How could I give this house have more kerb appeal?

[Cucumberscarecrow]

I am a prospective buyer. I would like to buy a charming period house but you don't get much space for your money in these parts so I'm trying to open my mind to different types of properties.

This one has great space but is not very pretty. I'm confident that I can decorate the interior successfully over time but have no idea how I would deal with the exterior. Has anyone got any good ideas?

[FairPhyllis]

The house looks perfectly nice as it is: I think it would be an utter waste to try to make it look like something it isn't. Redoing the drive and having an AMAZING front garden would be the best ways of improving its look at the front. Maybe change the colour of the door too.

Having said that there obviously a lot of houses in the area with white rendering so it wouldn't look out of place if you did do that.

[Sandthorn]

I like the porch idea, and a porch is a practical thing too. But I'd focus on the garden, which is pretty boring. If you're going to do the hedge thing, choose a mixed hedge for year-round interest. But if you don't need to keep children or animals in, you could keep the open feel but add some interesting structure with small trees, shrubs and bedding, to draw the eye. A super-tidy box hedge round the boundary could just add to the dullness.

[Cucumberscarecrow]

Ooh, I love that painted house. Totally transformed.

[burnishedsilver]

LINK

Have a look at the second house on page 7.

[burnishedsilver]

LINK

Sorry, that was the wrong link above.

[Cucumberscarecrow]

Really interesting article burnished. I've saved it on to my computer for future reference. We don't have the budget for a complete external makeover now but maybe in a few years' time and there's lots of great inspiration in the article.

[noddyholder]

I would leave it too There has been over kill on weatherboarding and render and they never blend with the surrounding houses. I would just get new windows and garage door to match the front door to pull it all together and then leave it.

[MackerelOfFact]

I am in the same position, moved from a small period place into a much larger and lovely inside 70s brick cube. It's on a road of beautiful sprawling Victorian properties and it's a total eyesore - but I get to look out at the pretty houses around and can't see it when I'm in it!

I'm renting but if it (or that property in the photos) were mine, I'd probably do the New England style white cladding etc if money wasn't an issue. But with a bit of work on the garden and perhaps an ornamental palm/fir/some form of large shrub in the middle of the lawn, and a new drive (slate gravel or something, doesn't have to be expensive) I think it would look heaps better.

[titchy]

I was going to suggest back to front too! Here's one:

www.backtofrontexteriordesign.com/gallery_detail21.html

[MackerelOfFact]

I was also going to say that if you change the building itself, people in 50 years time are probably going to curse you for ruining the original character of the property, like we do now with Edwardian/Victorian places that had porches added or got pebbledashed in the 70s.

[noddyholder]

Those houses are hugely popular again in this original tiled state the weather boarding is upvc window of mid century houses Desist

[Lucy61]

All the above, especially shrubs etched. I'd go for a wisteria and train it around the new porch or facade.

[specialsubject]

obviously missed another memo here - what's wrong with that house? Looks fine to me.

[Lelivre]

Reminded me of this house I bookmarked it after reading about it on here as I'm buying a 60s property

sixtiespalace.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/before-and-after.html?m=1

[minkah]

Definitely it's best to respect the period of a property, and not succumb to 'fashion' with such important outlay. I mean..pebbledash, anyone?!

[7to25]

I have just had a good look.
The garage door does not conceal a garage! I would then brick up the opening and install a window for symmetry. As before, get rid of overhang and replace with a porch.

[LuluJakey1]

I am just shocked by the price! I don't know how anyone buys houses down south.

This is what £479,000 would buy up here in Northumberland
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-42674263.html

£499000
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-26956858.html

or
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-30006885.html

£325,000
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-44496331.html

[thenightsky]

Lulu me too... this is what that money would get you in my neck of the woods.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-44767748.html?premiumA=true

My sister lives in Brighton in a lovely flat right on the sea front in Kemptown, with a big garden at the back. She really stretched herself in the late 80s to buy it for £120k. I dread to think what its worth now.

[schmee]

It's just like the one on the Sarah Beeney programme linked to by pp! Definitely a porch, taking off that overhang thing, and replacing the garage door with a window. They put a slate roof on which looked fantastic but would be muchos £££.

Sarah Beeney was encouraging the people on her programme to clad the house (I think) as it would provide better insulation. They didn't as painting the brick was cheaper and it looked ok.

On your house, I think you should consider changing the windows as they are really ugly. But again this will cost a fair amount.

[schmee]

Looking at the property again, I don't think it ever going to be properly symmetrical from the front as it is built sideways on to the hill.

[LuluJakey1]

My cousin lives in a semi in North London, exactly like ours but smaller downstairs and not as nice- all cracked grey pebbledash whereas ours is blackened red Elizabethan style bricks with lots of interesting features architecturally. His is in a scary area I think. It has just been valued at £495,000. Ours which is in the nicest street in our village is worth £350,000 - £360,000 at most.

Mind you, we could not easily buy our house now. We have just paid the mortgage off but I paid less than £100,000 for it 10 years ago and when we sold DHs flat we paid a big chunk of it off and have kept over paying. I would hate to take on a £360,000 mortgage now and we both earn decent salaries as teachers.

[minkah]

I agree about London property prices. I am puzzled as to who is buying the houses in my street, exactly. I don't see who could afford them. I think perhaps you get areas colonised by lawyers and city bankers, next to tenanted houses owned by landlords.