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A partially renovated room in Madison, WI, with exposed wall insulation and wooden studs. Two windows on the left wall and a doorway on the right lead to an outdoor deck with colorful flowers. Some electrical wiring is visible within the walls, hinting at ongoing exterior renovations.
Insulation

Why you should use Rockwool Insulation

If you’re considering a remodel or an addition to your home you will have to have a discussion on how to insulate the walls. There are a few different materials you can use and if you walk through Home Depot or Menards you can see all kinds of pink insulation and other brands as well,

Close-up of a person installing a metal gutter guard on the edge of a shingled roof. The person is securing it by pressing into place, ensuring it fits correctly along the roofline. In the background, part of the house's exterior renovations is visible. This scene captures typical maintenance in Madison WI.
gutter guards

Gutter Guard Season

It’s that time of year again where we revisit the leaf problem that will soon be collecting in your gutters and downspouts causing all kinds of problems.  This is the worst part of autumn as it’s a problem you can’t ignore because if you do water is going to eventually run over the sides of

A partially constructed house with a green exterior is shown on a sunny day in Madison, WI. The wooden framing is visible, and the roof is incomplete. A "Sold" sign stands in front, and various construction materials are scattered around the muddy front yard, indicating ongoing exterior renovations.
Additions

Zip System – The new way to build

Have you driven around your neighborhood lately and seen these green sided homes with black stripes going up anywhere? If you have you’re not alone. Zip Systems is the new way to add exterior sheathing to your home as well as sealing your new home without having to wrap it in white Tyvek house wrap.

A charming, small house in Madison, WI with gray siding and white trim features a wooden front door with large glass panels and a sloped roof. The exterior renovations also include a paved walkway and a potted plant by the entrance.
Design

Accessory Dwelling Unit

I’m a fan of many home improvement and style magazines and one of my favorite magazines is Dwell. On the cover of Dwell was the latest trend of accessory dwelling units being built in backyards of larger homes. I poured over the article looking for a reason as to what this new trend was because

A modern house in Madison, WI with brown siding and stone accents, featuring large windows and a well-maintained lawn. Recently completed exterior renovations include a small stone retaining wall with shrubbery and a neatly landscaped front yard with a concrete driveway leading to a three-car garage.
Versetta Stone

Versetta Stone

It was training day at Exterior Renovations on a new product we are carrying that will enhance the exterior of your home with a stone product that is installed in panels. The product is called Versetta Stone. This is a mortarless product and faux stone that looks and feels like real stone. The beauty of

Illustration of a home with a WiFi network setup, featuring multiple levels and rooms. An Orbi router connects to the internet at the house's entrance, and an Orbi satellite extends the wireless connection to the upstairs rooms, showcasing seamless coverage throughout, ideal for homes in Madison WI.
Netgear Orbi

Upgrade your WiFi with Orbi when you remodel

Upgrade Your WiFi with Orbi During a Remodel One of the easiest things to forget about around your home is your current Wifi system and set up. If you’re like me as long as it works and you’ve never had a problem, years could go by before you noticed how awful your old wifi router

A diagram of a house in Madison, WI illustrating proper roof ventilation for exterior renovations. Air flows in through a soffit vent at the eaves, travels along the underside of the roof, and exits through a ridge vent at the peak. Labels emphasize vent placement, with half being high and half low.
Roof vents

Is your roof properly vented?

One of the most talked about areas of any home remodel or new construction is attic insulation and venting. The debate lives on even today with all the modern day advancements and technology. so let’s dig into this a little bit to see what’s what.

A charming single-story house in Madison, WI, featuring a green exterior and white trim. The home boasts a front porch with a gabled roof, white railings, and decorative support beams. Exterior renovations include lush greenery and flower beds that surround the pathway leading to the front door.
Additions

Mix your siding material for a big impact

Two of a good thing is always better than one, right? Especially when it comes to your siding materials. The two dimensional look with your siding materials adds a dramatic style that is noticeable and the impact this creates is soft and pleasing to the eye.

Two pieces of ZIP System sheathing and tape, perfect for exterior renovations, are displayed in a staggered stack. The top piece has a green surface labeled "ZIP System" with ESR#1474 and ESR#2217, while the bottom piece features a brown surface with the same branding and numbers partially visible. Ideal for projects in Madison, WI.
Additions

Garage Bump Out – Project (phase 2)

Planning the Next Phase of Your Garage Bump Out Welcome to the second phase of my garage build-out project. I’m calling this the coronavirus project as I’m able to have extra time to work on this since our weekends are free from entertaining and travel.There are a lots of garage buildings for sale near me

A partially constructed wooden frame structure is attached to the side of a white house in Madison, WI. The framing includes vertical and diagonal beams, and the ground is covered with gravel. Evident exterior renovations feature the house's white siding complemented by maroon shutters.
Additions

Garage Renovation – Bump-out

Have you ever driven by a home and noticed that on one side of the home is a large wall with one window and no doors?  It looks like a massive display of vinyl siding and where a large raised deck should go.  Based on the information provided in this content, this is usually next

