DIY Home Repairs that can Save you a Fortune
in Home Ownership Costs
By: Mark J. Donovan
Home repairs are a fact of life for
homeowners. Like everything else, homes age and break down over time. Some home
repairs require the specific skills of certain contractors, while others can
often be done by the moderately inclined do it yourself homeowner. Repairing a
failed leach field, for example, will require the skills and heavy equipment of
a septic installer. Fixing a leaking toiler flapper, however, is something that
shouldn’t necessitate the need for calling a plumber.
Being sufficiently skilled or
motivated to make your own home repairs can save you a small fortune in
costs over the life of owning the home. Every homeowner should own some
basic tools so that they can make their own small DIY home repairs and to
perform regular home repair maintenance tasks.
In addition to owning some basic tools and having a can-do attitude, every
homeowner should also spend some time learning some basic DIY home repair
skills.
To that point, its worth investing in
a generic and all encompassing DIY home repair book, or spending some time
surfing the net before beginning any type of home repair.
Throughout my entire life I’ve been involved with maintaining homes, making home
repairs, and even building home additions and homes. As a kid, I worked
side-by-side with my father on a multitude of home improvement and home repair
projects.
And as an adult, and owning multiple
homes, I’ve continued to do more than my share of home repair maintenance and
home repair projects. I can’t imagine what I would have spent on my homes if I
called in a contractor for everything that went wrong with my homes. Almost
every couple of weeks something is in need of repair on the typical home,
whether it be addressing a sticking door, fixing a toilet that is always
flushing, removing ice dams, etc. The amount of things that can and do go wrong
with owing a home is endless. And if it is not home repairs, it’s making home
improvements or changes, such as repainting a room or installing new flooring.
In addition to having the right tools
and attitude, as well as sufficient knowledge, adequate funds to pay for the
home repairs are necessary. Consequently, as part of any monthly budgeting
system you have for maintaining your home and lifestyle, you should include a
line item for home repairs. The monthly home repair budget should be set to a
level that is proportional to the age of the home. Older homes have more
unexpected problems, plain and simple, so plan on a larger home repair budget
line item.
Furnaces and well pumps, for example,
can fail in an instant on older homes, and the cost of replacing and/or
repairing them can be very expensive. Likewise, older homes require more regular
home repair maintenance such has exterior painting and fixing older windows. So
it is wise to set aside some money each month in the budget for making home
repairs and performing home repair maintenance.
Some of the more common diy home
repairs that homeowners are faced with are plumbing problems. Inevitably faucets
end up leaking, toilet wax rings and flappers fail, and drains get clogged. If
there was any home repair topic a new homeowner should spend some time beefing
up on, it’s in the plumbing department. Plumbers are expensive and you’ll need
them often if you’re unskilled in making your own plumbing home repairs.
Another common diy home repair project is painting, be it exterior or interior
painting.
Photo by Mark Donovan
It’s a wise idea to spend some time understanding types of paints and how to
properly install them.
In addition, when it comes to paint, its worth your time and money to spend a
little extra on a quality paint. Cheap paints require multiple coats and they
don’t hold up well to the environment.
So on the day you break out the Champaign to celebrate the closing on your new
home, make sure to also make a resolution to buy some quality tools and educate
yourself on making your own diy home repairs. This way you’ll have some money
left over each month to buy another bottle of Champaign, versus spending it on
plumbers, electricians and other contractors to make your home repairs.
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