Exterior home surfaces include metal or wood siding, clay or tile bricks, concrete block, stone, and stucco.

Exterior decor includes shutters, cornices, and dormers.

Protective exterior includes mess wire for ventilation, guards for prevention of snow and ice buildup, and other miscellaneous.

If you have a chimney, it must be designed for proper air flow to prevent smoking the house.

Visit our Home Product Showcase for complete information on exterior surfaces and decor:

	view center: exterior siding and decor
	view center: chimneys
	view center: living room fireplace

From howstuffworks.com:

learn how siding is installed:
about exterior siding

Getting Started:

Step 1: develop the plan
take a completed draft of the spec sheet to your architect or planner, who will can customize a home building plan or revise an existing plan that meets your specs.

use your spec sheet and floor plan to bid the construction project to contractors


Step 2: get required building permits
It will either be up to you or the contractor to obtain each permit.

• all about permits
  
• lookup your local government for permit information
  
  

Step 3: find pre-screened contractors and
other service providers:

find a contractor Use this quick search to find customer-rated contractors from your area. Get reviews.