Tips to reduce the cost of household repairs

Running a family home can be expensive and many of us are looking for ways to reduce the costs involved. While there are plenty of ways to cut bills, such as improving energy efficiency, there are still other things we find ourselves needing to pay out for.

One of those things is the cost of household repairs. Things will inevitably break or wear out over time. But there are things you can do to limit how much you need to spend on getting repairs done. So, here are some tips to help you reduce the cost of household repairs.

Stay on top of maintenance and don’t put things off

Staying on top of maintenance around the home is the best way to cut the cost of repairs. Seasonal maintenance will keep your home in better condition, so things are less likely to break and the structure of your home and the things inside it should be more durable.

For instance, servicing gas appliances such as boilers, range ovens and fireplaces keeps them working safely. But it’s also a great way to spot potential problems, such as the wear and tear of parts, before breakdowns happen.

In a similar vein, staying on top of plumbing maintenance can save the need for emergency plumbing. An emergency plumber typically charges a callout fee of around £75 and then £60 per hour for their work. By doing basic home maintenance tasks such as regularly checking pipes for signs of corrosion and changing the washers on dripping taps, you can reduce the need for emergency plumbing.

It’s important not to ignore exterior maintenance jobs either. Repairing slipped tiles, clearing out guttering and repointing brickwork will help to keep your roof and walls in good condition. Leaving them can mean you have to deal with damage caused by leaks and dampness further down the line.

That’s why it’s important not to put things off. When you notice something wearing out or breaking in your home, it may seem very minor and not worth worrying about. But a slow drip from a pipe can turn into a major leak, causing flood damage throughout the home. So, fix things promptly to save yourself money.

Do preventative maintenance

Some seasonal maintenance might not even be on your radar as it’s more about taking preventative steps rather than doing small repairs or checking for wear and tear.

For instance, reoiling wooden worktops twice a year will protect them from rot and staining, so they last longer. You may want to consider similar preventative measures on floors and doors. The same is true for outdoor features such as sheds, decking and fences. Once moisture starts to penetrate them, they’re much harder to deal with as you may need to chop out and replace sections, add wood hardeners or treat them with fungicides, on top of using a paint or preservative.

But there are other preventative steps you can take to reduce repair costs. For instance, removing shoes at the door will reduce dents and scratches on wood and vinyl floors and taking care not to pour fats and oils down the drain can prevent blockages. Plus, leaving the washing machine door open after use and wiping around the seal, can stop mould from growing – helping to prolong its lifespan.

Do easy jobs yourself

Some minor repairs and general maintenance tasks such as bleeding radiators, oiling worktops and replacing tap washers you can do yourself. Doing easy jobs like these rather than paying someone else to do it, will save you money. Investing in some basic tools and learning a few practical skills can potentially save you hundreds of pounds a year.

However, when it comes to more complex maintenance and repair jobs, it’s best to call in the trades.

But leave the harder jobs to the experts

It may surprise you, but using trades to carry out some of the trickier maintenance and repair jobs can save you money in the long run.

Not only is it dangerous to do certain things, such as mess with gas and electrics, but you may end up causing more damage. Therefore, it’s going to cost you more to put it right than it would if you’d brought trades in in the first place. But there is another good reason why calling in trades to help you maintain your home can save you money in the long term.

Get to know your local trades

Getting to know your local trades and building up a relationship with them as a loyal customer can mean they’re willing to make you their top priority when an urgent problem crops up. And as they’re familiar with your home, they may be able to find the root cause of issues and solve problems much faster.

In an emergency, it’s easy to panic and call the first person who crops up on an internet search or who answers the phone. This means you can be at risk of hiring someone who will do a botch job. So, it pays to have a go-to list of important trades like plumbers, electricians and builders to stop you from crossing paths with a cowboy.