There may not seem to be an end to the winter in sight, but eventually the snow that covers much of the eastern US will melt and temperatures nationwide will warm. When the weather improves, where will your spring cleaning and home improvements lead you?

When spring arrives, home remodeling is a very common activity nationwide. After so many months of holding the weight of constant snow above your head, it may be time to show your roof a little TLC. If your roof is where you need to devote some time, money, and energy this spring, installing a cupola on your roof could be a valuable project - both for curb appeal and overall house value.

What is a cupola?

Cupolas - typically located on the tops of barns, sheds, gazebos, and homes - are small square or dome structures located on top of a building. The dome structures can often adorn churches or other old, classic buildings. In domestic settings, cupolas come in a variety of different shapes and sizes.

With so many people remodeling homes and investing in real estate (again), there is definitely a growing interest in finding affordable ways to upgrade the value of a house. Couple the renewed interest in real estate investing with on-going homeowner interest in incorporating classic design and architecture into a house, and cupolas are a great way to add something extra to a property that puts the whole neighborhood on notice.

There are a lot of things to keep in mind when shopping for and pricing a cupola to add to a roofing project. Here is a short list of things to keep in mind as you shop for one this spring.

- Weather-resistance. Obviously, the cupola is going to be exposed to all the elements in the region you live in. Making sure it is capable of surviving all the elements it will be exposed to is important. Most cupolas today are made of vinyl PVC board. Same rules apply to the roof of the cupola. Copper sheeting tends to hold up through anything.

- Window design. Almost every cupola on the market has some type of window. Decoration on the window obviously comes down to personal style, but complexity leads to lack of choices and increased costs. Vented windows allow wind to pass through cupolas easily and are warm weather friendly. Louvres admit air and also have slats that shed rain, which are better for four season regions.

- Roof pitch. Roofs come in a variety of angles, and cupolas must be designed to fit those angles. Make sure you know the pitch of your roof before buying a cupola. There are a wide variety of sources on the web for calculating roof pitch. Also, you should probably try to factor in at least a few inches of clearance.

- Cupola roof style. Crown moldings, copper bells, and concave roofs are common roof choices for a cupola. Most professional designers recommend choosing one that most closely matches the roof design of your home.

- Weathervanes. If you are buying a weathervane or finial to adorn the top of your cupola, make sure the cupola comes with an interior mount.