
Many first-time homeowners will be interested in performing some DIY. When you purchase a property, there are frequently important home maintenance and repair jobs to finish, such as gutter cleaning and painting. But what responsibilities should you perform on your own and which ones should you delegate to experts?
This guide includes a checklist of important jobs to complete in each room of your house, as well as information on how often maintenance jobs should be performed and, when practical, how to do them safely yourself.
UK home maintenance and repairs
According to the government's most recent report, families in the UK typically spend:
Maintenance and repair costs for a home are £8 per week or $416 per year (including central heating repairs, house maintenance, paint, wallpaper, timber, equipment hire, and small materials)
Weekly household maintenance costs are £6.80, or £353.60 annually.
Tools and equipment cost £3 each week, or £156 annually.
Household insurance costs £4.90 per week or £254.80 annually (including buildings insurance, contents insurance, and insurance for household appliances)
These may seem like small amounts, but when added up over the course of a year, they demonstrate how willingly our country is to spend money on maintenance.
According to one trade website, there was a 12% increase in demand for workers to complete home repair projects in 2020 and a further 32% increase in 2021. As more people remodel their houses to make them more accommodating to mixed working patterns, this growing tendency is expected to last through 2022.
Our research reveals that while over 70% of UK residents seek assistance around the house, only 15% call a professional when something goes wrong. Instead, they rely on assistance from partners, parents, friends, and neighbors. Uncomfortably, 42% of respondents claimed they had never been taught how to do household maintenance duties, and 38% believed they lacked the necessary skills.
It's true that you can handle a lot of household repairs and upkeep alone. Nevertheless, some tasks are always simpler (and safer) to leave to a professional. Later on, we'll go over what these are, but for now, let's look at how first-time homebuyers can get ready to maintain their property.
Home maintenance and repairs
Being a homeowner involves maintaining your home in good condition. There may be times when you need a repair done right away for your safety and because waiting too long can increase the expense to you. Examples include exterior cracks, roof leaks, broken windows, dampness, or rot.
If not, it makes sense to start with the minor issues that you constantly notice and wish you could change or the issues that have an impact on your day to day but are not crises.
It's best to perform some maintenance once a month to make sure everything is in functioning order. You may take better care of your home by making and following a maintenance calendar and a separate deep-cleaning checklist. Large projects can be divided into smaller tasks to cut expenses and time consumed as well.
List of required tools for home repairs
Having the appropriate tools on hand for the job and understanding how to use them safely and effectively are important components of home repair and maintenance. These suggestions are helpful:
Allen keys are used to put in and take out hexagonal-headed fasteners.
Claw hammer, which can be used to drive in and remove nails.
For cutting materials on a flat surface, use a craft knife.
Use a drill to drill holes for screws that can be adjusted. A corded drill, which is lighter but typically requires an extension cord, or a cordless drill, which is rechargeable and portable, are also options.
Dust sheets are useful for protecting your furniture and floors from dust and filth when doing DIY projects.
For sweeping grout into the spaces between tiles, use a grout float.
For removing old grout, use a grout rake.
Pliers are used to remove nails or cut and shape wires.
Between 5 and 8 meters of a ruler or measuring tape.
Protection from dust and other debris is provided by safety goggles and a mask.
Sandpaper is used to smooth surfaces.
Ideally a versatile saw so you may use it for many Do-It-Yourself projects
screwdrivers for tightening and removing screws in a variety of sizes and shapes, including Phillips and flat heads.
For uniformly distributing materials, use a spackle knife. Likewise called a scraper.
spanners of various sizes for loosening or tightening nuts and bolts.
Using a wallpaper scraper, you may remove old wallpaper without causing any wall damage.
Tasks to outsource for repairs and maintenance
Sometimes a task is too difficult or dangerous to consider taking on by oneself. It's time to engage an expert if this is the situation. While hiring a professional may cost more upfront, it's frequently less expensive in the long term than trying to do it yourself and constantly having to correct it.
For a first-time homeowner, house repairs and maintenance may seem complicated, but the majority of it simply requires using good judgment and taking the time to care for your property.