Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

When people say home maintenance is never-ending

66 replies

Pepperminttt · 30/04/2023 20:10

FTB here and I’m sure this is a daft question but…

People often say home maintenance is never ending eg it gets mentioned on here a lot.

Does this mean routine preventative maintenance like, I don’t know, keeping gutters clear? Or things unexpectedly needing repair? Or both in equal parts?

OP posts:
ChillinwiththeVillains · 30/04/2023 20:12

not just cleaning and clearing (windows, gutters, patio jet washing)
But also repainting walls, shower riser just split so need a new one, radiator leaked and raised floor tiles, wooden windows need repainting, induction hob died and needed replacing.
Those kind of things. Not v interesting or rewarding. Plus garden stuff

Fatandfunny · 30/04/2023 20:13

Both really. You really have to maintain your property. Wear and tear things go done and also things need replacing or repairing, plus decor, carpets, flooring , furnishings etc don’t last forever.

wildfirewonder · 30/04/2023 20:14

It could be anything! I had a neighbour who managed to knock down my fence - I didn't have to pay but it was still yet another job.

In my current house there seems to be a constant mix of routine maintenance, renovations/decorating plus the odd breakage/repair.

When I had a smaller, newer house it really was much less of a thing - so just the routine things.

wildfirewonder · 30/04/2023 20:15

Remember to factor in the garden - I have to reconcrete some bits on the front wall, and the weeds need clearing, have some trellis to attach etc etc.

Original poster
Pepperminttt · 30/04/2023 20:15

Thanks folks!

OP posts:
MelchiorsMistress · 30/04/2023 20:21

Both. Thing will unexpectedly need fixing but they were never going to last forever. Over time, things need replacing - windows, gutters, the bathrooms and kitchen, electrical appliances, the boiler, carpets or flooring, radiators. Or there will be big jobs like brickwork needing fixing or re rendering or the heating system needing a flush. Then there’s things that need maintenance like decor, window cleaning, roof cleaning and if you have a garden, bushes, trees and the patio need maintenance.

It is never ending IME.

AlltheFs · 30/04/2023 20:24

It does depend on what you buy. I have moved a lot and lived in lots of different types of house.

Brand new builds need much more than you expect. Creating a garden from scratch is difficult and expensive and time consuming. They need redecoration and usually have bo storage plus a long snag list. Better to have one that is a good few years old. Our last house we were involved from the plot upwards and it was so much effort.

Period properties also need a fair bit of maintenance (we have an old thatched currently). We definitely feel like custodians and even small jobs manage to be complicated and expensive. But the established gardens are much easier to manage.

The most low maintenance house I had was a mid 80’s build. That barely needed any and I still own it (now rented). It’s bombproof. We also had a 70’s house that was easy too.

The cottages have all been not for the faint hearted but the most rewarding. I’ve no experience of flats.

rebbles1 · 30/04/2023 20:28

Around about 20 year old house is ideal IME. Snags all gone and problems worked out but building regs and insulation etc good.
But yes constantly having to do something, regardless of what you buy, usually maintenance rather than fixing things but re painting, weeding, cleaning, new carpets, windows, leaks through ceiling, boiler issues. Always something!

mondaytosunday · 30/04/2023 20:36

Both. There's regular maintenance- garden, gutters, servicing boiler, painting the front door, etc. then there's more immediate issues like roof repairs, plumbing issues and so on.
I redecorated everything last year. Already the door weather protector needs redoing, there are scuff marks up the stairs, blah blah.
Hopefully if you had a proper survey done so you should be aware of any major issues.

CellophaneFlower · 30/04/2023 20:37

It does depend on the property you buy, but sometimes you have a little run of things that go wrong and it's awful. Then you have a period of no issues, but you quickly forget about that when something else happens 😂

In a nutshell though, your average house is probably not as bad as people will have you believe, as they only remember the things that have burst/blown/leaked/cracked!

Best thing you can do is build up a little savings pot that you can dip into if need be and try to keep on top of all on going maintenance, such as gutters, boiler service etc as it will save you money and frustration in the long run. I speak from experience, as I'm not good as this at all 🙈

Paranoidandroidmarvin · 30/04/2023 20:38

Just this week on my list …. Fix under the sink , weed the front of the house , re paint the decking and weed the patio. That’s not just general house stuff like cleaning the window ledges outside and the front door etc etc. it is never ending. But think how much u spent on that house! All that money.

