker as a neighbor who built a new custom front door to replace the original stolen one. Another neighbor helped with some heavy equipment driveway excavating and gravel hauling. I still owe him a beer and fish taco dinner.
Who did the work: I did most of the work myself.
Cost: $5,000–$10,000
Accentuating the Architecture: Before
Who: Carl M.
Where: Atlanta, GA
This poor home was wonderful inside, yet had many exterior issues including horrific paint colors, an old ratty awning, unnecessary small column supports, and more. The yard also was so overgrown we couldn’t find the house at times. It needed to be happy again.
My partner, Rob S., and I removed the awnings and small column supports on the porch. We repainted the exterior and added shutters on the second floor. We custom-built fencing around the yard in front of the property. On the porch, we added new column tops as well as new and additional lighting. We also stripped the original 1905 mahogany front door of decade’s worth of old stain and dirt and refinished it to a new glowing patina. Rob and I also removed and pruned overgrown shrubs and trees that were hiding not only the yard but also the home itself. Many people did not know the home was there.
Accentuating the Architecture: After
Who: Carl M.
Where: Atlanta, GA
The hardest part of the remodel of the exterior of this home was making sure we did not overdo. The home is simple and we wanted to keep it that way. We like things to feel clean, modern, and crisp to accentuate the architecture and not over-paint or over-detail things. We let the home speak for itself. The best part about this remodel was changing the dismal, dark, and unfriendly house into the happy home we feel it surely was at one time in its life.
Who did the work: We did all the work ourselves.
Cost: $1,000–$5,000
Providing Attention to Home’s Exterior: Before
Who: Carolyn R.
Where: Des Moines, IA
I purchased our 1903 home in 1989 and performed years of restoration work on the inside. I married husband Dan in May 2008 (he married me in spite of my big “in-progress” house and overgrown yard), and he attacked both inside and outside projects with a vengeance.
We had done a lot of work inside of the house, but the yard was overgrown and the retaining walls were giving way. Plus, areas of the home’s exterior needed attention.
Providing Attention to Home’s Exterior: After
Who: Carolyn R.
Where: Des Moines, IA
We saved money by doing as much of the tree and brush removal as we could, doing all the scraping and painting on the house, and doing most of the decorative plantings. We got married during this project (in May 2008), and saved money by not taking a honeymoon. We needed to stay home and “babysit” the fresh sod! We also removed the railings, concrete cap, and rebar from the raised 1960s patio adjacent to the front porch. We used sledgehammers until a neighbor took pity on us and loaned us an electric jackhammer. At that point, we called in professionals to take out the rest.
We have been fortunate to connect with descendants of the home’s first and second owners, and we have them over to see our progress. It has been wonderful to share stories and learn more about the history of the house.
Who did the work: We did some of the work ourselves but a contractor did most of it.
Cost: $25,000–$50,000
Wide Porch for Celebrations and Entertainment: Before
Who: Cheryl S.
Where: Reedville, VA
The house’s second owner removed the original porch and put the little one on. We were able to get original pictures of the house from around 1900, with the full width of the porch on, and wanted to bring it back to that day.
Wide Porch for Celebrations and Entertainment: After
Who: Cheryl S.
Where: Reedville, VA
To complete this renovation, I first removed overgrown boxwoods, removed iron railing, and removed the front porch concrete stoop. I then poured concrete footings, framed the porch with 2×12 treated lumber, and used composite decking for floor. I put on a green-colored steel roof and put tongue and groove ceiling in. The handrails and spindles were added according to code. I primed and painted to finish. We saved money by doing a lot ourselves. I can’t imagine our home without this porch. It is used all of the time.
Who did the work: We did some of the work ourselves but a contractor did most of it.
Cost: $10,000–$25,000
Queen Anne With Witch’s Hat Turret: Before
Who: Claudia P.
Where: Marshall, MO
My family is from Marshall, and we love the community and the history there. We’ve always wanted to restore a Victorian-era home. This home was in bad shape. Everything was out of square and over-spanned. We had to reinforce the foundation and bearing points due to major structural fatigue. There was dry rot under asbestos siding and ancient dirt and dust. We had to tear off an unsafe back screen porch, which was hard for me to part with. We unveiled creepy large and small critters that had made the house their home for the last thirty years while “she” sat empty. We had to order things from out of state and hope that they were the right size and what we wanted. But most of all, we could only work on holidays for two to three weeks at a time while commuting from California.
Queen Anne With Witch’s Hat Turret: After
Who: Claudia P.
