You may be one of a type of homeowner who gets desensitized to your living conditions and would never consider remodeling your home until its time to sell it. And this is only because the real estate agent has commented that sprucing up the home will bring more money and a quicker sale. However, the many years of owning a home might produce a compounding effect that may one day lead to far bigger outlays of cash, and far more grief, than the total of the smaller preventative maintenance projects over the years.
Budgeting
If you ever have the chance to follow a building supervisor around you would be impressed by the preventative maintenance schedule that he or she follows. All the mechanical items have dates when they should be either inspected or replaced. These costs are built into the budget of the building and are necessary for the life of the building, the comfort of the tenants and the safety of both the occupants and the people in the surrounding area.
Another example of preventative maintenance that the average person can understand is vehicle care. New vehicles have strict maintenance schedules that are, in most cases, carried on by the owners after the warranty has expired. Many households will budget $800 to $1500 for vehicle maintenance right along with their power, grocery and fuel budgets. This is because they don't want to be stuck with a blown transmission or seized brakes because the vehicle wasn't checked over, items that could cost upwards of $2000 or more to fix. However, these same people will not give home maintenance a dime and rarely set up a schedule for repairs.
Budgeting for cheap, effective home improvement should be handled a little differently. The longer you can look down the road the better. For example, if you imagine a five-year plan then you can make up a schedule based on a budget of $1800 a year. This is only $150 a month. In many cases you won't spend this amount but the money will be there for any emergencies or unexpected trips to the home improvement stores.
Triage
In the medical field the term “triage†was the process used to sort patients on the battlefield or in a disaster area when time and limited resources meant that only cases where a person has a chance to be saved were taken first. It can also mean that the most severe cases in a hospital emergency room are the first to see a doctor. This is can be the same for a home, especially if you have purchased a home in need of repairs.
The best way to have your own system of triage is by having the home inspected. This should have been done before signing on the dotted line but you can still get it done at any time. The inspector will detail the work that needs to be done and, in many cases, how it should be done. For example, instead of replacing an old gas furnace that is not functioning well you may be able to get by for a couple more years by have new burners installed. This could only cost under $200 and give you time to save for a new one while you are spending your funds on other projects that need attention. The home inspection service can also aid in your five-year plan by detailing what needs to be done at what time.
Handyman
One of the best ways to get things done around the house quickly, expertly and at a modest cost is by hiring a handyman. A handyman can come from any background from a retired carpenter to a teacher who works on the side. His or her prowess has been gained by doing small things like basic carpentry, putting in windows and doors and odd jobs over the years that they can do many projects efficiently.
However, one of the best reasons to have a skilled handyman do repairs on your home is that after time he or she becomes familiar with your home and knows how to fix many things. It's like having a property manager for your home and, if any job is above his or her expertise, the handyman will know who to get or be able to hire one for you. This includes a plumber or electrician. In many cases it will be a friend of theirs who will use your project as a filler with larger ones and may not charge you as much.
Where to Find a Handyman
The best place to find a handyman in your area is in our Contractor Directory. For a faster response you can post you project online at TrustedPros.ca and one will call you. Be sure to be specific as not all handymen do the same type of work. Some may be retired plumbers and can expertly re-plumb a bathroom while others may be jacks-of-all trades and can do everything from put in kitchen cabinets to building a fence. The more information you supply the better chance you have of getting the right one for the job.
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