maintenance on 3 bed semi

[MaryBadger]

I am really struggling to keep up with the maintenance on my 3 bed semi house.When we moved in four years ago it was in very good order but now the cracks are starting to appear.The wooden window frames need stripping and repainting,the interior walls are starting to look scratched and dirty with finger prints in places,shower needs fixing etc etc.I just can't cope with the endless jobs and wish I hadn't moved into such an up together house because I just can't maintain it.My old house was very scruffy and so I could just ignore any jobs that needed doing and felt like i could relax without worrying that I was letting the house go to seed.I would like to move in the next few years but unless I can get on top of these jobs I will lose alot of money.We paid more for it than it was worth because I was seduced by the lovely interior which I now know was foolish.
I would like to know how much people spend maintaining their houses each year and do you do the work yourself or do you get people in?

At least 100 quid/month.
That's not including improvements like new windows or insulation.
Home ownership is expensive.

We have spent a lot on ours so we don't have to keep paying out in the future IYSWIM

EG uPVC windows and doors throughout
the drive and side of the house are paved so no maintence there, I have got rid of the garden and just have pot plants.

Saying that it has took along time to get to this stage and at times, especially when we were broke it really really got me down.

How long is a piece of string? It depends a lot on how much goes wrong and how much money you have lying around to pump into the house. Generally, keeping the house together and modern is a good investment for when you come to sell it.

Here, DH and I generally take one week off at around Easter time and redecorate/repair a single room to a reasonable standard. We don't get anyone in and it tends to take us the whole week to do. Neither of us is skilled at it... DH is an accountant and I work with computers!

Cost varies depending on the work that needs doing. For example we've needed to replace the radiators in each room we've worked in, whereas someone else might not have to do that. We have a big book of DIY that gets referenced frequently as we muddle our way through.

Aside from that, we tend to do running maintenance during the year as required, during weekends or evenings. For example our job this weekend is to rehang the front door, as it's sticking slightly.

I'd say maybe one weekend in four has a few hours of house maintenance work? And maybe an evening every couple of weeks. Though it does depend on the overall state of the house.

In your situation with the jobs you've mentioned I would:

• Save up and change the wooden windows to PVC ones, but that might not suit your style/circumstances!
• Take some holiday from work to repaint or put wallpaper up in one room at a time.
• Get a professional in to deal with the shower - if it's an electric one. Electricity is dangerous enough without adding water to it!