Planning a full exterior renovation in Naperville? Order of operations, bundling savings, and how one contractor handles your entire project in DuPage County.
If your Naperville home needs more than one exterior project, the order you do them in saves money and rework. This guide covers what to do first, what homes in different parts of Naperville tend to need, and how to plan it over one season or several years.
Naperville homes at a glance
Naperville grew outward in rings. The Historic District around North Central College has homes more than a century old, the middle of town filled in during the 1970s and 1980s, and the south side toward 95th Street and beyond was built from the 1990s on.
Naperville's larger two-story homes tend to have steep, multi-gable roofs with a lot of valleys and wall flashing. The flashing work matters more on these roofs than the shingle brand does.
South Naperville has thousands of two-story homes with large window walls, two-story foyers and transoms that were all installed within a few years of each other, so whole streets are reaching replacement age together.
Many Naperville subdivisions have a homeowners association with an approved color and material list. We ask for the HOA rules at the estimate and can supply the samples and spec sheets the board wants to see.
What Naperville homes usually need first
In the Historic District and the streets around North Central College, start with water. Roof, flashing and gutters come first, then rotted trim and siding, then windows. Old houses hide damage under layers of later material, so set aside part of the budget for repairs that cannot be seen until the old siding or shingles come off.
In the 1970s and 1980s subdivisions such as Cress Creek and Brookdale, wood is the weak point: wood windows, wood or hardboard siding, wood fascia. Check each for rot. Often the siding and windows should be done together, because new siding is trimmed and flashed around the windows and you do not want to disturb it twice.
In south Naperville, in neighborhoods like Ashbury, White Eagle and Tall Grass, everything was installed in the same year, so everything wears out together. Roofs and windows usually go first. Get the roof inspected for hail before paying for one yourself, then plan windows in phases, and finish with siding on the three non-brick sides.
Where we would start in Naperville
South Naperville homes were built in a short span, so the roof, the windows and the siding all age out within a few years of each other. We suggest a roof inspection first, then a window plan in two phases, front and back. Get HOA approval for colors early, since some boards only meet monthly and that can hold up the schedule more than anything else.
The right order for exterior work
- Roof. Everything below it depends on it. Roofing crews also drop debris, so the roof goes before new siding and gutters.
- Windows and doors. They are flashed into the wall, and that flashing sits behind the siding.
- Siding and trim. Installed after the openings so it can be fitted and sealed around them.
- Gutters, soffit and fascia. Hung last, on the finished roof edge.
If you can only do one thing this year, do the one that is letting water in. Water damage grows; faded siding does not.
One season or several years
Doing everything at once has advantages: one crew schedule, one set of colors chosen together, flashing details done once and often a better price. Phasing spreads the cost. If you phase, tell your contractor the full plan up front so this year's work is built to accept next year's. We keep measurements and color selections on file for that reason, and 0% financing for 12 months is available on approved credit.
Choosing colors that work together
Start with what is not changing: brick, stone and, if it is staying, the roof. Pick siding to sit comfortably with those, then trim, then the front door as the accent. Our exterior designer lets you try combinations on three house styles before you commit.
Permits in Naperville
Permit rules are set by the City of Naperville. We check what your project needs and pull the permit when one is required. Homes in a designated historic district may also need design review for exterior changes. See everything we do in Naperville, or read the guide for Bolingbrook, or read the guide for Plainfield.
Common questions
Call (331) 250-3726 or request a free consultation in Naperville.