Owning a home is an exciting venture. But one reality of homeownership is that it costs a lot of money as time passes by. There’s the fact that you have utilities to pay for and property taxes to keep up with. There are also unlimited ways to improve a house, some projects which tend to be costly. And then, there’s home maintenance.
If you have been renting or living with your parents all your life, you probably would not realize just how expensive home maintenance is. You might not even know how much work goes behind maintaining a home. But all of that will change once you become a homeowner.
Now that you own a home, you have no choice but to handle home maintenance costs. You can always hire the pros to repair the air conditioning for you, clean the chimney, or fix a leaky faucet. But at the end of the day, you are still in charge of budgeting for your home maintenance.
This is the very reason why no homeowner should even consider skipping preventive home maintenance. This is one of the best ways you can eliminate costly and unnecessary repairs in the future. If you want to learn more on how you can save money on your home maintenance, then you’ll find the following tips to be extremely useful.
Pay Special Attention to Your Major Systems
Your home has three major systems. The first one is the structure. It includes the foundation, framing, and roof.
The second system consists of the function, which are your doors and windows, electrical, plumbing, and heating & cooling. The third one are the finishes. These are your drywall & paint, siding & gutter, finished flooring, and interior finish carpentry.
Keeping an eye on your major systems will give you enough time to pinpoint if a potential arises at the first symptom. Make sure you regularly check and maintain these systems and address any issue you find asap. The earlier you do preventive maintenance and repairs, the lower your bill will be.
Know Your Limits
Maybe you are a bit of a handyman. You might also enjoy learning DIY maintenance and repairs from TV series and online video tutorials. While DIYs can save you some money, failure to conduct these the right way can only mean more expenses in the future.
Many homeowners already regretted their decisions to DIY home maintenance. According to a survey, many homeowners regret turning to DIY when finishing the basement, refinishing hardwood floors, and replacing their ceiling. Many people went over the budget after failed DIY attempts left them with no choice but to eventually hire the pros.
It is crucial that you assess your patience, time available to tackle the project, and skill level. You are better off leaving the heavy and major tasks to the pros. This way, you can avoid paying double for all the trouble you went through.
Invest in Efficiency Improvements
Focusing on efficiency-improving projects does more than lower your utility bills. This also helps improve your family’s health and comfort while boosting the property’s value. Having energy-efficient upgrades also lowers your environmental impact, which is always a good thing.
You can start by having an energy audit with the pros. This will enable you to learn which areas of the house are consuming more energy than required. You can then start the upgrade knowing you know where to exactly start.
Consider switching to energy-efficient lighting solutions and welcome natural light into your home. Reducing your artificial light consumption helps improve your family’s health and mood. This is also a great way to liven up areas of the house during the day.
Don’t forget about worn-out appliances and systems that are now a decade old. The older the appliances are, the more they lose their efficiency. Just make sure you never go back by disposing of old appliances the right way.
Maintenance First Before Any Home Improvement
Many homeowners are guilty of focusing on nice add-ons and upgrades instead of obvious maintenance tasks. For instance, installing a new counter when your kitchen is crying for new kitchen cabinets. One should learn how to prioritize projects before making an investment.
Be sure to look at the whole picture before you even invest in any home improvement. Prioritize projects that will improve your family’s health, comfort, and safety. Once you’ve tackled all these, then you can move on with the nice-to-haves.
Save up for Home Maintenance
The last but definitely not the least of importance when it comes to home maintenance is the budget. Even if there are no projects that require money, be sure to save cash for future maintenance.
Saving at least one percent of the property’s value each year would be sufficient to cover for future maintenance and repairs. If you own a $250,000 home, set aside at least $250 each month. This will give you $2,500 worth of home maintenance savings each year.
Home maintenance may cost you money. But regular and preventive maintenance saves you more in return. Always take home maintenance seriously and you can enjoy more savings in the future.
Meta title: How You Can Save More Out of Home Maintenance Tasks
meta desc: One common homeowners’ regret is failure to properly maintain their homes. Here’s what you can do to make home maintenance less stressful both physically and financially.