Illustration showing the effects of frost heave on concrete piers, relevant for exterior renovations in Madison WI. The left side shows a stable pier in soil, while the right side depicts the pier tilted due to frost heave forces. A surface-to-soil interaction diagram is included, highlighting freezing processes.
Decks

Know your Frost line

Why Frost Line Depth Matters Over the years, I have had many friends and relatives ask me about frost line depth in the Madison area since adding the fireplace and the pergola to our back patio. Since they want to do similar things in their back yard, they asked me when all they would have

A cozy reading nook in Madison, WI, featuring tall wooden bookshelves filled with books, a ladder on the left, a window with greenery outside from recent exterior renovations, an antique table lamp with a stained glass shade, a leather armchair with a blue pillow, and a small round wooden side table.
Additions

Home libraries

As I get older I feel like I have become a little set in my ways. This isn’t a bad thing. It’s a good thing. I love the finer things in life and have found a balance between work and my private life that seems to be in harmony. I no longer care about the

A spacious modern kitchen and living area featuring a large island with bar stools, pendant lighting, and wooden flooring. The space includes stainless steel appliances, a comfortable seating area, and large windows and doors that let in ample natural light—perfect for homes in Madison WI considering exterior renovations.
Additions

Building & remodeling trends for 2020

Tear down those walls! I know this was a cheesy reference to an old speech but building trends in 2020 and beyond are doing exactly that. Tearing down walls. Or, not putting them up during the building process. I for one love the wide-open space of combing rooms and increasing the feel of a much

A corner of a house with wooden shingle siding, two white doors, and a white-framed window in Madison, WI. One door has glass panels, and the other is solid with a window at the top. The area boasts a concrete floor and a small porch roof overhead—evidence of recent exterior renovations. Trees are visible in the background.
Additions

Marvin Windows

If you’re planning on remodeling your home or even looking to put an addition on the back or side of your home I suggest using Marvin Windows for the project. I have researched and purchased Marvin Windows for our home remodel project and I can honestly say that they are fantastic and I would not

Modern bathroom in Madison, WI with double sinks, a large mirror above, and sleek dark cabinets below. A soaking tub with folded towels and a robe on a nearby hook is located next to a textured wall. Shelves hold toiletries and decorations. The overall design complements recent exterior renovations for contemporary appeal.
Additions

New Ideas in home trends for 2020

If there is one thing that 2020 will bring us in design and remodel trends is that; if you can think it you can build it. Design trends have been all over the board in the past few years, especially with remodeling and building new homes and additions and a new mix and match design

A stainless steel espresso machine with a built-in grinder, perfect for your newly renovated kitchen in Madison, WI. It features a central pressure gauge, various buttons and dials, front panel indicators, a portafilter for dispensing coffee grounds underneath the grinder, and a steam wand on the right.
upgrade

What to upgrade in your home for 2020

Start With Essential Mechanical Upgrade In the last article, I spoke about remodeling your home instead of upgrading. There is a difference between the two as upgrading isn’t really changing the structure of your home as much as it’s about upgrading everything in it. To upgrade all at once is expensive which is why you

A cozy room in Madison, WI features a wooden table with an assortment of liquor bottles, glasses, and bar accessories. Behind the table is a flatscreen TV displaying a crackling fire set in a rustic wooden wall. The space exudes a warm, inviting ambiance perfect for relaxing after exterior renovations.
Lower level

Remodel or Upgrade for 2020

Are you going to remodel your home in 2020 or are you going to upgrade rooms and lower levels? If you listen to the experts both are at the top of the list for trends that are going to take place in 2020.

An illustration of a two-story house in Madison, WI, highlighting energy loss. Red arrows show heat escaping through the roof, windows, and doors, while blue arrows indicate ventilation and drafts within rooms. Exterior renovations are shown to improve efficiency. The house is surrounded by trees with the sun shining brightly.
Insulation

Insulation basics

Baby, it’s cold outside… Winter has punched us in the gut early this year. Way too early for most as many of us still have leaves on our trees and have not prepared the house for a long cold winter. That’s because winter is a month early. So let’s talk about insulation as you can

A close-up view of a house exterior in Madison, WI, featuring a pitched roof with grey shingles and wooden shingle siding. The house has a triangular gable with a window, and another window is visible on the lower wall. Green leaves from a tree partially frame the left side, showcasing recent exterior renovations.
Bark House

Bark House

My new discovery for home improvement and remodeling is a company called Bark House. (What a great name, too!) I found them by accident as I was looking for fun and interesting ways to add some natural wood elements to our lower level to give the area a look and feel of the great outdoors.

A modern kitchen in Madison, WI, features dark wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, and a central island with a wooden countertop. Gray subway tile backsplash and colorful knives are displayed next to the stove, while cookbooks are neatly arranged on a shelf above the counter. Exterior renovations complement this stylish interior.
Feng Shui

The art of Feng Shui

What Is Feng Shui and Why It Matters Just about everyone who owns a home has heard of Feng Shui but few people really understand what it means. First, let’s have a little history lesson and define the term so we can better understand why Feng Shui is important in your home.