Residing Your Home in the Manufactured Stone-Age

(ARA) – While new home sales have edged up in recent months, most experts agree that the housing market slump is far from over. Although it may not be the ideal time to try to sell your house, experts also say that you shouldn’t just sit on your biggest investment either.

“Smart homeowners aren’t just sitting still,” says Leigh Bryant an agent for Coldwell Banker United Realtors. “They’re investing in remodeling projects that both enhance the enjoyment of their homes now, and build equity for the day when the market inevitably rebounds.”

The Illinois-based National Association of the Remodeling Industry predicts that homeowners will spend nearly $295 billion on remodeling projects in 2007. While remodeling of kitchens and baths remains popular, siding replacement consistently scores as one of the highest rated projects in terms of return on investment and owner enjoyment.

“The average age of the housing stock is more than 30 years old, and that age is rising,” Bryant says. “Updating a home’s siding boosts curb appeal, increases homeowner enjoyment and improves an older home’s ability to compete with new construction in terms of desirability.”

Traditional materials such as brick, stucco and vinyl remain staples of the building industry but manufactured stone is the latest hot trend for homeowners looking to give their house a makeover. Stone imparts a sense of stability, longevity and connection with nature when used in a home’s façade. While few homeowners can afford full thickness stone on the entire exterior of a house, manufactured stone, like Owens Corning Cultured Stone veneer, can add the same character and value at a fraction of the cost.

Manufactured stone is also easier to work with and offers greater design flexibility. Physical requirements, such as footings and wall ties to support the weight of the material, limit how full thickness stone can be used. Because manufactured stone veneer is thinner and far lighter, it can be used in a variety of ways, adding the look of stone to virtually any style of architecture.

Cultured Stone products are available in more than 100 color choices and more than 21 textures, ranging from natural looks to designer creations. As an architectural element, it’s a powerful statement when used on an entire façade. When used as an accent around doors, windows and other visual points of interest, manufactured stone can underscore specific architectural elements.

“Cultured Stone veneers have been around for decades,” notes Bob Heath, market development leader for Owens Corning Masonry Products, LLC. “But new colors and styles have made manufactured stone the siding of choice for homeowners and designers seeking to achieve maximum impact within a budget.”

Stone veneer facades also add value, according to a least one survey. Gilmore Research Group discovered that respondents judge a home with an entryway enhanced with Cultured Stone products to be $9,300 more valuable than one without. The perceived added value was double the average cost of the upgrade and amounted to a three percent increase in the perceived value of the home.

To learn more about Cultured Stone veneers, and to view examples of how manufactured stone can be used to enhance a home’s exterior, visit www.culturedstone.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent