My Victorian terrace looks terrible. How can I improve it?

[chilliplant634]

Hi. I bought a Victorian terrace as a first time buyer. It's not an amazing house. In fact it is quite ugly on the outside. It is what I could afford at the time. I'm looking for suggestions on what I can do to make the front exterior look better and what kind of costs would be involved.

The previous owner seems to have slapped concrete all over the front brick wall. I'm not sure why this is. Would the whole wall need to be knocked down and rebuilt? It doesn't even look level. Any ideas?

For a low cost (ish) solution I'd

1. Paint the front low wall all white
2. Paint all the stonework around the windows and doors the same white
3. Paint the front door a nicer colour, and do the same colour on the wooden boarding just under the roof and the down pipe for the rain
4. Add some pot plants in front of the bay

If anyone is curious, here are some pictures of other houses on the same road, to put things into context.

Another view of my house from the opposite side of the road.

Greenery and a nice door seem to make the difference .

Window boxes full of geraniums.

Bins are a pain in terraced streets. I live in a terrace too and we're lucky enough to have a lane at the back where the bins live.

Other streets nearby have tiny gardens full of bins and it's really unsightly.

Will yours be in your little front garden?

I'd paint the pebble dash render on the exterior of the house in a light cream colour. Either French chic the front door or buy a new one. I'd paint the original one first to decide what colours you like. I had Piller box red in my old Victorian house abs it was beautiful. Paint the bay windows and all of the lintels too. And add some hanging baskets. I'd also paint the front Wall in cream to brighten it all up

@doscervesas

Bins are a pain in terraced streets. I live in a terrace too and we're lucky enough to have a lane at the back where the bins live.

Other streets nearby have tiny gardens full of bins and it's really unsightly.

Will yours be in your little front garden?

I know! Unfortunately most of the houses on the street do not have access to the back from the street and there is no where else to put them. I always used to wonder what my neighbour did with his. Once I saw him on rubbish collection day dragging the bin out of his house and placing it at the front

So to answer your question, yes the bins will have to live outside at the front.

Definitely paint the pebble dash. Google Beaumaris to see how fabulous it can look.