According to HGTV, a fresh coat of exterior paint will take your curb appeal from “so-so” to “wow.” Their experts say the simplest, most cost-effective improvement of all is paint! Freshly painted rooms look clean and updated – and that spells value. When selecting paint colors, keep in mind that neutrals appeal to the greatest number of people – making your home more desirable. Check out more tips from top designers.

Avoid costly repairs by fixing potential leaks – before a drip from the ceiling or a flooded basement alerts you. We can fix or replace clogged or outdated gutters before they back up into your home. We also check caulking around doors and windows (it doesn’t last forever and gaps will open up). Our crews can install new high-performing silicone material. Check out more tips from our partners at Houzz.

In real estate, first impressions are everything! The first thing a potential buyer sees is the color of a house. If yours looks weather-beaten, or feels outdated, or has peeling paint, you should paint. But what colors sell best? Experts say they should reflect your architecture and the landscape and the character of the neighborhood. But what really matters most? See the colors the trendy researchers at How Stuff Works say work best.

Pros make your life easier. First, we’ll finish up in a timely manner. It’s easy for homeowners to start a job, but hard to finish. Secondly, we know what products work best for specific areas of your home, inside and out. Thirdly, we’ll give you a warrantee. If there’s ever a problem, just call us to fix it – no stress or worry. The experts at Today’s Homeowner offer more helpful tips on hiring a pro.

We install it, we paint it, we love it. Cement board masquerades as wood, wears like concrete, and outperforms its rivals in our climate. Picking the right siding (wood, vinyl, stone, brick, or stucco) can be tricky. With fiber cement (a resilient mix of wood pulp and Portland cement), you get low maintenance with the look of clapboard, shingles, even masonry. This Old House investigates why it may be your best siding option.

Peeling paint can drive you nuts. Knowing why it happens will help you maintain your home. The most common cause is (not surprisingly) water. Water vapor that accumulates beneath paint or primer separates these coatings from the surface. This leads to cracking. A snowball effect ensues: Water seeps through small cracks which causes bigger cracks. Peeling means something isn’t right. Our friends at House Painting Guide offer helpful insights.

Our masonry experts can make your home more beautiful – and safer! According to the Chimney Safety Institute, chimneys built from brick, stone, and mortar suffer deterioration from rain, snow and ice. Materials deteriorate quickly when exposed to Michigan’s freeze/thaw process, and rust weakens steel and iron parts. Our masons can repair the appearance and the performance of your chimney. Check out more tips on hazards and maintenance.

Buying? Selling? Or just curious about your home’s condition? Today, 95% of home real estate transactions involve an inspection. Ideally, they should be a comprehensive and unbiased examination of the physical condition of a property. But are the findings always accurate? Are you obligated to act on what they uncover? We uncovered some surprising myth-busters from Jessica Liu, a licensed inspector. To separate fact from fiction, click here.

Michigan is hard on decks. Rain and snow rot the wood, and sun bleaches out the color. Your pride and joy can turn into an eyesore. Fortunately, Somerset can restore your deck – making it look new again while protecting and extending the life of the wood. Refinishing involves many steps, including cleaning, power washing, sanding, staining, and sealing. Contact us for an estimate after reading this online tutorial from Bob Formisano.

Before you hire anyone to paint your house, educate yourself. Angie’s List has compiled some reliable, unbiased facts about color choices, design factors, and what to look for in a potential contractor. It’s an important investment, and these tips can help you avoid pitfalls.  We suggest you subscribe to Angie’s List for honest, unvarnished reviews of Somerset Painting – and decide for yourself if we’re the right choice!

We’ve learned a lot in 30 years of painting. Now we’re sharing our “insider secrets” – tricks of the trade that homeowners can utilize. The staff of This Old House has assembled a couple dozen hot tips online, gleaned from the accumulated wisdom of various professional painters. This advice can help you be a better do-it-yourselfer, or make a more informed decision when you select a professional painting contractor like Somerset.

Don’t let your home blend into the background! Even if you’re not in the market for changing your entire exterior, a new coat of paint on your front door could be just the makeover your home needs. Check out these cool new guides from our partners at Houzz to learn which color (from unexpected purple to bright yellow to elegant black) will work best on your exterior door. 

Looking for ideas? Our partners at Houzz have assembled hundreds of color and style examples to kick-start your design imagination. After picking the best “makeover materials” for your home, call us. We can do any exterior upgrade – from stonework and wood shingles to vinyl siding and new windows. If you’re not ready for a full-on remodel, we can simply swap out trim details and paint colors for a big impact.