Entry doors are the first thing people will focus on as they approach your house. The old saying “You never get a second chance to make a first impression” may as well have been written about the front door. If your door is old or in poor condition, or if it looks like it was picked up in the bargain bin at the big box store and just stuck on the house without regard for whether or not it matched, people’s entire experience of your home will be tainted. That is not something you want happening, particularly if you are hoping to sell your house.
The Many Ways Entry Doors Enhance the Value of a Home
Of all the renovations you can do to a house, none offers a better ROI than replacing your front door. Here’s a short list of the five most cost effective remodeling projects and their average ROI.
- Front door replacement: 96.6 percent
- Backyard deck: 87.4 percent
- Bedroom in the attic: 84.3 percent
- Replace the garage door: 83.7 percent
- Kitchen remodeling: 82.7 percent
It’s fair to assume that many people would have guessed that a kitchen remodel would return a better percentage of the investment than a front door replacement, but the numbers don’t lie. So now that we have your attention, how do you go about selecting a new front door that will not only live up to ROI expectations but will also add to your home’s curb appeal and overall energy efficiency? Your decision making process should be focused on three main areas:
- Aesthetics – It’s hard to beat the look of a solid wood door. There’s no doubt about that. While other materials may be able to mimic the look to more or less convincing degrees there is something about the way wood reacts to light and other factors that make it stand out. If money is no object and you don’t mind the maintenance, you can’t beat natural wood from an aesthetic point of view.
- Energy Efficiency – Wood is not the best material for keeping out the Toronto If not properly maintained, a wood door will rot around the edges, particularly along the bottom, and begin to crack and loosen in its frame. It doesn’t take much to create a draft that can rob you of interior comfort no matter how high you’ve set the thermostat. Fiberglass and steel entry doors generally come with a fully insulated interior and will seal up tight when closed. Fiberglass may win this category though, because it will not conduct heat the way metal will.
- Security – Wood will likely look the best and fiberglass will have a slight edge when it comes to energy efficiency. But when it comes to matters of security, steel is king. Wooden doors are easily compromised and fiberglass doors are not much better. A steel door, however will thwart even the most determined intruder. When you consider that ⅓ of all home intrusions come through the front door that is an important consideration homebuyers regularly take into account.
Ready to Take Advantage of that High ROI? Contact Our Team Today
Toronto Doors and Windows is the preferred choice of smart homeowners who recognize that value and price are two different things. Drop by our showroom today and peruse our vast selection of top-quality entry doors. Or, if you like, call us on 647-932-3667 to discuss replacing your old, insecure, energy-wasting door. We have entry doors for every taste and budget and our installation professionals will make sure your new door is set properly in order to provide you with years of trouble free service.