One of the biggest goals of home ownership is how to reduce the cost of home maintenance. Every home needs a little TLC from time to time. However, between those four walls, the costs can start adding up quickly, and become rather expensive. So, what’s the best way to make sure your home maintenance budget isn’t hitting the roof?
One of the best ways to know when maintenance items need to be done is by following an annual schedule of home care. Be sure to include things like checking for leaks, having your HVAC inspected, and more. You should also be sure to act on any new issues as soon as they crop up.
Keep your maintenance lists in a handy notebook, so you can keep track of not only when repairs are done, but also the amount spent, so you can find ways to reduce the cost of home maintenance in the future.
Here are a few tips to get you started:
Protect your home against the seasons
One of the most expensive costs a home owner will face is comes in the many ways weather can start to wear the home down over time. For instance, moisture is much more likely to spread in the cold weather, leading to damp and mold problems that could make it necessary to fix parts of the ceiling or walls. Winter home protection tips such as checking the heating and making sure that the home’s insulation is working properly can help to reduce the cost of home maintenance.
Be willing to do more yourself
It might sound like an easy tip to reduce the cost of home maintenance, but taking on some of the labor or keeping your house in good condition yourself will definitely help with the expenses. Even if you are not familiar with the techniques to make the repairs, there are websites like Family Handyman that can help you get more competent and confident in making minor fixes around the home before they have time to become bigger problems.
Don’t make the handyman buy the parts
It is not always the case that a plumber or handyman you work with is always going to try to squeeze out a few extra dollars by selling you expensive parts, but you want to make sure that you are not getting a high markup on any parts that are required.
To help reduce the cost of home maintenance, get a list of the required parts and let the repairman know you want to look at the market for your own replacements. There are great sites like Mark’s Plumbing Parts that can help you find what you need.
It is better to get an idea of what is available and the actual cost, so you can make the decision on how much to spend. Of course, you don’t want to skimp too much on replacement parts. A quality part will normally last longer than a cheap one.
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Invest time in preventative maintenance
Even when there’s nothing wrong with the home, as far as you can see, you can still rduce the cost of home maintenance by spending a little time following a preventative maintenance schedule.
This can include things like checking for leaks, cleaning out your gutters, replacing filters in air conditioners, and even regular checks for mold, pests, and other problems. As mentioned, the sooner you get on top of a potential problem, the much less likely it is to become a more expensive headache down the line.
Effectively, the more you are willing to do yourself, whether it’s fixing it yourself or simply sourcing parts for professionals to use, the more you are likely to reduce the cost of home maintenance. However, when it comes to essential and potentially dangerous systems, be sure to rely on professionals.