Many bungalow owners, in the name of energy conservation, replace wooden windows and doors with aluminum and steel. Modern windows, however, are usually smaller than the original openings. Consider rebuilding old windows or adding weather-stripping to the doors.
Bungalows were built with a variety of siding patterns and textures that stock aluminum and vinyl siding can't replicate. Siding, improperly applied, can trap moisture underneath and invite termites. A paint job, though not fun, should last for five to seven years if the surface is properly prepared and a high-quality paint is used.
Don't try to adopt a theme renovation. Once the natural character is stripped from the bungalow, the owners sometimes try and add some back with Victorian or Colonial shutters and woodwork.
Many Tulsa bungalows are built upon berms, with yards bordered with narrow, single-car driveways. In order to accommodate more cars, some owners pave their yards, "butchering and hacking" away at the yard to make a level surface. Scraping away the berms goes against the ideology created by urban planners such as Frederick Law Olmsted who, by building houses on berms, gave houses prominence over the street and over automobiles, it just messes up the whole way the house is sited towards the street.
Don't replace wood windows with non-wood windows (vinyl etc). We have heard many reports that window replacement companies claim that they will look the same. They are not the same. Consider your options such as energy panels added for efficiency.
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