Last updated: October 14, 2023
Skipping some of the regular house maintenance might seem like a good idea, but ultimately, that lands you with more work – and sometimes expensive repairs.
Regardless of how much you need to do, plenty of tips help keep your house maintenance low.
Emergency Fund
Perhaps one of the biggest reasons house maintenance feels expensive – is because it typically comes out of regular money. And at the end of the month, you know your bank account is going to look a little lighter than usual. Not everyone can recover from a $600 washing machine replacement or a $90 call-out fee quickly.
This is why having an emergency fund will instantly make this issue something that you don’t have to deal with. And, while the maintenance isn’t actually cheaper, it won’t feel as expensive.
DIY
Becoming a master of many house maintenance things is going to save a lot of cash. For almost everything, you can head to YouTube to find a guide and see how far you can get. Anything with plumbing or electrical is usually better left to the professionals, though!
Learning to do things yourself will save you cash on labor costs, but you’ll need to get the right materials – sometimes, you’ll need to do the maths on this one.
Preventative
Preventative measures when it comes to maintenance are going to save you from seeing an outrageous repair or replacement bill. While you can’t know for sure that something like your HVAC won’t break down randomly on a Thursday morning, you can make sure that anything that needs a detailed inspection is booked. Learn to take care of much of it yourself – as there are things you can do with almost every form of maintenance.
Keeping a maintenance schedule with warnings months and weeks before will mean you have time to look for a good deal or save up if you need to.
Here are some handy tips to get you started: Outdoor Home Maintenance Tasks You Must Keep Up With.
Safety
When weighing up if you should do a job like guttering or window cleaning – keep in mind what could happen. You’re not experienced and don’t do it every day, so instead of it being a quick, simple job, it could turn into a disaster. Falling or hurting yourself will increase the costs when you factor in time off work, medical bills, and then the cost of hiring someone.
Quotes
Getting in touch with multiple companies and getting a quote might sound like a lot of work – but ultimately, you’ll have some prices to use to get the company you want for a lower price. Anywhere with a price match guarantee should be on the list, too. While there are online comparison websites and companies you can use to book a contractor, they typically add a premium.
Off-season
More than a few jobs are better booked in the off-season—things like furnaces, boilers, heating, or cooling systems. Most people don’t check them until they need them, and the prices and wait times can shoot up. Off-season maintenance can keep your costs lost.
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