The entrance to your home symbolizes relief from everyday stresses. The demand is growing for an entrance that is inviting for the homeowners as well as guests. Rustic looking doors in wood and fiberglass are the “hot” items in the marketplace, and consumers now have several options.
Industry leaders tell us that a front entryway should equal one to two percent of a home’s value. If a home is valued at $200,000, the front entryway should cost between $2,000 and $4,000. Prospective home buyers shy away from an uninviting front entrance. Accordingly, undervaluing a front entryway limits the resale value of a home. Buyers view the entire home through the reflection of that first impression or “street appeal”.
Overvaluing an entryway can yield the same result. Prospective buyers may avoid a home that they feel will be priced out of their budget. Or even worse, the entryway may entice buyers; yet, once in the home, they feel mislead because the home doesn’t match the image presented by the high priced entryway. It is important to balance the price of your home’s entryway with the price and style that matches the design of the house.
“The National Home Valuation Study indicated that an enhanced entryway could add as much as 6.6% to a home’s perceived value” says one website. Other research supports these claims. Smart homebuilders use this information to help homeowners select items for their home that will add value. An upgraded front door system is singly important because it returns two to three times its’ original price upon resale. For this reason, customers turn to special doors that will add perceived value to their home. More and more, homeowners are turning to exotic wood species and durable wood-toned fiberglass to showcase beautiful homes.
Knotty Alder doors have become the rage in Houston. Once a special-order-only item, Knotty Alder doors have become stocked products by major suppliers. Offering numerous styles and design flexibility, a Knotty Alder front door makes a bold statement that is new to the Houston region. It says “this home has character and the homeowner has good taste”. A home with these doors is anything but dull. The natural wood lends itself to a warm and inviting feeling. For some it is a sense of nostalgia reflecting a time when things were hand-made by craftsman, signaling quality construction.
A similar look, with added durability, can be obtained with fiberglass doors. Fiberglass entry systems have become increasingly popular in recent years. They offer a highly durable door option. As an added plus, they have become technologically superior to normal wood door construction. Many fiberglass doors come with a lifetime warranty against manufacturer’s defects. They have also been able to replicate the look of a natural wood door - - so much so that they are indistinguishable to all but the trained eye. The cost of a fiberglass entry system is on par with a wood entry. Just as with custom wood options, there are special fiberglass options that compete directly in style and price. A fiberglass door can serve its homeowner with very little maintenance while a wood door should receive yearly attention to keep it looking new.
With the cost of home construction steadily rising, it makes sense for homeowners to choose their entrance system wisely. Whether made of Knotty Alder wood or fiberglass, the entrance system can help a homeowner gain a sense of pride knowing that their entranceway is valued correctly, takes full advantage of style, and is an investment that will grow at resale.
.Steve Woeppel, BMC Building Materials |
