Do you realize the importance front porch designs have on your home?
The porch balustrade (hand rail, foot rail, and balusters), columns, posts, and other porch features, all work together to tell a story that represents the style and period of the house.
The style and size of these features are all based on the architecture of the building. Any alteration to a single element will not only upset the composition of the porch but the visual integrity of the entire home.
Being so open and exposed to the elements, the porch railing, floor, columns, posts, newel posts, and balustrade take a huge amount of abuse from the weather. All of these features require much more frequent preventative maintenance, such as painting, than the house itself. If you are one of the many homeowners who do not always maintain their porches as they should, you will find that your porch may quickly deteriorate.
When a porch gets to the point of deterioration, the chance for an easy and inexpensive preventative maintenance procedure has been lost. We now need to make repairs, and this is where problems may start. Keep in mind that without repair, you may end up losing your porch’s home forever.
If your porch is original to your home, it is very important to the overall aesthetics of the house that the porch railing, balusters, porch posts or columns and newel posts remain exactly as they are. Unfortunately, this seldom happens even by homeowners who have the best of intentions. It is very possible that your porch, as you know it, may be a complete loss. There are a few reasons for this – some beyond the homeowner’s and contractor’s control.
When doing work to a building more than 50 years old (whether your home is historic architecture or just an average old house), any old elements on your home should first be repaired. If repair is not possible, then the best way to maintain curb appeal is to replace it in the same style and materials.
Avoid the temptation to be creative, settling for something else, or being influenced by someone else’s recommendations. This can affect not just the appearance of your home, but curb appeal to your entire neighborhood!
We specialize in custom porches, railings and decks. Give us a call and we can provide you with a design and estimate for a new porch that properly matches and complements the style and décor of your home.
"It’s a beaut, Clark!" Now we all know Clark Griswold had his vision of what he wanted his house to look like for the holidays, so what about your fence?