For many people, an older home in an older Chicago suburb can have an almost romantic appeal.

The exterior reality of a home in the 70-year age range, however, can be at odds with the interior’s beautiful patina of aged oak finishes.

A Glen Ellyn couple recently called on Todd to give their home some exterior love. What they didn’t expect is that the interior would feel more comfortable as a result.

First off, the couple has a newborn. They realized that drafty windows in the nursery would not do, and plastic interior sheeting would be an eyesore in the winter. So we replaced all the windows with modern, energy-efficient Alside windows that fit the historic period of the home, leading to exterior beauty, interior comfort, and cost savings.

Then there was the siding. When the wood looked beat years ago, it was covered over with aluminum. In recent years, that aluminum became bent and dented, drawing unwanted attention in a neighborhood in which many of the other older homes have been torn down and replaced by large new ones.

McCann replaced the siding with James Hardie fiber siding, again maintaining the period look of the home but providing additional energy savings in a nearly maintenance-free exterior. All in all, it took only two weeks to complete.

The energy savings can be greater when we replace both windows and siding on a home. Our crew can do a more complete insulation job when the windows and siding are off at the same time, as they can get more insulation around the window openings.

A total exterior remodel is also a great investment in the resale value of a home, especially in this soft housing market. Updating a home’s windows and siding helps it stand out (in a good way) in the neighborhood and makes it much easier to sell, should the owners ever decide to.

For further reading about the benefits of external remodeling, I suggest you read Rachel Koning Beals’s article, “Remodeling choices that add value”. In it, she writes, “Construction experts emphasize the importance of attending to the shell first, including fresh paint, low-maintenance siding or a new roof. … Curb appeal, both structural and decorative, is vital to increasing homebuyer foot traffic and to closing the deal.”