Repair bills are the worst. Getting hit with them over and over again gets really annoying, and expensive. Small problems can turn into much bigger issues when they aren’t caught early.

Companies like Complete Projects WA see this constantly and the thing is, most of these expensive repairs could’ve been avoided with basic preventative maintenance.

Maintenance sounds boring and feels like spending money on things that don’t need it, but in general, repairing something is much easier and costs less than totally replacing or fixing something.

Why Perth homes need more attention than you’d think

If you live in Perth then you are already aware of our climate. But you may not be aware as to how much damage it can have on your home.

We get scorching summers that crack timber and stress roofing, winter storms that test gutters and flashings, sea breezes that corrode metal if you’re anywhere near the coast.

The soil is a whole other thing. Reactive clay soil that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, which moves foundations and cracks walls.

Limestone that shifts and causes uneven settlement. Sandy soil near the coast that doesn’t support structures well.

These are some factors that are actively working against your favour throughout the year.

Older Perth homes especially need watching. If your home was built in the 60s-80s, then that means the building standards weren’t as strict. This means there was lots of corners cut and not the strongest materials used. That means you need to be extra careful in terms of maintenance and making sure everything is good.

But even newer homes need maintenance. Modern building methods are good but they’re not maintenance free, and some newer materials actually require more attention than old school.

The stuff people ignore until it’s expensive

One of the things that gets overlooked all the time and seems kind of strange, is gutters. Everyone knows you should clean them out but hardly anyone does until water’s overflowing or downpipes are blocked.

Leaves and debris build up, water can’t drain, starts backing up under roof tiles or overflowing and soaking walls. Once water gets in here you’ve got way bigger problems on your hands. All that could have been avoided if you just regularly maintained your home.

Air conditioning maintenance is another one. “It’s still working so why service it?”

Because if it’s a summer day and it stops working you’re going to want to wish you has it maintained. It also makes sure the air is fresh the filters are clean. Regular servicing keeps it efficient and catches problems early when they’re cheap to fix.

What actually needs checking and when

Okay so what actually needs attention and how often?

Gutters ideally twice a year, spring and autumn. If you have big trees in your garden that drop leaves then maybe more often.  In terms of the problems they cause in comparison to the quick job it takes to maintain, its worth it having them cleaned. If you don’t have the time or physically cant get up there then its worth getting someone doing them.

Roof checks annually minimum, maybe after any major storms. You’re looking for cracked or loose tiles, rust on metal roofing, damaged flashing, gaps in pointing. You should be able to notice and spot some but its also important to check for the sneaky ones.

Air conditioning before summer starts. Every year. Gets it running efficiently for when you actually need it and catches refrigerant leaks, electrical issues, worn parts before they fail in peak season.

Hot water systems annually or every two years depending on type. Checking anodes, pressure valves, for any corrosion or leaks starting. Gas systems need slightly different checks than electric.

Pest inspections annually, non negotiable in Perth honestly. Termites are too common here to skip this. Some areas are worse than others but everywhere has some risk.

Plumbing checks every couple years unless you’ve got an older house, then annually. Looking for leaks, testing water pressure, checking for corrosion on pipes, making sure drainage is working properly.

Electrical safety checks every 3-5 years or if you’re having issues. Testing safety switches, checking for any deteriorated wiring, making sure nothing’s overloading. More important in older houses.

Setting up a maintenance schedule

Writing things down helps a lot! It may sound silly but youll be surprised how many more jobs get done if you write them down.

Start of year you want to check reticulation before you start using it properly, book air con service before summer hits, check roof after winter storms.

During the middle of the year you will want to have a gutter clean before winter, pest inspection if you do it mid year, and check drainage before rain starts.

Towards the end of year you will want to gutter clean after autumn leaves, check exterior for any maintenance needed before Christmas break when trades are hard to book.

If you struggle with staying on schedule of remembering when to do things I suggest making  maintenance calendar. You can check it when you have a spare afternoon and day and see what’s coming up or needs to be done.

Put it in your phone calendar with reminders. “Book pest inspection” in August. “Clean gutters” in May and November. “Air con service” in September. Whatever works for you, but having reminders means it actually happens.

If you work a lot or prefer to spend your time with your family then you may want to consider a maintenance team taking on the stress for you.

Complete Projects WA and similar businesses often do maintenance contracts where they handle the schedule for you. It probably will cost more than doing it yourself but if you have a busy life and schedule it may make sense for you.

Does it actually save money?

Okay circling back to the main question at hand, yeah, preventative maintenance genuinely saves money over time. Not every single time, but on average across years of homeownership, definitely.

You’ll still have unexpected repairs sometimes. Stuff breaks randomly, accidents happen, age catches up with things despite maintenance. But frequency drops heaps and severity drops too because you’re catching things early.