Exteriors editor

Ellen Barrow

Covers the building envelope: roofing, siding, windows and gutters. Every guide starts from the bid sheet, because the line items a contractor leaves off move a price further than the ones printed on the front page.

How this desk works

How Ellen Barrow costs a project

Ellen reads roofing and siding bids the way an estimator does, from the bottom up: tear-off, disposal, underlayment, flashing, then the material everyone argues about. The guides on this desk exist to tell a homeowner which of those lines is negotiable, which is a red flag when missing, and which one quietly doubles on a complex roofline.

Every figure published under this byline is an indicative national bracket, reviewed against the sources listed in our How we price.

Published guides

Written by Ellen Barrow

Project library

Roofing Costs & Planning Guides, Home Palais

What a new roof really costs, how materials compare, and how to read a roofing bid. Independent guides for American homeowners; no lead forms.

Read the guide
  1. Project library

    Window Replacement Costs & Guides, Home Palais

    What replacement windows cost per opening, how frame materials compare, and how to read a window quote. Independent guides, no lead forms.
  2. Project library

    Siding Costs & Planning Guides, Home Palais

    What new siding costs per square foot by material, how vinyl compares with fiber cement, and how to read a siding bid. Independent guides, no lead forms.
  3. Project library

    Gutter Costs & Planning Guides, Home Palais

    What new gutters cost per linear foot by material, whether guards are worth it, and how to read a gutter quote. Independent guides, no lead forms.
  4. Project library

    Landscaping Costs & Guides, Home Palais

    What landscaping costs per square foot by scope, what hardscape and planting take of the budget, and how to read a landscape quote.
  5. Cost guide

    How Much Does a New Roof Cost in 2026?

    What a new roof costs by material, roof size and quality tier, how materials and labor split the bill, and the surcharges that move a bid.
  6. Cost guide

    How Much Does Window Replacement Cost in 2026?

    What replacement windows cost per opening and per house, by frame material and quality tier, plus the surcharges that move a quote.
  7. Cost guide

    How Much Does Siding Cost in 2026?

    What new siding costs per square foot and per house, by material and quality tier, plus the tear-off and repair lines that move a bid.
  8. Cost guide

    How Much Do Gutters Cost in 2026?

    What new gutters cost per linear foot and per house, by material and quality tier, and what guards, oversizing and drainage actually add.
  9. Cost guide

    How Much Does Landscaping Cost in 2026?

    What landscaping costs per square foot and per yard, by scope and quality tier, plus what grading, irrigation and a retaining wall add.
  10. Cost by material

    How Much Does a Metal Roof Cost in 2026?

    What a metal roof costs by roof size, quality tier and panel type, how the bill splits between material and crew, and what it works out to per year.
  11. Cost by material

    How Much Do Vinyl Windows Cost in 2026?

    What vinyl replacement windows cost per window and per house, by quality tier, how the bill splits between product and crew, and what to ask a bidder.
  12. Comparison

    Metal Roof vs Asphalt Shingles: Cost & Lifespan

    Metal costs roughly twice as much as asphalt shingles and lasts two to three times as long. What that works out to per year, and which suits your house.
  13. Comparison

    Vinyl vs Fiberglass Windows: Cost & Lifespan

    Fiberglass costs about 40 percent more than vinyl and lasts around half again as long. What that works out to per year, and which suits your house.
  14. Quick answer

    How Long Does a Roof Last? Lifespan by Material

    How long a roof lasts by material, what shortens it, the signs of the final years, and when repair stops being worth the money.
  15. Quick answer

    How Long Do Windows Last? Lifespan by Frame

    How long replacement windows last by frame material, what actually ends them, the signs to watch for, and when repair beats replacement.
  16. How-to

    How to Inspect a Roof in 20 Minutes

    A ground-and-attic roof inspection any homeowner can do in twenty minutes, what each sign means, and when to stop and call a roofer.
  17. How-to

    How to Measure for Replacement Windows

    Measure a window opening the way an installer does: nine measurements, the smallest one wins, and the checks that catch an out-of-square frame.
  18. Buying guide

    Best Roof Sealants of 2026, Tested by Job

    Six roof sealants and coatings, matched to the job they actually suit: flat roofs, shingle leaks, metal seams and emergency patches.
  19. Buying guide

    Best Window Weatherstripping of 2026, by Gap

    Seven window draught products matched to the gap they actually seal: the moving sash, the fixed frame joint, and the glass itself.

The beat

Project libraries Ellen Barrow covers