How to Save on Home Maintenance

From bills to the inevitable maintenance, owning a home can incur a lot of costs. Though it is hard to precisely determine how much the average homeowner spends on maintaining their property throughout the year, a 2013 Halifax study found that people spend about £716 on average.

On the other hand, Bankrate advises setting aside one percent of your property’s value each year for maintenance. Naturally, this value can fluctuate depending upon factors such as the weather or if certain items necessary to your home break down.

Major Maintenance Expenses

There are some patterns that can help you predict the sort of maintenance expenses you will incur. We’ve listed some of the common, major expenses for home maintenance below.

Roofing

If you need a new roof or roof repairs, the costs can quickly become pretty sizeable. In fact, Roof Advisor estimates between £5000 and £6000 for a new roof, while roof repairs can vary widely between £100 and £12,000 depending on the size of the property and where it’s located.

Boiler and Plumbing

A lot of homes have boilers that are getting old. They either need maintaining or totally replacing.

The installation of a new boiler can cost £1,500 to £3,500. However, smaller issues can vary depending on what needs to be fixed. According to Local Heroes, it can cost:

• Between £75 and £125 to install, repair, or replace a tap;
• Between £77 and £128 to fix a leaking pipe;
• Between £88 and £147 to fix a leaking radiator;
• Between £83 and £138 to fix a leaking toilet;
• Between £169 and £281 to replace a toilet, and;
• Between £120 and £200 to replace a sink.

Electrical Repairs

From a broken cable to needing a new electric shower unit, electrical issues can vary greatly. MyBuilder estimates the average hourly cost for an electrician is £50 to 60. Plus, you need to factor in parts on top of the hourly price.

How to Save on Maintenance

A quick look at some of the costs above will probably make you wonder how you can save some money on home maintenance. Fortunately, we have a few tips for you.

Shop Around for Labour

There are platforms online where you can even post the job you need and allow different contractors to bid for the work, allowing you to compare prices.

Where Possible, Do It Yourself

We don’t recommend putting yourself in any danger at all. However, there are plenty of small jobs, such as chipped paintwork or a broken appliance, that might be simple to fix without calling in a professional.

Plus, YouTube is an incredible resource for tutorials on how to repair things around the house.

Take Advantage of Offers

Always be on the lookout for offers at DIY stores or elsewhere. You can save a lot of money on the parts required by buying at the right time. For instance, things for outdoor repairs and improvements may get cheaper as we shift into the autumn or winter seasons.

Call in a Favour

A lot of us know people that have a skill set that we don’t. So, it might be a good idea to get friends or family to help out if their skills are more suitable. You can always repay favours by helping them out in the future.

Disclaimer

You should never put yourself in any sort of danger to maintain your home, nor should you make guesses about what needs to be done. So, make sure to seek professional help for any big or potentially risky home maintenance jobs.