How to Remodel a Brick Ranch House

Go over options for exterior upgrades. Drive around neighborhoods near your home to get ideas. Look at quality stone veneer, wood siding and stucco. Combine options to create the best look. Install stone veneer on the front and paint three sides of the house, for example. Sketch various ways to change the house to blend with the neighborhood but look freshly constructed.

Upgrade roofing materials and overhangs. Expand the overhangs, if needed, to fit a new stone or brick facade. Install an asphalt roof that will harmonize with the veneer. Paint overhangs and gutters to complement the colors on the house. Draw the house with colored pencils to determine the colors that work best.

Install large, energy-efficient windows. Remove the small windows typical of ranch homes in the 1960s, because small windows will make the house look dated, even with your upgrades. Install new energy-efficient windows before adding stone veneer or painting the exterior. Buy new shutters to give the new windows a finished look. Consider adding shutters to the main entrance.

Paint the bricks, and finish the stonework. Buy primer and paint that are white, cream, light brown taupe or another color. Use a quality primer made especially for brick, which is porous. Roll or brush on a couple of final coats of paint. Hire a stone mason to install the stone veneer on the front of the house. Make sure the mason mounts window and door shutters as part of the project, because special hardware is required.

Remodel the interior by upgrading the kitchen and baths. Keep the charm of a ranch house, but add enough new materials to give it a cleaner look. Do away with dark wood trim and paneling. Install new kitchen appliances and countertops. Put in new sinks, tubs, showers and flooring in all bathrooms. Repaint the interior in contemporary colors.