Get the best price you can for your home by presenting it well
Here at Vital Building Inspections Sydney, we understand that the amount of maintenance commonly performed throughout the year may steadily decrease as you get more and more comfortable in your home.
The time may come, though, when you’re ready to move to a new property and you’re suddenly looking around at all these tiny problems that need to be fixed. You may have also just completed a pre-sale inspection but are feeling a bit overwhelmed with all those small DIY jobs you hadn’t thought about for the last few years.
Either way, when the time comes to sell, the presentation of your property can have an effect on the final sale price. In order to do your best, we have compiled a home maintenance checklist for you to springboard your projects from.
Home Maintenance Checklist
Heating and cooling
It’s a good idea to change or clean your furnace or AC unit’s filters every year. Regularly clearing and cleaning areas around the units and equipment will help you notice if/when things need to be serviced or replaced.
Electrical
Whether you’re wanting to do a bit of home maintenance just for fun or because you’re getting ready to sell, checking your electrical box for loose wires is a great way to start. You should also make sure to check any exposed wiring and outlets for signs of wear and tear.
If you feel confident in fixing things yourself, feel free to repair and test your home’s switches and outlets. For anything else, call a licensed professional to fix any trouble sections of your property’s electrical system.
Plumbing
Plumbing steadily deteriorates as the years go on and water quality fluctuates. Some areas may have harder water than others and require more regular maintenance due to lime scale build up and gunk in the lines, especially if you live near industrial areas.
Regular maintenance will allow you to check the water pressure when your faucets in the bathroom and kitchen are turned on. You should also keep an eye out for leaks anywhere on your faucets, the sink taps, and any valves around your property.
Be aware of any slow-running or clogged drains as those will need to be cleared, possibly even by a professional depending on their state. Remember, when in doubt call a professional to come help you out.
Interior and Exterior Walls
Houses get dirty, that’s an inevitable fact of life, one we must remember and therefore keep an eye on for any damage from water, sunshine, children/pets, and peeling paint. Some people choose to pressure wash the outside of their homes, others will hose it down and use a scrub brush.
If you notice any damage while cleaning it is best to fix that damage as soon as possible. Peeling paint should be scraped and sanded off being repainted. Water damage should be repaired, that could mean cutting out the damaged bit and putting in new timber/Gyproc or cleaning it and putting a type of waterproof sealer over the area before repainting.
If the sun has faded your interior walls, consider giving them a good scrub with Sugar Soap or something similar and then giving the walls a fresh coat of paint.
Children and pets can be more destructive than we realise, and it isn’t until we’re looking for things wrong that we may find the little one’s wall sketches or the dog’s scratch marks. In these cases, sometimes a fresh coat of paint or a good sanding and resealing can be the answer.
Wet areas
Wet areas such as bathrooms, laundry/utility rooms, kitchens, and mud rooms may need to be deep cleaned multiple times a year because these rooms can get very dirty, very quickly and are known to be rather humid rooms when in use.
This humidity, especially in the bathroom or laundry room, can cause mould and mildew to grow and should be taken care of as soon as you notice it. When left to grow, mould can take over and is potentially dangerous to your health.
Order a pre-sale house inspection
If you are guilty of neglecting your home’s maintenance, as we all are from time to time, then you should consider having a licensed building and pest inspector such as Vital Building Inspections Sydney take a look at your property. Companies like ours are here to help you invest the time and resources to help you plan out your building maintenance schedule.
As we discussed in our post Why is a Pre-Sale Building Inspection Vital, you don’t want to be surprised by anything a potential buying’s inspector might find. Having a building inspection performed is a very good way to protect your investment, whether you’re planning on moving or not.
These inspections find any defects and your inspector will help guide you in what should be taken care of to prevent the damage costing anything up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Therefore, it’s important to maintain your property over the years, by taking care of small things as they come up you will avoid them becoming big problems that may end up breaking the bank or costing you the sale.
Call an Inspector from Vital Building Inspections Sydney
Whether you’ve realised you may be over your head right before putting your house on the market, or you just want to be on top of things it is a good idea to contact local building and pest inspectors to get some estimates and comparisons going before having the inspection done. It’s always advised that you trust the company as they will be in your home going through each room.
Vital Building Inspections Sydney has over 20 years’ experience in helping families and businesses repair and restore buildings. We’ve seen it all and understand the causes and how to fix it, and even what it will cost.
Call us today on 0401 012 074 or email us at support@vitalbuildinginspection.com.au. Alternatively, click here to send us an online message and we will contact you back as soon as we can.