Where: Marshall, MO
We were given the chance to save an old 1874 Queen Anne from being torn down and to restore “her” back to her former glory and more. It was exciting to have an old photo to help us in designing the gable decor, porch’s brick-a-brack design, and to figure out the whole layout of the house. I was inspired by the home’s original stained-glass windows to come up with the color scheme used. Our favorite aspect was adding the “witch’s hat” turret over the sunporches. The dilapidated roof had to be torn off anyway, so we felt it would complete another one of the Queen Anne characteristics from that historical time period. We are honored to be a part of the history of the house and to restore “her” to survive another 139 years with integrity.
Who did the work: We did most of the work ourselves.
Cost: $50,000–$100,000
Peeling Away the Exterior to Remodel: Before
Who: David B.
Where: Minneapolis, MN
The exterior of the house was in disrepair. When I purchased the house, there were multiple doors you had to open in order to get in. I was scared to order pizza because I wouldn’t be able to hear the deliveryman knock on the first door. We peeled away the exterior of both the front porch and lower back porch. After demo, we realized that both needed to be rebuilt.
Peeling Away the Exterior to Remodel: After
Who: David B.
Where: Minneapolis, MN
The hardest part was scraping, scraping, scraping. We love our back porch the best. There is nothing better than enjoying outdoor living space, especially in Minnesota. The majority of the plants came directly from the in-laws’ house, which saved a considerable amount of money. When we peeled away the wood panels surrounding the front porch, we discovered all of the original spindles under them, which was a blessing and a huge savings.
Who did the work: We did most of the work ourselves.
Cost: $10,000 to $25,000
Dream of Restoring a Victorian: Before
Who: Frank and Pat D.
Where: Port Townsend, WA
We fell in love with and wanted to rescue it. This home began life in 1891 as a carriage house, windmill and barn for the large Queen Anne house next door. It was originally constructed as a barn/windmill on another corner of the block. The tower held a large water tank and the roof was topped with a windmill. This project was a restoration from the get-go, not a remodel.
Dream of Restoring a Victorian: After
Who: Frank and Pat D.
Where: Port Townsend, WA
Pat fulfilled her childhood dream of restoring and living in a Victorian-era home. For years, she would drive by derelict old homes falling into disrepair, only to see them demolished on the next drive-by.
The best part is having the space to gather our large extended family and having a wonderful house for entertaining. Sitting on the front porch in the summer, people wander by and stop to chat, many of them visitors from far and wide to our Victorian seaport. The house has been on local home tours several times, and visitors who knew it prior to our work can’t believe the transformation. Their compliments only add to the satisfaction we have of restoring a local icon that is one of the first seen on entrance to town.
Who did the work: We did some of the work ourselves but a contractor did most of it.
Cost: More than $100,000
Streamlining the Hodgepodge Look: Before
Who: Jackie N.
Where: Hastings, MN
This circa 1895 house had been remodeled and added onto, which led to its hodgepodge state of additions and roof lines that jutted in different directions. The original wood-sided house had vinyl siding added 30+ years ago. Our goal with remodeling was to clean up the roof-lines and give the house more of a traditional look and feel, hopefully bringing out the character of an old home but making it more energy-efficient and maintenance-free in the process.
Streamlining the Hodgepodge Look: After
Who: Jackie N.
Where: Hastings, MN
The entire reconstruction project went well—we had great contractors and everything moved along smoothly. There really wasn’t any hard part about the remodeling other than being patient and understanding the work takes time. Also, when it’s time to make decisions about siding, brick, colors, where to put windows, doors, etc., it is important to be thoughtful about the process but still not hold the project up. Thinking ahead to the next stage and making decisions in a timely manner helped keep everything and everyone on task. Now that the work is done, it’s fun to sit on the front porch and watch the world go by, and on Saturday nights in the summer we have a front row seat as hundreds of old classic cars drive by on their way to downtown for the Saturday Night Classic Cruise-In.
Who did the work: We did some of the work ourselves but a contractor did most of it.
Cost: $25,000–$50,000
Polishing a Diamond in the Rough: Before
Who: Jarod E.
Where: Land O Lakes, FL
Our intention was to salvage aspects of this 1958 home to maintain its character as well as the integrity of the original construction details.
Polishing a Diamond in the Rough: After
Who: Jarod E.
Where: Land O Lakes, FL
The part we like the best is that we were able to locate a diamond in the rough and polish it. On the exterior, we replaced existing asphalt shingle roof with a metal Galvalume roof and replaced all wood dormers with new fiber-cement boards. We repaired framing, added gutters and downspouts, and built a new well shed. We replaced the rotten rear windows with new French doors, the original pane-glass windows where required, and the front door. We pressure-washed the entire home and the fence and rebuilt the fence and gates. We repainted the house and planted bushes. We also installed the rear wood deck (14 by 20 feet), plus a swing and a small boardwalk. We relocated and added greenery and repaired the mailbox.
Who did the work: We did some of the work ourselves but a contractor did most of it.
