Your home’s curb appeal can be improved with the addition of a new front door. Replacing the front door can provide a fresh new look for your exterior. Psychologists and business moguls all around the world echo a similar mantra: first impressions matter. This saying has time and time been repeated by leading figures from all walks of life. From Tolstoy to J.K. Rowling to Nas to Kawasaki, all of them have said something along these lines and swear by this mantra.
Likewise, when it comes to your home’s curb appeal, it is no stretch to say that your facade will either make or break others’ perceptions of your home. After all, a first impression is called a first for a reason – there are no second chances. Mess it up and the overall attractiveness of your house will be negatively affected while a sour taste will be left in the minds of your visitors.
Whether you’re just trying to adorn your house for Thanksgiving or trying to maximize the chances of a sale, we emphasize the importance of boosting your home’s curb appeal. One way to achieve this is through door replacement. An entry door, after all, is the heart of any home – for people entering and leaving, for security and protection, to be decorated upon.
Curb Appeal
So what do we mean by the term curb appeal? It’s just an umbrella term that refers to the overall exterior attractiveness of your home. While we strongly believe every home should have decent curb appeal, you may say, “Isn’t beauty in the eye of the beholder?” That may be true for some more private and personal things like your antique stamp collection or music taste, but unfortunately, your home isn’t one of them.
In this day and age, a home is much more than just a place for you to kick back, relax and sleep. It is a place of living, growing, socialization and interaction. It is an extension of who you are as a person and reflects your very own personal flare – a signature in some way that is shown to the outside world. It is in one phrase, a public image of both you and your family. I’m sure we all agree that nobody wants a negative image of them.
So what can you do to boost your home’s curb appeal? Generally speaking, there are both spoken and unspoken rules when it comes to this. Good curb appeal can be attained by having a well-kept garden, sufficient lighting, ornamental decors, cleanliness, tucked away electrical wiring, clear pathing and an exterior door that stands out (in a good way). Conversely, detriments to curb appeal include unkempt greenery, broken pathways, ugly decorations, inconsistent paint jobs, and most relevantly: unsightly doorways.
While some things will always be out of our grasp and be unfixable, like living in an unsightly neighborhood, there are some things we can fix and change for the better. One of them – and by far the most important – is your front door. Memory can be a fickle and fuzzy thing, but one thing we do know is that the human brain will always remember the things that come first and the things that come last. Seeing as how your front door will be the first and last thing your visitors will interact with, the importance of your front door cannot ever be overstated.
Door Replacement
So you’ve read our article and now you think this all applies to you. That’s great. Once you’ve decided that your door needs replacement, there’s an uncountable number of interrelated things that you should consider which can eventually (as we’ll later discuss) impact your return on investment. To help you steer your thinking in the right direction, we’ve listed eight of the most important things for you to always keep in mind:
Materials:
The variety of materials out there for your door stretches from steel to timber to aluminum and the like. This can be confusing but roughly speaking, each has its own unique features. Wood-based doors are great for giving a more classical and traditional yet stately and formal appearance, but are the highest priced and can require significant amounts of care. Fiberglass is also a great option because of its customizability and how it’s known to last for a long time with minimal maintenance. Aluminum is a great and flexible option that is slick, slim, stylish and won’t rust or need as much repainting, but the catch? It can dent if pushed too far. Finally, steel is ideal if security is your main concern, often serving to deter would-be burglars. It’s also extremely durable and energy-efficient, but it’s also heavy so installation can be a little tricky.
Security:
As we’ve mentioned again and again, security should be a vital consideration. No one wants uninvited guests, let alone “guests” who steal your property. However, the reality is simply that there’s no absolute protection from theft. The best we can do is make it as hard as possible for would-be thieves. The material of your door plays directly into this factor – steel is a monstrous material that thieves all around will be reluctant to even try breaking down so it would also be an effective deterrent. On that note, while the material of your door is essential, the quantity and quality of your door locks are equally important. Make sure you talk to your supplier and ask about the specifications of their locks and how secure they are.
Size:
A good door is both secure and looks pleasing to the eye. But don’t forget its first and foremost function: a door is meant to let people enter and exit a building. If you’ve had problems in the past with moving furniture in or may have felt that you had too much space, now’s the time to make some lasting changes. Don’t forget to take accurate measurements and leave about 1/3 of an inch of added leeway when deciding on size.
