Tips to save money on your home maintenance
Most people will tell you that they lead very busy lives and home maintenance often falls by the wayside. Here are some tips below to keep you on track and pennywise:
Save for quality professional
This may seem counter-intuitive to cost-saving, and it’s probably the best way to save money in the long run. So often tasks completed by handymen must be redone later by an experienced, quality professional. A higher cost usually signifies that a reputable professional has licensing credentials which makes them significantly safer and more reliable.
Keep up with maintenance timeously
To prevent larger and more expensive repairs, continue your basic home maintenance projects in a timely manner to avoid massive repairs later from something that could easily have been attended to by yourself.
Do things in small batches
Doing everything at once will always cost more. It’s that simple. Doing maintenance as and when you need will mean you only pay for the work needed rather than the entire build-up of costs.
Schedule repairs for off-season
Contractors charge as per their busy seasons. Drawing up a maintenance plan means you can outsource to them in their quieter months thus saving on costs.
Curb your energy expenses
Small things like changing your air conditioning filter can save you money in utility costs in addition to preventing the need for an entirely new unit or repair to the unit. To ensure you stay on top of this, set a calendar alert for every three months, depending on the recommendations from the manufacturer and any other influences like how often it’s used and the environment. Adding a programmable thermostat can help you save on energy costs and reduce unnecessary wear on your system. Maintaining your appliances will also save energy. Make sure your little comforts, like heaters in winter, are up to scratch as they can consume more power than necessary, even your kettle can be draining on your wallet.
Do it yourself
To save on costs, control the tasks you can do yourself and get them done. Call outs are expensive especially if they can be avoided. Being a homeowner comes with the responsibility to care for your home and the people living in it. Having the discipline to set aside funds for maintenance and repairs can go a long way. Doing things in this way will mean you can save money each year and protect the asset you worked so hard to purchase. It is always first prize to have a home that you love and enjoy rather than one that feels like a financial burden.
FAQ:
How much should you save to maintain your home?
Set aside 1% to 4% of your home’s value for a home maintenance fund.
What are the most common home maintenance issues?
Air Conditioning (14.2%) Doors (11.7%) Toilets (8.3%) worldwide.