As soon as you become a homeowner, you will be faced with more and more financial commitments and challenges. Not only are you tied to your regular mortgage payments, but you’re also in charge of home maintenance and repair costs too. Keeping up with these basic needs can be extremely stressful, especially if you’re particularly busy and struggle to find the time to keep on top of it yourself. Furthermore, if you’re working with a tight budget it upset you financially if you were to face an unexpected repair cost in your home.
When you think about home maintenance and repairs, your first thought is to probably outsource it to someone else right away. However, there is a lot you can do by yourself too. Although you may not be able to carry out the larger maintenance tasks, you can save money by putting in a little extra time and effort for the smaller jobs. Whether you’re fixing small leaks or repairing paintwork, you can undertake inexpensive jobs around the house and reduce your outgoings too.
With this in mind, let’s explore all of the different ways in which you can save money on your home maintenance and repairs in order to keep your monthly costs as low as possible.
Swaps Skills With Neighbors
If you’re really skilled at woodwork and DIY, and your neighbor has experience with plumbing, why not skill swap? This is a very effective system for those looking to save money on costs as you will always have someone to turn to when you need them. Use your strengths to your advantage and make sure your neighbors are willing to repay the favor too!
Choose Local Maintenance Companies
It’s always a good idea to research local companies or handymen who offer their services to the community. This will likely cost you half the price than a large corporation or branded company. Seek out recommendations from people you know and open up your mind to working with people who are self-employed. This usually means that they won’t overcharge you and they’ll be honest about the cost of the initial repairs ahead of time too.
Buy Materials Locally
As well as using local maintenance companies to help you with your repairs, you may also want to consider buying your materials locally too. This means heading to your local hardware store for some cheap home improvement products. Look for the best deals at the time and save some of these items for when you really need them. You should also stock up on the basics for any emergency repair work too.
Know When to Outsource and When to DIY
When there’s a job that is clearly way out of your depth, you need to know when to take a step back and leave it to the experts. Trying to carry out a very difficult job by yourself may lead to higher costs and further damage, so try to be realistic about what you can actually do yourself.
Budget Carefully
When you have home repairs and costs looming over your head, it’s very important to be mindful about your budget. Getting everything done all at once simply isn’t an option for most people, so you need to create a timeline and prioritize the most important jobs first and foremost. Similarly, you need to understand how much money it’s going to take to repair and maintain your home. Usually, it’s sensible to set aside around 1% of your property’s value every year and put it towards improvements, repairs and maintenance. This will not only ensure that your home is in top condition, but it will also mean you’re never caught short when you need it the most.
Know When It’s Worth Investing
Even though you probably have a very clear budget, there are sometimes when it’s worth splurging on a repair because it will last longer. Comparing different prices from repair companies will give you an idea of how much it’s going to cost, but it will also provide you with options too. A patchwork job may lead to bigger issues in the future, so it may be worth getting something redone altogether to save yourself the stress and money in the future.
Form Relationships With Traders
Having a local electrician, plumber, joiner or pest controller on speed dial is going to serve you well in the long run. Forming good working relationships with these people not only means that they’re always on hand when you need them, but it also means you’ll get the best deals. If you continue to bring the same contractors back for jobs they’ll always be happy to help you and they can also remind you when the job needs to be done again in the near future!
Catch Problems Early
Waiting until a problem gets out of hand is going to cause major expenses for you and your family. Leaving something alone and brushing it under the rug won’t help you to save any money, in fact, it may cost more in the long run. Make sure you deal with any issues as and when they arise rather than leaving them too long. You’ll thank yourself for getting it done sooner rather than later!
Create a Home Maintenance Checklist
Every household will have a different home maintenance checklist to go through, so it’s a good idea to collate all of the important jobs so that you can stay on top of them. Some of the main upkeep and maintenance tasks on your checklist may include:
-Painting
-Plumbing
-Air conditioning and heating vents
-Roof repairs
-Windows and doors
-Rain gutters
-Electrical work
-Floors
-Pest inspection
-Smoke alarms and light bulb replacement
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are a number of home maintenance jobs that you will need to stay on top of as a homeowner. There are also so many methods to keep your costs as low as possible so that you aren’t hit by unexpected bills at the worst possible time. Keep all of these ideas in mind as you work through all of your home maintenance jobs and you will soon feel organized, prepared and one step ahead!
