1. Power wash the existing deck and railings. You might be surprised at how it looks and you may decide you don't even need to do further renovations!

2. Paint wood or metal floors, railings, and ceilings. Sometimes that crisp new-paint look makes everything okay again.

3. Replace only the part that needs replacing - select rotted boards, remove, and then replace with new before re-staining or painting.

4. If a deck or porch floor has to be totally replaced, think about other options to change the look of your space either with interlocking tiles or an innovative system that allows you to use stone, tile or brick on your deck or porch foundation (shown in the photos below).

5. Lastly, don't forget the power of landscaping for your deck or porch! A little greenery and color goes a long way to creating an outdoor oasis.

#summertime #diy

"We are honored to be recognized by our peers in the remodeling industry for our work" said Roone Unger, EXOVATIONS founder and President. "This award is one that our entire company takes great pride in receiving". Contractors from seven regions around the country vie for CotY Awards on an annual basis, and all regional winners will now be eligible for the National CotY Awards. National winners will be announced at NARI's Evening of ExcellenceSM on Saturday, April 21, 2012 at the Gaylord Texan Hotel and Conference Center, located in Grapevine (Dallas), Texas.

All projects submitted for judging were an improvement or an addition to an existing structure, with the exception of one category, "Residential Exterior Specialty." Otherwise, new construction projects were not eligible.

Competing projects were completed between July 1, 2010, and November 30, 2011, and were not submitted in previous NARI National contests. An impartial panel of judges, experts within the remodeling industry and associated fields, selected winners based on each entrant's binders, which include "before and after" photography and project descriptions. Judging focused on problem solving, functionality, aesthetics, craftsmanship, innovation, degree of difficulty and entry presentation.

EXOVATIONS' submitted project was for a 1970's barn style exterior with a Gambrel style roof. The client had envisioned upon purchase of the home a more craftsman-style look. The first call of action was for an EXOVISION™-Architectural Rendering which included a detailed drawing for the new front portico, redesigned front stoop, shake siding, roofing, shutters, columns with stacked stone pedestals, carriage style garage doors, gutters, downspouts, and a metal shed roof styled eyebrow return to better blend the brick and siding juncture. All of the work was completed as drawn and desired and in a very timely fashion. Upon completion of the project, the client had this to say," I am shocked that my house now looks exactly how I envisioned it. For the first time in 10 years, I actually love my home. I think my neighbors must like it too, because they drive by, then slow down, really take a look at my house, and then give me a thumbs up. This was a huge project and it was finished ahead of schedule, on budget, and without any problems."

To be considered for a CotY Award, a company must be a NARI member in good standing. The entries of this year's competition totaled nearly $90 million worth of remodeling projects. NARI members represent an elite group of the approximately 800,000 companies and individuals in the U.S. identifying themselves as remodelers.

EXOVATIONS was founded in 1996, and is one of the largest privately owned and operated home renovation companies in the Southeast. Other honors and awards for EXOVATIONS include being the 2005 Chrysalis Award winner for Best Exterior Facelift, Qualified Remodeler Magazine's 2005 Master Design Award winner, Consumers' Choice Award winner in 2009, 2010, and 2011 and being named to Remodeling Magazine's "Big 50" class of 2010. With its headquarters in Cumming, Georgia, EXOVATIONS serves the entire metro Atlanta and Middle Georgia markets, offering a complete line of home exterior products and services for homeowners including the design and installation of siding, windows and doors, roofing, decks, screen porches, front porches, gutters, gutter protection, and much more. For more information visit EXOVATIONS.com.

About NARI: The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) is the only trade association dedicated solely to the remodeling industry. The Association, which represents member companies nationwide-comprised of 63,000 remodeling contractors- is "The Voice of the Remodeling Industry."™ To learn more about membership, visit www.NARI.org or contact national headquarters, based in Des Plaines, Ill., at (847) 298-9200.

Homeowners are estimated to spend a total of $110.1 billion on home improvements in the U.S. through second quarter of 2012.

NARI is a professional association whose members voluntarily subscribe to a strict code of ethics.

Consumers can also call the NARI National hotline at 847-298-9200 and request a free copy of NARI's brochure, "How to Select a Remodeling Professional," or visit www.nari.org and click on the homeowner's guide for more information. For information on green remodeling, visit www.greenremodeling.org.