Home Maintenance - A Simple Investment

While it may seem like a costly indulgence, property experts recommend that homeowners should be spending 1 per cent of their home’s value on improvements annually. According to the Land Registry, the average price of a house in the United Kingdom is about £180,000, meaning you should be spending about £1,800 per year on home maintenance.

Home maintenance can be daunting, but it does not always have to mean extensive, back-breaking work. Simple projects can drastically improve the quality and value of your home. The key is to remain vigilant. A little time spent on maintenance now could save you thousands on costly repairs in the future. Consider the following maintenance projects:

• Apply a fresh coat of paint every 10 to 15 years depending on the quality of paint and seasonal weather conditions.
• Inspect your pipes on a regular basis for leaks. Based on what type of materials your pipes are made of, they should last at least 50 years.
• Check the seals around windows, doors and skylights for leaks.
• Examine electrical wiring for over-wired panels, poor connections or dangerous exposures.
• Review the condition of your home’s exterior—a new roof can be costly, but it will last 10 to 15 years. Alternatively, you can choose to patch or repair the trouble areas.
• Freshen up two areas in your home (including hallways and landings) every year to keep your maintenance projects constant but manageable.

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