How to save Money on House Repairs

Your house is a big investment, probably the most expensive one you’ve ever made. With this in mind, it makes complete sense to take care of the little things so they don’t turn into big ones that can bite you in the future.

Periodically checking on your house is a surefire way of spotting any potential problems you may encounter. Plus it would also be a lot cheaper to fix it now rather than wait for it to be a bigger issue. Here are a few ways you can save money on any repairs that need to be done now or future repairs down the road.

Do it Yourself

Most minor home repairs don’t usually need a trained professional to handle. You can do it yourself if you have some basic tools and a rudimentary understanding of how to fix things. When in doubt, Google it and watch how-to-videos so you’ll see how it’s done. Never handle anything with electricity if you’re not sure what you’re doing. Same goes with major plumbing issues or you may end up with a flooded home.

Rent your tools

If you’re doing bigger DIY jobs and need more power tools to finish the job, don’t buy, especially if you’re only going to be using it once for that particular project. You can rent or even borrow the tools you need (if you know someone who has them). If you really want to buy, there a lot of used tools you can get on Cragslist or any garage sale. If you’re not going into the handyman business, don’t buy brand new tools.

Do some Preventive Maintenance

If your car gets regular preventive maintenance service to prolong its road worthiness, so should your house. One PMS you can do yourself would be going up the roof to clean the gutters. Making your downspouts clean and free of debris can save you money in future leak repair or gutter replacement.

Another job you can do is install insulation in your attic to help save you money on your energy bill. Hire a plumber to inspect your system every 3-5 years. A skilled plumber with a trained eye will catch any current and future problems and advise you on what to do.

Keep the leftovers

If you’ve had some major repairs done in the past, keep all the leftover nails, screws, washers, nuts, bolts and any other items from the hardware store. Hang on to large pieces of hardwood and plywood lying around, anything larger than two feet can be used for minor patch jobs. Also keep left over paint in the event that some of the paint in your house chips or gets stained.

Be a demolition man

It’s easy (and a lot of fun!) to destroy stuff. If you plan on renovating your whole bathroom for instance, you may want to do all the grunt work yourself such as ripping out the tile and the flooring before calling in the pros to handle the finishing. Same goes for every room in the house. Please be careful and wear protective gear while you’re playing Godzilla.

Most minor home repairs don’t usually need a trained professional to handle. You can do it yourself if you have some basic tools and a rudimentary understanding of how to fix things. When in doubt, Google it and watch how-to-videos so you’ll see how it’s done. Never handle anything with electricity if you’re not sure what you’re doing. Same goes with roofing or major plumbing issues or you may end up with a flooded home. If you have missing shingles or suspect a roof leak, better call Newport News roofing company to come take a look before major repairs are needed.

Before you commit

Some contractors will tell you your whole house is falling down. Take it with a grain of salt and do your own research. Get a quote from a couple of other contractors and see if their assessments match.

Wherever you may be in the world, here’s a little parting wisdom. Before you hire a contractor or get a loan from a private lender in Montreal, Perth or San Diego, consider hiring a house inspector first so you can get the real deal on what really needs to be fixed, painted over or replaced.