Cyclical home maintenance. Normal? Really?

[pardonmeee]

I'm just re-reading the survey for the house we've just bought and there are lots of references to things being done as part of "normal cyclical maintenance". The only time I've ever previously heard that phrase was when I lived in a leasehold flat and the communal areas were repainted every x years whether they needed it or not.

Do ordinary home-owners really do "cyclical maintenance", or do most of us just fix things when they look like they need doing. For those of you that do it, what is your schedule? I'd like to know what I should be living up to.

Old house here, which needs cyclical maintenance - a sort of waterproofing pain the the outside walls (every three years), windows painted every five years, gutters every six months, roof and chimneys checked every year, boiler and alarm system serviced every year, and chimneys swept every Spring and Autumn.

pain = paint (it's actually not a pain to do )

We’ll probably check our gutters every year and paint stuff as needed. Other than that it’ll get fixed when it breaks.
We do get the boiler serviced though.

I think that other than things like boiler servicing most people do things on a slightly more ad hoc basis.

The boiler gets serviced every year (signed up to a plan, they call us every year - so I don’t have to organise it).

Otherwise we just sort of keep an eye on things and do them as and when.

I'd be more relaxed elsewhere for sure. Here it's the having to remember and budget for stuff that keeps me focused

We are doing up the place a bit at a time, and we are told it is never ending. There is always something that needs doing. I assume that is cyclical maintenance.

Yes. Not an absolute timescale but certain jobs need doing on a cyclical basis - things like the annual chimney sweep and boiler servicing. Septic tank emptying, Aga servicing etc. Then guttering checks and repairs, roof checks and replace missing tiles, repointing, powerwashing terrace flagstones, woodworm treatment, rodent prevention, repainting inside and out, windows replaced or repaired etc.

Boiler serviced annually. Chimney swept annually. Everything else, as it's needed.

We don't do anything unless it breaks.

My mums always telling me to get gutters, pointing and another word that I have no idea what it means doing. Just remembered it- fascias and soffits. Could that be it?

Probably refers to things like gutters and roofs which are not visible so need regular checks. Things that you can see are just fine when a problem is noticed.

Nope. Nothing gets done except housecleaning and if something breaks or is leaking

done

DH is good at checking things like fascias and soffits. I don't think I knew what they were until I was about 30.....

We're useless. I've never done anything on a cyclical basis. We've lived here for more than 10 years and I don't think we've even had the boiler serviced.

childrenofthesun same here! We had them replaced in our old house but I’m still not entirely sure what they are or their purpose!

We tend to get things done as needed (I.e when they break!). This thread has reminded me we need our boiler serviced soon though.

Have to ask - what are fascias and soffits?!

I don't know @Pinkandproud. Something it's vital we look after apparently.

Fascia is the board the guttering is fixed to

Soffit is the return under the fascia to the wall

DH will service most appliances annually. Same as the cars, generator and wood stove.

Have to say, the boiler hasn’t been serviced since we moved in, either ( new build) 12 years ago. Perhaps I should consider this..

☺️☺️☺️☺️😊😊😊😊😊 we do.,
Surely there are some things which are just a normal cycle, like cleaning?

Most of our cyclical stuff is normal day to day stuff, then the carpet cleaner comes every 3 months. I touch up paint every month, repaint every six- I do have a dog who gets slobber on everything though!

Obviously boiler safety check and service is annually.

I won’t say too much more, or I’ll start to sound a bit mad