Cost: $25,000 to $50,000
Cozy Outdoor Living Space for a Custom Colonial: Before
Who: Jason H.
Where: Pearl River, NY
We bought the three-bedroom, one-bath ranch with the intent to renovate. At the time, we weren’t certain where that would lead, but we had confidence in our hands-on abilities and creative vision.
Cozy Outdoor Living Space for a Custom Colonial: After
Who: Jason H.
Where: Pearl River, NY
Our blind leap turned into a custom Colonial. We gutted the garage and demolished the roof and rear wall. We added two second-floor bedrooms and a full bath. We created a rear first-floor hallway leading to the new master bedroom suite. By changing the footprint from an L to a U shape, we created a cozy outdoor living space. This area is secluded and accessible from both the living room and master bedroom through two sets of French doors. Still have many ideas we hope to implement for the exterior, but we have yet to see the interior plan come to life! We truly appreciate the blood, sweat, and tears it took to make it our home, which you just can’t buy with a turnkey property.
Who did the work: We did some of the work ourselves but a contractor did most of it.
Cost: More than $100,000
Shingle-Style Cottage: Before
Who: Jeffrey A.
Where: Birmingham, MI
I purchased this (my first home) in June of 2008. It was a 1927 English-style cottage set in a wonderful neighborhood in Birmingham, Michigan. I could see the home had great bones but needed work inside and out. My dad, who is retired, and I worked together to devise plans and a strategy to completely remake the home. We gutted the home to the studs, preserving what we could (roof, original floor, shell, plaster walls where applicable, and interior doors) and rebuilding every square inch of the rest.
Shingle-Style Cottage: After
Who: Jeffrey A.
Where: Birmingham, MI
I believe the house is wonderful. It fits the lifestyle of my new wife and me perfectly. The Shingle-style exterior is in keeping with both the neighborhood and the New England aesthetic that I am so fond of, and everything from color to material choice to execution is exactly how envisioned. Undertaking a major remodel such as this, while an amazing experience, is stressful, and it was only with the help and planning of my dad as GC that we could have done it. Without his help, knowledge, and lending hand, I would never have been able to undertake such a project. Being able to work alongside and with my dad during this extensive remodel was an experience I won’t forget and will always appreciate.
Who did the work: We did some of the work ourselves but a contractor did most of it.
Cost: More than $100,000
From White to Yellow and Blue: Before
Who: John S.
Where: Buzzards Bay, MA
A fire gutted the interior of the house. We needed to do a complete remodel of the interior along with exterior upgrades and additions.
From White to Yellow and Blue: After
Who: John S.
Where: Buzzards Bay, MA
The hardest part was the stress of the renovation and getting it completed in a short time period. We saved money by doing a lot of the grunt work ourselves including the painting. We were torn between keeping the original all-white scheme of the house or going in a completely different direction. We ended up choosing the latter and we are very happy we did. We like the new exterior paint scheme the best.
Who did the work: We did some of the work ourselves but a contractor did most of it.
Cost: More than $100,000
Happy to Be Home: Before
Who: Laurie H.
Where: Bainbridge, NY
The house needed everything, inside and out, top to bottom, including plumbing and heating. Much is left to do on the inside. The exterior work took less than six months. There were 3-4 layers of roofing up there and very little sheathing underneath (the upper layers were pretty much nailed to the lower layers). I could almost feel the house heaving a sigh of relief when that was all done and all of that weight came off.
Happy to Be Home: After
Who: Laurie H.
Where: Bainbridge, NY
I did some of the smaller projects myself as well as all of my own landscaping to save money. At times, coordinating the various contractors for each project was daunting. There also came that inevitable moment when I just wished they would all go away. Choosing paint colors was also a big deal. It’s pretty scary when you have a picture in your mind and then you buy the barrels of paint hoping that your “picture” is as pretty as you imagined. The best part is now I feel pride in my home instead of embarrassment when I go up my walkway. I may never be “done,” but it really feels like home now.
Who did the work: I did some of the work myself but a contractor did most of it.
Cost: $25,000–$50,000
Light and Bright Dutch Colonial: Before
Who: Leeor Z.
Where: South Orange, NJ
When we purchased the house, the exterior had been neglected and hadn’t been updated since the early 1950s. We found there was an original cedar roof that needed to be removed before putting on the new one. It needed a new roof, new gutters, new windows, paint, and exterior lighting.
Light and Bright Dutch Colonial: After
Who: Leeor Z.
Where: South Orange, NJ
We chose moderately priced roof shingles to save money. The most difficult part was deciding which paint color to choose! I like the lightness and brightness of the house the best. All the houses surrounding ours have been newly updated and this house was in desperate need of an update. Neighbors constantly thank us that we gave our house a face-lift.
Who did the work: A contractor did all the work.
