2014 Exterior Finishes on Custom Homes

2014- Exteriors Finishes

As plans for new homes and renovations come across my desk for the 2014 construction season there are obvious trends that have emerged, so of the exteriors are trends that started in the previous years and some of them are quiet new.

Exterior Finishes for Custom Homes

Here is a list of the trends that have stayed the same over the last several years;

• Decorative Timber Framing has become the way to dress up the high gables that have become popular in custom homes.

• Wood facia and wood soffits that are painted to match the siding colour are still the most popular.

• Natural stone is by far the most popular option when dressing up the outside of custom homes.

• A 4 foot wall of stone whether it is natural or manmade is seen most often, this helps keep some of the costs down but still gives that stone look.

• Pre-finished wood siding is still the most popular; this has been the case for decades.

• Horizontal pre-finished siding is still the most popular way to install it.

• Changing the material in the upper gable ends is still popular to give the house some contrast.

• Crown molding at the point where the soffit meets the siding has become the norm now, with the crown being painted the same as the siding and soffit.

• Layered facials are common now, adding depth to the exposed edge of the roof.

• Coloured eavethrough is common now to match the colour of the facia so that it helps it disappear.

• Freeze boards through the siding at certain heights to help break up a high wall of siding is common.

• Vertical butt-jointed corners are still the most popular with layering taking over giving them more depth and allowing a colour change to accent the homes corners.

Here a list of the new trends happening in Exterior finishes on custom homes;

• Metal siding or metal sheeting is becoming a popular material on modern houses that are looking for a simplified look.

• Vertical siding is growing in popularity; the cost of the installation is keeping it from becoming the norm over horizontal.

• Thermally modified wood siding is becoming more popular as it requires no maintenance and weathers to look like cedar unless sealed to keep its original colour.

• There are new vinyl siding products that are on the market that have a high definition look that is starting to steal some of the market share away from cement siding. The vinyl being a lot easier to install and cheaper to purchase overall.

• Homes are being designed with more and more windows and doors; this is requiring less and less exterior wall covering. With that comes the need to simplify siding so that it accents the windows and doors instead of accenting the siding itself.

• Eldorado Stones newer HD stone that looks remarkably like natural stone is becoming a more popular option as the cost savings compared to natural stone is immense.

• With the trend in homes going towards a simpler look on the exterior of a lot of homes stucco making a comeback in custom homes. Most of the stucco is a coloured mix and not the white that was popular in the 70s and 80s.

• Natural wood looks like cedar and pine that are stained are starting to become popular as new products to protect them against UV allowing the stain colour to survive longer are slowly starting to appear.

• Brick is starting to reappear on custom homes, especially in the rural areas were homeowners are trying to blend their new custom home with the existing red brick farm houses that populate the country side.

• Simple siding looks with no trims around the windows or corners are becoming popular. It’s a more modern look.

It seems that new exterior siding and stone products are appearing monthly now. Every supplier and manufacturer is attempting to give the customer a new and different look to the outside of the home. Some are intriguing and some look like they won’t be around very long. When planning your new custom home you and your contractor should take some time and look around at all the different options that you now have, the prices vary as much as the products do so your budget will play a large role in what you will end up selecting.

Remember that it’s not just the cost of the material that you need to worry about it’s also the cost of the installation. If your budget is flexible enough that the cost is not an issue than I suggest that you look at the long term view of what will last the longest and give you the minimal amount of maintenance.

Rob Abbott
Operations Manager
Village Builders Inc.

Eldorado stone is blurring the line between manufactured and nature stone.

Eldorado stone is blurring the line between manufactured and nature stone.

Eldorado stone's line of manufactured stone veneer will make you take a second look. Then a second look and maybe a third, you will have trouble telling the difference between it and nature stone.

One of the biggest complaint's consumers have had for decades is that manufactured stone looked like what it was, a fake man made product. Eldorado’s stone now has a high definition look that makes it the closest thing to real stone without digging it out of the ground.

There are a lot of advantages to using a manufactured stone over a nature stone:

• Manufactured stone is lighter then natural stone. It makes using Eldorado stone an ideal product for renovations, you can install it on any wall in your home without having to worry about the overall load unlike when you work with natural stone.

• If your one of those people that wants to choose the exact look and colour of your stone then you want manufactured stone, natural stone can have random colours, sizes, shapes an patterns. Eldorado's colours match perfectly and blend seamlessly, giving you exactly what you want without any surprises.

• The cost of installation is a fraction of natural stone. Natural stone requires a stone mason, where the installation of manufactured stone can be done by any competent person with the skill and eye of installing it. I do recommend using a stone mason to install it, especially if you are doing a larger job like the outside of a custom home, the installation will be of a higher quality with a stone mason then without. Stone masons rates for the installation of manufactored stone are far less then that of real stone.

• The actual cost of the stone is usually cheaper then natural stone as well.
With Eldorado’s panel installation it is actually faster and easier than ever before. The panel has three or four pieces of the stone already attached together and are positioned so that you can interlock them with one another creating an almost seamless joint. There is almost no noticeable difference between a panel of Eldorado stone and the normal individual pieces of Eldorado stone, the only difference you'll notice is the  the greater speed with which it is installed.

The next time you are thinking of renovating take a look at Eldorado stone, you will be impressed with their products fit and finish.

Eldorado stone will look great on any custom home, bringing a richness to your home without the high cost.

Rob Abbott
Operations Manager
Village Builders Inc.