Thermals:
While a door is something that keeps people in and out, it should also keep the heat in and cold out. Energy-efficient doors will be able to retain heat properly and can be a blessing to your monthly energy bills. They also promote the comfort and pleasantness of your home. Do note, however, that good thermal protection doesn’t just mean keeping your home warm during winters – it also means keeping your house airy and cool during summer. So whether you live in San Diego, Chicago, Flint, or even Antonio, managing the heat (or cold!) is something to keep in mind.
Handles:
A good handle is one that is both functional and fits the overall aesthetic of your front door. It shouldn’t divulge in design or color nor challenge your front door but should complement it. Any good supplier will give you a range of options to consider.
Lighting:
A good front door and entrance is well-lit. Good illumination will not only boost the overall aesthetic of your curb but will safely guide visitors towards your home. Security-wise, good lighting also puts off would-be criminals. I mean, what sort of criminal would want their actions to be seen in the light?
Budget:
While we personally stick to our belief that a good front door is something you shouldn’t skimp out on, we understand that not everybody can afford premium-quality doorways. We just suggest you think about your current situation and what you are aiming to get out of the replacement options. The general rule of thumb is that more expensive upgrades offer a larger payoff in the long run.
Suppliers:
Accordingly, with all this being said, given the importance of your door, you’d need to find someone who is both trustworthy and skilled. Door installation and door replacement, after all, is a specialized artisanal skill requiring both an eye for detail and a craftsman’s passion. With the market for door installers rapidly expanding in response to growing demand, it can be hard to find a good, experienced installer.
Luckily, if you happen to live near San Diego, US Window & Door will be able to work on your property, offering the best bang for your buck on either your front door’s replacement (https://www.uswindow-door.com/services/door-replacement/) or installation (https://www.uswindow-door.com/services/door-installation/). Founded over three decades ago, with vast experience in window and door replacement in high-profile commercial as well as residential real estate, you can put your trust in their hands to work on your future front door replacement.
Return On Investment
The return on investment for a new door goes well beyond plain numbers, edging into gray areas. A good front door doesn’t just add significant aesthetic value, it will also let you sleep better at night knowing your home is safe, can prevent heat from leaking during cold winters (or the opposite), and will certainly bring up the overall value of your property in the near future. Regardless, let’s try to break it down into four components and see what you can do to maximize your ROI.
First, the material of your door will directly impact your ROI, as it’s by far the most important determinant. Steel doors on this note not only bolster security but have been reported to reach over 104% (https://www.remodeling.hw.net/cost-vs-value/2017/) in terms of ROI – whether this is from its added security value or something else, the numbers speak for themselves. This is not to say that other materials like wood and fiberglass don’t generate a high ROI. They most certainly do, but the ROI on fiberglass tends to vary with the chosen aesthetic. Wood, though beautiful, is often the most expensive option to pick for a door replacement.
Second, the overall aesthetic of your door, while hard to quantify, has been known to either attract or deter potential buyers. If the color of your door doesn’t match the rest of your home or that of the surrounding neighborhood, there’s a strong chance you’ll put off future buyers and be the (not so pleasant) subject of gossip among your neighbors. Playing it safe by picking a universally neutral design and color seems to be the best option in this case.
Third, front doors with high-security ratings tend to attract a higher ROI over time not least because of the reduced number of foiled burglaries. While it’s hard to pin an exact number on ROI from security, you can roughly calculate the total worth of your house by what it holds (valuables, electronics, vehicles, pets) and then weigh this against the average number of burglaries in your neighborhood to obtain a rough estimate. Of course, this would also factor in not just the door’s material but the lighting and the number and types of locks used.
And fourth, a thermally efficient door is a financially efficient door. Find materials and installations that include good weatherstripping and watch your energy bills plummet through the months. On top of that, your home will be more attractive in the housing market should you choose to sell in the future.
The numbers don’t lie. Replacing your front door has shown to be a statically worthwhile investment going far beyond just aesthetic taste and well into finances. Nationally, at just an average cost of $1,000 for an exterior door replacement (though this varies slightly by the material of the door), the ROI on average can spike up to 74.9%(https://www.homeadvisor.com/r/top-5-return-on-investment-roi-projects/). With that said, you can absolutely rest assured that this is a worthwhile financial investment.
Whether you’re looking to better protect your property and family, to impress neighbors and future buyers, or even to invest for the all-too-common uncertain financial future, boosting your home’s curb appeal with a new front door is a sensible first step in the right direction.
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