Are you tired of playing an endless game of whack-a-mole with your home maintenance tasks? We are going to break down why a proactive approach to home maintenance and a well-organized annual plan is essential for protecting your investment, keeping your family safe, and avoiding costly repairs down the line. We asked our founder Melissa Shymko a few questions about how to plan for home maintenance and hope that it will be a helpful guide to get your started. Why You Need an Annual Home Maintenance Plan Living in the warm embrace of the Bay Area, you're spoiled for choice when it comes to how to spend your free time. We're willing to bet that tinkering with the HVAC unit or unclogging drain pipes certainly wouldn't be at the top of your list. However, maintenance tasks like these are critical to protect your investment and to ensure that you can enjoy your life without interruption. That's exactly why you need an annual home maintenance plan! Q: Why does everyone need an annual home maintenance plan? Many repairs whether they are major or minor can be avoided by adhering to a checklist of annual tasks. Sticking to a calendar of recurring tasks to clean, service or inspect the various components of your home will help you save money long-term. Although maintenance isn’t exactly sexy, a well-planned and executed annual plan can save you time, money and countless headaches in the long run. Q: How much should I set aside for maintenance costs? It's recommended that you set aside 1%-4% of your home's value for maintenance costs. By doing so, you'll have the funds necessary to cover routine maintenance and repairs without incurring unexpected expenses that can strain your budget. Some years may be fairly straightforward and come in below 1% but other years there will be “bigger” more significant work that needs to be done, like repainting the exterior or replacing an appliance. While 1-4% may seem like a significant amount, it's a small price to pay to protect your home and avoid costly unexpected repairs in the future. Think of your home like a car - there are oil changes and services and then occasionally you need to budget for replacing all the tires or brakes. But you never want to have to repair something that is mechanical because you didn’t take care of the small stuff. Check out our latest blog post all about the cost of repair vs prevention. Q: What tasks are involved in an annual home maintenance plan? An annual home maintenance plan involves regular inspections, cleaning, repairs, and replacements of essential components such as HVAC systems, electrical systems, plumbing, roofing, windows and doors. It also helps you stay on top of routine tasks that are often overlooked but are crucial for your family's safety and well-being, like changing air filters, cleaning the dryer vent and checking smoke detectors. Q: Can I DIY home maintenance tasks on my own? Of course! However, we do recommend engaging with a professional for more complicated tasks. For a basic guideline we created this annual maintenance checklist for homeowners. You can download a copy right off of our website. For homeowners who are overwhelmed or don’t have the time to manage their home’s maintenance needs that is exactly what we do at Project Preservation. We work with you to devise an annual maintenance plan and prioritize your property’s needs. Our goal is to prevent problems and provide timely assistance whenever you need us! With a little bit of planning and a lot of expertise, we can ensure your home runs like a well-oiled machine all year long.