DanceMonster · 30/04/2023 20:42

Our house is 30 years old. Since we moved in 5 years ago we’ve had to replace the front and back door (rotten), roof repairs (felt under the tiles was rotten so water was getting in), new boiler, new shower in main bathroom and en suite, replace all taps (hard water area so build up of limescale had caused damage), repair to water tank which was leaking, rebuild a wall in the garden, replace 4 windows as the double glazing had blown… this was all ‘essential’ stuff, not cosmetic.
On top of that we’ve repainted the entire house and some of the rooms need repainting now after 5 years (high traffic areas such as hallway etc), taken some cupboards out of the kitchen to make room for a decent sized fridge freezer, had some landscaping work done on the front garden, had some built in wardrobes fitted, had the gas fire taken out and the wall made good and replaced the carpet in the lounge (not strictly necessary, just cosmetic things we wanted to do). Then there is the general ongoing maintenance like gutter cleaning, having the conifers in our garden trimmed back annually, gardening, cleaning etc. We’re also saving for some bigger jobs; for example we’d like to knock the wall out between our kitchen and dining room to make a larger space, plus put in a new kitchen. It feels like there is always something to do.

lunaloveroo · 30/04/2023 20:49

It is never ending, but I think it's house dependant. A new built may just need some basic maintenance for quite a while. Our house has a list of things that need doing regularly- cutting grass, cutting hedges/ trees, power hosing, washing windows, de weeding etc etc. Then there are the the jobs that cost- new doors/ windows/ fencing and gates. Then internal painting, fixing things. We try and tackle one job every weekend, even just for a few hours.

DanceMonster · 30/04/2023 20:52

Oh yeah, we’ve also replaced all our fences (essential, they were old and damaged).

Original poster
Pepperminttt · 30/04/2023 20:54

lunaloveroo · 30/04/2023 20:49

It is never ending, but I think it's house dependant. A new built may just need some basic maintenance for quite a while. Our house has a list of things that need doing regularly- cutting grass, cutting hedges/ trees, power hosing, washing windows, de weeding etc etc. Then there are the the jobs that cost- new doors/ windows/ fencing and gates. Then internal painting, fixing things. We try and tackle one job every weekend, even just for a few hours.

Sorry for the stupid question but when you say washing windows presumably you mean inside?

OP posts:
LotsOfBalloons · 30/04/2023 20:57

Um what sort of maintenance are we supposed to be doing?

Lived here 20 years and we aren't doing anything year to year...

IglesiasPiggl · 30/04/2023 21:01

It needs keeping on top of - if you let things mount up they often end up being more costly and time consuming than if you attend to them promptly. That's why I think it can feel never ending.

SpringBunnies · 30/04/2023 21:05

It’s little minor things that you will if you look after your own house. This is in addition of clearing gutters, jet washing patios etc. For example, the paint on our front porch is wearing off a bit and it’s on DH’s list to sand and paint. If we don’t paint, then the wood become exposed and you will end up paying more. We also have the door handle broke on our side garden gate. Similar to repairing the render. Or resealing bathroom or kitchen sealant. These are the tiny things.

You also have to save up for replacing kitchen and bathrooms. How much do you thing they cost and how long do you think they last? There are other big items too like windows, boiler.

You can really see if a house is loved and well maintained or just been ignored. Some older people’s home are very well maintained but with dated decor that is to the taste of someone in their 80s. That’s a good buy for a first time buyer.

Blarn · 30/04/2023 21:07

It is ongoing. But having been a renter for a long time I have found that even though everything requires time, effort and money it is worth it. The leaking gutters in our last rented place caused rot and damp, now I can keep my own gutters clear and maintained. The windows need replacing and its on us rather than knowing they won't be replaced.

I find the maintenance satisfying as I know I am keeping the house in good condition. It does help though to have some money put aside for something like a boiler breakdown or a leak.

SpringBunnies · 30/04/2023 21:08

@Pepperminttt you need to wash both inside and outside. It’s actually really hard to wash the outside of upstairs. I pay a window cleaner to do it. We also have a conservatory so it makes sense to pay someone.

lemonsaretheonlyfruit · 30/04/2023 21:12

All of the things you have all mentioned need doing in my house. But I don't have the money to do any of it. It's a bit rubbish and I know will ultimately need doing but in a weird kind of way it takes the immediate stress out of the situation as there are no decisions to be made! Not ideal I know but I can't really worry about any of it!

bowlingalleyblues · 30/04/2023 21:13

Clearing gutters to prevent damp
Clearing drains
replacing tiles on roof
new boiler
replacing sealant around bath
cutting back overgrown hedges
something seems to break or need doing on a monthly basis

LotsOfBalloons · 30/04/2023 21:25

I'm worried when people say they're doing things monthly.

We dont do anything - what should I be doing!?

Gutters - OK window cleaner does those in autum/spring
Don't think we need any new tiles or drain clearing
Sealant round Bath has been fine for years....

What am I not doing?!

Fatandfunny · 30/04/2023 21:27

LotsOfBalloons · 30/04/2023 21:25

I'm worried when people say they're doing things monthly.

We dont do anything - what should I be doing!?

Gutters - OK window cleaner does those in autum/spring
Don't think we need any new tiles or drain clearing
Sealant round Bath has been fine for years....

What am I not doing?!

It’s hard to tell as we can’t see your home. 20 years with no maintenance is unusual though. Have you not decorated in that time, cleaned carpets, replaced anything, had hedges cut, painted a Fence, cut the grass, weeded, anything?

Fatandfunny · 30/04/2023 21:28

Had your boiler serviced, replaced, fixed washers on taps, cleaned marks off walls, replaced anything broken, planted stuff in the garden, cut stuff down, jet washed, anything?