Need Design Opinions!

[Ryan]

We are in the process of getting quotes for re-siding our house.  We have an addition that used LP Smartside so we decided to go with that for the entire house.  The quote we're likely going to go with broke out all the options and we're finding ourselves basically just leaving everything in because we figure we might as well do it now.  2 things I'm stuck on:

-Gutters -  Most of the contractors said our gutters are in OK shape and don't need to be replaced.  Not sure how old they are, but they are probably 20 years at a minimum.  Cost to replace them is $2600, so wondering if I should just do it now so I won't have to do it later.  However, part of me knows I'm only doing it so everything looks sharp when we're done.

-Our addition has this drip edge that is basically like white trim at the bottom of the siding.  Contractor said most people do not do this, but I do like the look.  The question is, is it worth the extra $3000 to do it.

With drip edge:



Without:  

[Deleted]

Unless you plan to leave it bare, and not plant anything near the foundation, if I were you, I’d use that 3k for landscaping. 

[Tiny]

I wasn't aware that gutters "wore out" I did have the 60 year old gutters on my home replaced because I wanted to have more downspouts added and the exisiting ones moved... (my house was originally designed with the roof gutter water going into the sewer system - which unfortunately fills up and then backs up into my basement. I diverted the gutters to the yard - but then I had "gutter extensions" going across my "sidewalks" or dumping water in inconvenient places. )

Have your gutters been damaged? (as in tree branch hitting them? or when you went up on the roof to do a DIY fix - your ladder messed with their alignment? Or some other sort of storm damage?) Are the existing gutters the correct size to handle the water coming off your roof? Are the downspouts in reasonable spots (not dumping water at your foundation OR running across sidewalks you walk down?)

Will the current color of your gutters go with the color of the new siding? Once you paint your gutters to match - it may become a maintenance task to do every few years.

As for the drip edge - if you like the look - and you plan to stay in your house - it might be worth the cost.
(your choice is between seeing the edge and "feeling good about it - and therefore good about your house" OR "seeing the edge and "feeling bad about it - and therefore reminded of something you don't like about your house".

FWIW: I paid extra so that my new storm windows and trim around the windows and doors was NOT white (it's a cream color). I paid extra so that my gutters, windows, and house trim were a "maroon" color. I did NOT want white trim with white windows like all the other houses were doing when they replaced/repainted. My house NEVER had white anything on the exterior. I wasn't going to replace the exterior stuff with "white". I like the way my house looks. I'm glad I did not go with the less expensive/very popular "white" color palette. it was worth the small in the big picture (of the exterior replacements I was doing) expense to me.

[engineerdoe]

I like the trim board at the bottom.
Will they have to remove your gutters to replace the fascia board?  If so, you might as well replace them or take them down yourself to minimize damage.

[bookkeeper]

How do your current gutters handle tree debris and rain volume?  We had a contractor replace our gutters and add matching facia a few years back.  We insisted on larger gutter and downspout material and so far haven't had to deal with much of a clogging issue.

Our next door neighbor did a whole exterior over hall.  Siding, stacked stone, windows, doors, the works!  The husband refused to get new flashing and gutters that he would paint the old ones.  Guess what, they have never been painted and are peeling while the rest of the exterior is new.

Don't cheap out on a big project.  I learned my lesson.  I had the contractor here 5 years ago redoing my kitchen.  He wanted to do windows then and I declined.  Now we need windows and I can't get him back due to new home construction in the area.  As a bonus, it will cost more to do the project now.  Think of me sitting here with my old drafty windows!

[busymom]

The trim board looks nice, but if it's white, at least in this part of the country, it won't stay white with the rain bouncing off the dirt.  A house gives me enough work to do without having to rinse off the white trim after every rainstorm.  


I like Pink's idea of using the money for landscaping.

[Rukh O'Rorke]

does the drop edge serve a functional purpose? Or is just decorative?

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

We had our gutters replaced when we reroofed a several years ago.  They were original to the house, so about 25 years.  They hadn’t been properly leveled and were leaking, so replaced.

We had the house resided with hardie plank in 2020.  That ran about $50k for 2800 sq ft house.  

Don’t like the white board.  I think dirt is going to bounce up from rain and it not stay white.  I’d pass on it and spend the $3k on landscaping instead.

[Ryan]

May 20, 2022 14:56:40 GMT -5 @pinkcshmere said:

Unless you plan to leave it bare, and not plant anything near the foundation, if I were you, I’d use that 3k for landscaping. 

 There is still plenty of places to see it even with landscaping.  It's a ranch house and goes around the entire perimeter.

[Ryan]

May 20, 2022 15:35:35 GMT -5 engineerdoe said:

I like the trim board at the bottom.
Will they have to remove your gutters to replace the fascia board?  If so, you might as well replace them or take them down yourself to minimize damage.

Yes, they will have to remove the gutters.  I can kind of see it both ways, I've had multiple contractors now tell me that the gutters are fine and they can reattach them without issue, but part of me thinks maybe I should replace them now and be done with it.  

[Ryan]

May 20, 2022 18:49:57 GMT -5 bookkeeper said:

How do your current gutters handle tree debris and rain volume?  We had a contractor replace our gutters and add matching facia a few years back.  We insisted on larger gutter and downspout material and so far haven't had to deal with much of a clogging issue.

Our next door neighbor did a whole exterior over hall.  Siding, stacked stone, windows, doors, the works!  The husband refused to get new flashing and gutters that he would paint the old ones.  Guess what, they have never been painted and are peeling while the rest of the exterior is new.