Cost: $10,000–$25,000
Updating Exterior Without Changing Cottage Appearance: Before
Who: Len W.
Where: Greensboro, NC
This house needed a front makeover and we didn’t like the overall look of the house. There was no porch covering, and the landscaping was old, overgrown, and dying. There was an unsafe sidewalk and little outside lighting. The whole outside looked tired.
Updating Exterior Without Changing Cottage Appearance: After
Who: Len W.
Where: Greensboro, NC
The overall transformation of the front of the house is what we like best. The porch and landscaping updated the house without changing the cottage appearance. We used salvaged materials for most of the project to save money. The framing was from leftover material from the house remodel. The posts came from Habitat ReStore and the railing was a roadside find. The siding came from a neighbor’s house remodel. We installed the sprinkler system and did all of the landscaping ourselves. Everything was purchased locally.
Who did the work: We did most of the work ourselves.
Cost: $1,000–$5,000
Removing Vinyl Siding: Before
Who: Melissa and Jon C.
Where: Cranston, RI
We hate the look of the vinyl siding that was on the house when we bought it.
Removing Vinyl Siding: After
Who: Melissa and Jon C.
Where: Cranston, RI
We removed all the vinyl siding, reinstalled some missing trim details, added some recycled shutters and a wood storm door, and painted. The original siding is not in perfect condition, but it looks a lot better than the white vinyl. We added a white picket fence, a brick walk, built some flower boxes, and improved the landscaping. We saved money with DIY and using recycled materials. It was a lot of manual labor, way up on ladders, which was difficult. Also, one of the hardest aspects of this project was answering the neighbors who thought we were crazy for removing the “maintenance-free” vinyl siding. The house used to look like just another white vinyl box but now it has character and curb appeal.
Who did the work: We did all the work ourselves
Cost: $1,000–$5,000
A Lot of Work and a Big Vision: Before
Who: Ron S.
Where: Cohutta, GA
This is a great home with a long and storied history in our small Southern town. It was built about 100 years ago by the first and only doctor to live in our town. The doctor had two daughters who gave piano lessons to many of the young ladies. Piano recitals in the home were a regular event in the large front rooms, which many of the older citizens remember. The doctor also used the house for his office. When the doctor passed away in the early 1970s, the house was abandoned and rapidly fell into disrepair. There was also a fire that damaged the back part of the house, and as a result, the original kitchen area collapsed into the basement. We purchased what was left of the house in 2004. Even though the house was a wreck and most people thought it should be torn down because it was an eyesore in the town, we thought it had lots and lots of potential.
A Lot of Work and a Big Vision: After
Who: Ron S.
Where: Cohutta, GA
We gutted the entire house and lifted the entire two-story, 3000-square-foot house off the foundation to replace the main support seals and beams. During the process, I fell off the ladder in the basement and broke three ribs and a finger. We saved a lot of money by doing most of the work ourselves. We also had some great people from our church and family that were always willing to help out and give lots of encouragement.
The porches are, without a doubt, the best. We have rocking chairs on the front porch along with ceiling fans that stir the air in the summer months. It’s a great place in the spring and summer to relax, eat a meal, or read a book.
Who did the work: We did most of the work ourselves.
Cost: $25,000–$50,000
Restoring a Historic Victorian: Before
Who: Steve and Joann P.
Where: Wichita, KS
Our house was built in 1886. The character of the living space has been preserved, but the outside was literally falling down. We have tried to be faithful to the historic time and style of the house while creating a much more sound structure that should last for at least another 125 years.
Restoring an Historic Victorian: After
Who: Steve and Joann P.
Where: Wichita, KS
We had to completely tear down and reconstruct three exterior porches, the exterior balcony, and all fretwork and trim. Then we rebuilt soffits for the entire house. We removed and rebuilt the stairs, porch decks, porch railings, and window trims. We also painted. Deciding to redesign the porch railings was the most difficult part. The old railings looked like Alfred Hitchcock silhouettes. We couldn’t find documentation that they were original, but they all needed replacement. We went with a design that is still period, but much more pleasing to the eye, in our opinion. Getting to use and sit on the porches is what we like best!
Who did the work: We did some of the work ourselves but a contractor did most of it.
Cost: $25,000–$50,000
Downtown Home Restoration: Before
Who: Vincent L.
Where: Manchester, VT
This home is on the Main Street in Manchester, Vermont, and is viewed by many people. It needed a new front and rear porch to restore the character of the original design.
Downtown Home Restoration: After
Who: Vincent L.
Where: Manchester, VT
This project was a true labor of love for this type of work. The attractive part of this purchase was that this home was built in 1915, and the interior was original. I installed new Pella architect series double-hung windows, which are custom sized replacements, so I could retain the original interior and exterior casings.
Who did the work: I did all the work myself.
Cost: $50,000–$100,000
