A Year-Round Guide to Essential Home Maintenance


 

Research shows that on average, households across the UK spend a staggering £44bn a year on vital repairs. With house prices falling to their worst since 2010, this is single-handedly the best way of retaining the value of your home. But despite this, 1 in 3 homeowners admit waiting a week before they feel the need to get around to fixing any problems that they find with their home.

To make the task of repairing less daunting, Roof Stores, have created a handy guide which highlights the essential home maintenance checks you should be making each season. Not only does the checklist serve as a year-round guide which equips you with the knowledge to approach specific repairs in each season, but it also prepares you for when the problems are most likely to occur.  

As anyone living in the UK knows, the drastic climate change that comes with each season can affect both the exterior and interior of your home. Overall these regular seasonal checks should not be ignored as poor upkeep in maintenance could cost you a sizable amount in the long run.

It’s also important to note that the homeowner’s safety and wellbeing isn’t the only benefit when conducting regular checks, but it will also help massively if the homeowner ever plans on selling the house. With house prices falling year on year, 1 in 4 Brits now consider home maintenance and servicing, to be the best way to retain the value of a property.

Uncover more about the home maintenance repairs you should be making each season, and how this can help you save money in the long run.

THE FACTS

According to information sourced from industry experts including the RIBA Journal and Corgi HomePlan…

  • On average, across the UK, households spend £44bn a year on essential repairs.
  • Almost 1/4 of Brits consider maintaining and servicing a property regularly to be the best way to increase the value of a property.
  • 60% of Brits admit that there are things in their homes that need repairing ranging from broken radiators and toilets to faulty sockets, light fittings and wiring.
  • 31% of UK homeowners admit waiting a week before fixing problems they find in their home.
  • 1/3 people in the UK are living with potentially dangerous faults in the home – (often because they're left to develop to the point homeowners can’t afford to fix them).
  • Only 46% of new homeowners research when their gas appliances were last professionally serviced and only 1 in 3 carry out regular checks.

It’s clear to see the importance of keeping on top of household maintenance before serious issues arise. Read on to find out more about essential check and fixes around the home, as well as when the best time is to address any problems that may arise.

SEASONAL CHECKS

So, when is the best time to carry out household maintenance tasks? Some issues present themselves seasonally while a variety of fixes are reliant on weather.  This section runs you through each season and the optimum time to perform checks, fixes and general upkeep.

SPRING: ESSENTIAL CHECKS

Spring is the time of year to check your home following the colder months. This means looking for issues that may have been caused during winter such as cracks in your exterior walls and also getting on with tasks like cleaning the decking as the weather begins to improve.

Inside the home, it’s best to perform thorough checks for damp penetration, loft integrity and whether your pipes have developed any leaks. Here is the average cost for the larger jobs:

  • Exterior Paintwork: £850-£1100 for materials and labour
  • Plumber Call-Out: £20-£40 per hour
  • Damp Proofing: £200+ per wall

SUMMER: ESSENTIAL CHECKS

With summer comes warmer weather (if you’re lucky!) which means it’s time to address problems that can only be solved when there’s little to no chance of rain such as roofing repairs and repointing. This is the best time to keep any encroaching plant-life such as ivy or trees on your property in check to ensure they don’t get out of hand and cause structural damage.

It’s also crucial to keep your home well-ventilated and use this time to check for any pests such as wasps which build nests in loft spaces and cracks. Here is the average cost for the larger jobs:

  • Boiler Service: £60-£100 per call out
  • Repointing: £20-£30 per sqm
  • Pest Control: £55 per nest
  • Retiling: £300 per day

AUTUMN: ESSENTIAL CHECKS

With autumn comes the inevitable falling leaves which should be cleared frequently to ensure they don’t cause blockages to your drains. These months are also the best time to ensure your outside pipes and taps are properly insulated and switched off at the isolator valve to prevent issues caused by freezing temperatures.

The main thing to take care of internally in the autumn is your loft insulation. Make sure that it’s at least 270mm deep to comply with building regulations. This will ensure your home remains warm into the winter. Here is the average cost for the larger jobs:

  • Pipe Insulation: £20 per pipe jacket
  • Drain Cleaning: £100 per hour
  • Loft Insulation: £300 installation fee

WINTER: ESSENTIAL CHECKS

During winter there isn’t much you can achieve externally due to weather conditions. It's important to monitor vulnerable areas of your home such as places water can pool, freeze and potentially cause cracks.

Internally, check pipes and place moisture traps to get rid of the worst of the damp. Also, although it might make your house a bit chilly, it’s important to ensure you’re ventilating rooms with a higher risk of damp as this can accelerate in colder, wetter weather. Here is the average cost for the larger jobs:

  • Extractor Fan: £200 for parts and labour
  • Tree Surgeon: Upwards of £250 depending on tree type
  • Plumber Call-Out: £20-£40 per hour

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