Any homeowner knows that keeping your house up to standard takes a fair amount of work. However, despite people’s best intentions, it’s easy to overlook some of the essential checks that you must carry out to ensure your property remains in great shape.

 

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 home owners 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 the essential check and fixes around the home, as well as when is the best time 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 repainting. 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 come 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

 

To learn more about home maintenance, browse our Guides section and for more articles looking at everything from green energy to architecture – visit our Blog.

Created by Roof Stores

 

 

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