There comes a time in the life of every house when maintenance and upgrades are something you can no longer put off until next summer.
Take the front porch or verandah of my humble abode for example, which is presently screaming "RENO ME!"
Oh it needs a lot of help.
Sure, I could redo it as is, build two new sets of stairs because the old ones that seem as though they were just built a couple of years ago are too far gone for just a cosmetic touch up. And the railing which looked so nice when it was all brand new and the lovely lathed spindles were all sparkly white, has now degraded to where most of the spindles are loose, some falling out, generally in need of a complete makeover.
I mean, you have to be a masochist to want to paint spindles.
So what’s my rescue plan for this poor old porch?
Well, number one, you have to think ahead. You have to sit yourself down, look yourself right in the eye and ask this very important question.
"If I were planning on selling this house in say, the next five years, what should I do to this front porch area to give it the kind of look and function that would make it an asset when the for sale sign goes up?"
You have to design it in such a way that it will make you happy if you stay in the home for another 10 years, but is also an excellent marketing tool should you decide to, or have to sell it next year.
So here’s my plan, cogitated and ruminated upon for countless hours, unquestionably carved in stone until maybe tomorrow, when I might change my mind and go in a completely different direction.
But for today, my vision goes as follows.
The bushes will be cut down by about half because presently people disappear in them and are never heard from again. WAY too overgrown. Then I will remove both sets of wobbly steps and everything else except the current floor. I will then build about a 20-inch wall all around the perimeter of the floor (I’m handy enough to do this kind of stuff), leaving room for two new sets of steps and railings where they currently exist.
And now comes the good part!
From the short perimeter wall to just inside the eaves, I will put up posts distanced so as to be able to fill the space between them with screen, going back to the original reason for front porches or verandahs in the first place — to be able to sit comfortably outdoors without being eaten alive by mosquitoes. I’m not particularly a fan of gazebos, because every time you open the door to enter or leave, you let more mosquitoes in. With a verandah you enter from the front door of your house, an inside job. You never have to drag a flock of mosquitoes in with you. Yes, there will be doors at each set of steps, and they will be those beautiful old ornate farm screen door variety, which are there to be used whenever mosquitoes are not a concern.
Everything built new will be white, giving the front of my house a classy old timeless look, that not only street sells, but is highly functional as well. An excellent place to barbecue, or sit sipping a cool one on those hot, muggy, mosquito filled nights. Paradise. A wonderful spot to enjoy a thunderstorm from!
Once the porch project is complete, perhaps the next task will be to paint the siding, which is in excellent condition and very durable, choosing a colour that experts agree is the perfect pick to remain current for at least the next five years, whatever that tint may be.
No rush, something to start planning for next year at this time. Post covid.
I hope. SO hope.
Comments or feedback welcome!
lmustard1948@gmail.com
