Letterboxes – Getting It Right

When you’re selling your home, street appeal is crucial. Many buyers will do a drive past, and if they don’t like what they see, won’t even bother going inside the house to take a look. But even if you’re not planning to sell, it’s a great feeling coming home to a well-presented and beautiful home.

The humble letterbox plays a big part in this street appeal. The letterbox is often used to identify that someone has the correct address, so it’s definitely a part of your streetscape that draws the eye. So how do you make sure it’s adding to the appeal of your home, instead of detracting from it?

The Practical Stuff

Let’s get the boring stuff out of the way. Fact is, there are post office standards for letterboxes. If you’re buying a letterbox ready-made then it will probably already conform to most of those standards, but if you’re planning to build your own, then it’s worth checking out the standards and making sure you comply. The rules cover things like size, location and numbering. It has to be high enough off the ground for the postie to access it easily. Some local planning schemes also include letterbox requirements.

In terms of numbering, go for big and obvious wherever possible. In an emergency situation, the last thing you want is an emergency vehicle being unable to identify your home because the numbers are small, hard to read or missing completely.

From a personal perspective, it’s also worth considering the type of mail you generally receive. If it’s only small letters, then a small slot is fine. But if you regularly receive larger letters or small parcels, you might want to think about having a bigger slot, or a second box with a flap for easy access. An extra round hole or open compartment for newspapers or magazines might also be useful.

Style

For maximum street appeal, think about what style of letterbox is going to suit your home. Think about the age of the house, the colour scheme, the general style or impression the house makes. If the home is very modern, with a render, then something rectangular and covered in a matching render works well. Older style homes can be matched by choosing the right colour for your letterbox, or finding a way to match materials. Taller picket fences often work well with an inset letterbox, so that only the slots are visible.

Getting this right is important. For example, a modern townhouse with a cheap, mismatched letterbox does make a potential buyer start to wonder what else the developer might have cut corners on to make a profit.

Maintainence

Importantly, look after your letterbox. Nothing screams out “dump!” faster than a letterbox that’s falling over, rusting, needs a coat of paint or the numbers have fallen off. If your letterbox is going to be affected by harsh weather, it’s better to choose one made of resilient materials rather than something you like that’s going to deteriorate rapidly.

Have Fun With It

And despite all the tips I’ve already shared, sometimes it’s worth just choosing a letterbox for the fun of it. After all, it’s your home, and your letterbox should be an expression of your own personality and style. Just make sure it’s practical and well-maintained too!