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An outdoor kitchen in Madison, WI featuring a wooden deck and pergola. The kitchen includes a built-in stainless steel grill, green ceramic smoker grill, and mini-fridge. Bamboo shades on the pergola provide ambiance, while ample counter space below enhances functionality. Trees frame this exterior renovations masterpiece.
Decks

Add on to your patio with an outdoor kitchen

I am in a remodel mode these days and my wife thinks it’s fantastic. So, if you’re discussing a remodel project or trying to decide what to remodel or add something cool and fun to your home, how about adding a deck or a patio to extend the time you spend in the great outdoors.

Aerial view of a house’s roof in Madison, WI, showcasing dark grey corrugated metal roofing. The exterior renovations include several sections with varying slopes, a skylight near the center, and a small chimney. The surrounding area comprises a grassy lawn and partially visible scaffolding.
metal roofs

Metal Roofing Pros & Cons

Understanding the Pros and Cons of Metal Roofing There are many options to adding a new roof onto your existing home or if you’re building a new home.  Metal roofs are an option but let’s go through some of the pros and cons of metal roofing to asphalt shingles.  But no matter what roof style

A large two-story house with brown siding and a stone facade, featuring a two-car garage with wooden doors, two wooden front doors with glass panels above them, and neatly landscaped surroundings including a tree and flower pots. Recently completed exterior renovations have made this Madison, WI home even more inviting.
Design

It’s time to think about a remodel.

Remodeling and lumber costs seem to go hand in hand and for good reason.  You can’t build anything without using all kinds of lumber and that includes plywood.  If you’re building a foundation the rising costs of cement has increased construction costs over ten percent.Navigate to https://www.aaafoundationservice.com/houston-foundation-inspection/ for everything about foundation services. Electrical costs have

A cozy bedroom with a sloped wooden ceiling features a neatly made bed with patterned pillows and a light gray comforter. Two bedside tables, each with a lamp, flank the bed. A window with wooden blinds is on the left, and a wall sconce light adds additional warmth. Perfect for unwinding after busy days tackling exterior renovations in Madison, WI.
Additions

Adding a bump out master bedroom to your current home

Home prices are out-of-control crazy right now and interest rates are at historic lows.  So, what does this mean to people who want to stay in their home and make their current home better?  It means you remodel or have an addition added to your current home. Lumber prices are starting to come down a

A modern two-story house with gray siding, stone accents, and a black shingled roof in Madison, WI. The home features a manicured lawn, a curved walkway, and surrounding trees with autumn foliage. A three-car garage is on the right side, showcasing recent exterior renovations under partly cloudy skies.
Additions

Need a new roof?

A true sign of the times is the visual observation of the skyline. We were out on our boat two weekends ago and noticed 24 construction cranes in the skyline from the east side of Madison to Middleton.  There’s a lot of construction going on in Madison and in Dane County.  Home sales are skyrocketing

A diagram of an attic's ventilation system, ideal for exterior renovations in Madison, WI. Arrows show airflow through soffit vents at the roof's eaves, up past baffles that keep insulation away, and out through a ridge vent at the peak. Insulation is shown at the attic's floor.
Ridge Vents

Summer heat and roof damage

Wisconsin summers are heating up and so 2021 has been hotter than usual.  This is not a good sign for the shingles on your roof.  Roof’s become very hot during the summer and the damage that a worn roof can cause has a domino effect on the rest of your home therefore, it’s very important

A person in a light blue shirt and beige pants is kneeling in an attic with wooden beams and a pitched roof, using a hose to blow light grey insulation material onto the attic floor. As part of their exterior renovations in Madison, WI, this task ensures optimal energy efficiency for the home.
ice dams

It’s Ice Dam Season … Again

It’s that time a year again, and I don’t mean to quote a verse from the holiday song but it just turns out that way.  I mean it’s the dreaded ice dam season.  If you own an older home and you haven’t set foot in your attic for a decade (or two) then you need

A lush backyard patio in Madison, WI, features cushioned wooden chairs around a stone fire pit in the foreground. In the background, a dining table with an umbrella is surrounded by colorful flowers and greenery. The serene scene showcases exterior renovations with a large yard and trees beyond.
Design

Pandemic projects

During the Covid-19 pandemic everyone has had to adjust to a new way of living over the past year and it seems like this is going to drag out into next year as well.  I did some research and discovered that one of the most pleasing home improvements happening during the past year was gardening

remodel your home
Additions

The remodeling boom!

Has anyone besides me noticed the number of construction cranes singing above the skyline when driving around Madison and the suburbs?  There’s a construction boom going on and it’s noticeable in many areas.  Have you driven down East Washington Avenue lately?  It’s crazy! 

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