Think of the face of your home as the face you show to Zoom meetings: you want it to make a good impression. Exterior work is generally seen as more of a chore than interior decorating – it’s less glamorous; it’s up against the elements; it could mean other unexpected repairs – so it’s best to put it to bed.
Front doors really are the entrance into someone’s dream, so take a look at yours to see if it needs a new coat of paint: current ‘timeless’ trends are British racing green, dark matt grey, and poppy red. Or, for timber doors where the wood is good, you could strip it down and treat it to a high quality matt varnish for some warm, scandi-style ‘hygge’. As a finishing touch, clean up the door furniture: there’s little to beat the comforting clunk of a shiny polished knocker!
Check to see if your gutters need clearing of spring blossom (or autumnal leaves if you’ve not been up there in a while!) and that they’re in good condition. And how’s your paintwork and pointing? Check any fascia boards, soffits and window frames for obvious cracks and flakes, then sand, fill and paint. It’s also worth looking at your walls to see if any missing mortar or render needs replacing. Take the opportunity to remove any accumulated cobwebs.
Clean windows are a thing of beauty, so if you have a regular window cleaner now is the time to book them. If you’re doing the job yourself, make the lower windows your priority because that’s where most dirt forms, and where you’ll see the biggest difference inside. The ground floor is also closest to your viewers’ eyes and likely to get the most scrutiny.