Don't cheap out on a big project.  I learned my lesson.  I had the contractor here 5 years ago redoing my kitchen.  He wanted to do windows then and I declined.  Now we need windows and I can't get him back due to new home construction in the area.  As a bonus, it will cost more to do the project now.  Think of me sitting here with my old drafty windows!

That's kind of what we learned as well, every time we have put off an aspect of a project we look back in a few years and just wished we would've done it back then.  The current gutters can handle the rain volume as long as they are clear from leaves, which we have a lot of around here.  It's not just a 2x/year deal, something is always up there to get them clogged. I've considered doing the leaf guards, but I am not confident they will work in my situation.  

[Ryan]

May 20, 2022 20:24:16 GMT -5 busymom said:

The trim board looks nice, but if it's white, at least in this part of the country, it won't stay white with the rain bouncing off the dirt.  A house gives me enough work to do without having to rinse off the white trim after every rainstorm.  


I like Pink's idea of using the money for landscaping.

I have had the white trim on one section of the house for 4 years and it's maintenance free, I have never even rinsed it off and it looks brand new.

[Ryan]

May 20, 2022 21:02:58 GMT -5 Rukh O'Rorke said:

does the drop edge serve a functional purpose? Or is just decorative?

No functional purpose, it's just decorative.  Well I shouldn't say it's totally decorative, sometimes it can be an entry point for critters or bugs, it can help keep that out.  We have really old siding that is pulled away a little bit and I have no doubt that we've had mice crawl up there.  The trim at the bottom prevents that because it's completely sealed.

[tcu2003]

I like the drip edges. But really, your opinion here matters - if you like them, I would get them.

[Ryan]

One last question because I'm indecisive and can't seem to make up my mind.  What your thoughts on this option?  We have one pitch in the front of our house, we have the option to continue the horizontal boards or do something like this above the white trim.  We'd do the same colors.....thoughts?

[Tiny]

I like the vertical siding above the garage door. It adds some additional visual texture and decoration to the exterior. It also brings your line of sight down - instead of to the sides if that matters to you.

I'm biased... many of the older 40s and 50s era houses have a "sun burst" pattern (various materials and colors) in that triangular area between the highest point of the roof and the top of the house - that faces the street. Some have replace the old "sun burst" with vertical or horizontal siding/wood. Some have done other things like a large medallion in the middle and then rays going out from it. the medallion usually has something decorative on it. It all works because the street view is all the same style of house - but the front facades are decorated differently and it seems each home owner has added their own "unique" style to their home.     I expect to see some sort of "decorative" thing in that triangular space    

You might also take a cue from what your neighbors have done, when deciding what to do.

And just for fun: Will you be adding a basketball hoop? (do people even do that anymore? I'm old) Do you do holiday lights/decorations? can you get a hook (and an easy to access electrical outlet) installed so you can put up a really big lighted wreath?? or a light up Santa Claus face     
ADDED:  is your street without street lights - would some additional lighting be useful on your garage?   I'm gonna say no... it would ruin the look and feel if the picture is what you have.    But think about the times you are out on your drive way after dark (hauling the trash cans?  or some other way you use your drive way after dark.)  This might be the time to think about improving the lighting if warranted.   

[Deleted]

May 25, 2022 11:50:06 GMT -5 Ryan said:

One last question because I'm indecisive and can't seem to make up my mind.  What your thoughts on this option?  We have one pitch in the front of our house, we have the option to continue the horizontal boards or do something like this above the white trim.  We'd do the same colors.....thoughts?

I think I like the vertical boards.

[Ryan]

May 25, 2022 12:06:10 GMT -5 Tiny said:

I like the vertical siding above the garage door. It adds some additional visual texture and decoration to the exterior. It also brings your line of sight down - instead of to the sides if that matters to you.

I'm biased... many of the older 40s and 50s era houses have a "sun burst" pattern (various materials and colors) in that triangular area between the highest point of the roof and the top of the house - that faces the street. Some have replace the old "sun burst" with vertical or horizontal siding/wood. Some have done other things like a large medallion in the middle and then rays going out from it. the medallion usually has something decorative on it. It all works because the street view is all the same style of house - but the front facades are decorated differently and it seems each home owner has added their own "unique" style to their home.     I expect to see some sort of "decorative" thing in that triangular space    

You might also take a cue from what your neighbors have done, when deciding what to do.

And just for fun: Will you be adding a basketball hoop? (do people even do that anymore? I'm old) Do you do holiday lights/decorations? can you get a hook (and an easy to access electrical outlet) installed so you can put up a really big lighted wreath?? or a light up Santa Claus face     
ADDED:  is your street without street lights - would some additional lighting be useful on your garage?   I'm gonna say no... it would ruin the look and feel if the picture is what you have.    But think about the times you are out on your drive way after dark (hauling the trash cans?  or some other way you use your drive way after dark.)  This might be the time to think about improving the lighting if warranted.   

My house was built in the 1950's and I think I know the sunburst that you're talking about.  I have though about using that space for a gigantic wreath in the winter time, as opposed to putting lights on the roof.  I did that when the kids were young, but now I try to avoid going on the roof as much as possible  

I think I'd probably take the opportunity to change out all the light fixtures and upgrade a bit.  

[finnime]

The vertical boards add a decorative element; it's nice. Changing/adding lights is also good.

[tcu2003]

Another vote for the vertical boards.