Before & After: Complete Exterior and Front Porch Makeover by Lauren @ chezerbey.com

June 20, 2010 | by Fred (email) |

Hey folks! It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for: our first Before and After winner of the Summer!

Before we start, let me say that the support for this event has been overwhelming. We’ve already received enough entries to cover the entire Summer (and some are really fabulous, like this week’s winner!).  Many of our readers and fellow bloggers have spread the word and we are really grateful for your support!

Now, I don’t want potential entrants to be scared off by today’s winner.  Lauren @ chezerbey submitted an all-out six-month makeover of the front of her  house that turns 1960s drab styling into a modern marvel. The blue is striking and the period-correct cedar shingles are downright beautiful. Not all of the entries are this amazing, so even if your project doesn’t best this one, make sure to submit it!

For her submission, Lauren gets a $50 gift card to either Lowes, Home Depot, or Amazon, and we’re making a $100 donation to Habitat for Humanity in her honor. Read on below Lauren’s story for today’s Habitat Quick Fact and information on entering your own project!

A New Facade by Lauren @ chezerbey.com

We only have one project that was completed within the last year and that’s because it was a big one – the exterior and front porch!

Our 1910 house received an “upgrade” in the ‘60s which included aluminum siding and windows, teal trim and a glassed in front porch. Fortunately, the original cedar siding was still underneath so our first task was to remove all of the aluminum siding. We then started to demo the porch and soon realized that after years of exposure to the elements, the only part worth saving was the roof rafters!

After rebuilding the front porch we moved on to replacing the leaky aluminum windows, replacing the shingles at the base of the house, and sanding the siding above down to bare wood! After a huge painting effort (and a race to beat the start of the rainy season!) we finished the interior of the porch, which now serves as a functional mudroom. We are so excited by our new exterior and the added “curb appeal” and even though it took about 6 months – we did it all ourselves!

Before …

… and After

Thanks from One Project Closer!

Lauren, your makeover is truly impressive! Thanks for sharing this one with us – it’s a great start to this year’s contest!

Habitat for Humanity Quick Fact

Did you know that Habitat strives not to be a “giveaway” or “hand out” program?  In addition to a down payment and monthly mortgage payments, homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor (sweat equity) into building their Habitat house and the houses of others. [link to Habitat’s FAQ].

And that’s probably the biggest reason we like Habitat. Instead of giving a man a proverbial fish, it teaches him to fish… and not just for himself, but for his entire community. By participating in building new homes in a neighborhood, it gives him more than just a house, it gives him pride in his work.

Habitat also gives the rest of us an opportunity to participate–to remember that we are not given wealth or time merely for our own good. We are given them to help others in need as well.  If you want to partner with us, you can visit Habitat’s online donation page, or you can sign up to volunteer in your community.  Do it today!

Enter the Contest Today!

There’s a whole summer in front of us that needs to be filled with winning entries.  Send your pictures and a “how to” story to beforeandafter@oneprojectcloser.com to get in on the action!

Are you a blogger? If you’d like to support us, please write an article on your blog about the contest, and consider adding one of our buttons to your sidebar. You can find the buttons and more information on our main Before and After article.