Any tips for a low-maintenance home?

[Akanksha]

We all have busy lives, so a house that requires minimal upkeep lets us spend more time relaxing with family and friends. But how to ensure our home is as low maintenance as possible?

I've come across some great ideas here on Bunnings Workshop like installing easy-care flooring, choosing low-maintenance plants, and using smart home technology to simplify tasks. A good example is @nishadshah's Wi-Fi controlled lights on their low-level deck.

I'm keen to hear if our members have any additional ideas or any experiences they’d like to share. Nudging @Dave-1, @CSParnell, @RenoRach and @Nailbag to get the discussion rolling.

Akanksha 

[Remarka6le]

Invest in gutter guards. They prevent leaves and debris from clogging your gutters, reducing the need for regular cleaning. By keeping your gutters clear, you not only save time on maintenance but also prevent potential water damage to your home. It's a small investment that pays off in the long run by minimising the risk of costly repairs and ensuring your home remains low-maintenance. 

[J-P]

I would say irrigation systems that let you do something else in the garden when the irrigation system does its job. If you automate it entirely then it’s even better

[Dave-1]

Afternoon @Akanksha and All

Low maintenance... 

Make sure all your storm water is right, from gutters, down pipes and the pipes to the street. If something is wrong there, then it is a pain to rectify.

Pathways, dosnt have to be solid concrete but something that is solid, wont wash away and resists weeds or can handle them

Tiles on the roof, keep an eye out for cracked tiles or out of place tiles and fix. Saves chasing that water drip later.

Last one that comes to mind, sweep up debris from outside. Dont let in congregate and invite more twigs ect That also means pruning tress regularly (every 2 years) so they dont get too tall and go into the realm of $$$

Dave

[MikeTNZ]

Hi @Akanksha,

For me, I think that having a low maintenance house is to not gather things that you don't need or will not use in the immediate future.

With places like Ebay and the usual suspects, it is very easy to buy things on a whim and store them.

Also, keeping the perimeter of your property clean and unobstructed, makes you want to work in these areas, I mean, having a rusty old BBQ

in the corner, could prevent you from wanting to go near that area of your property and it is taking up space that could be used for something better.

[Nailbag]

Hi @Akanksha my the highest maintenance areas are easily the outside. 

For the house, anything that gets smashed by the sun in particular. For me thats spotted gum timber feature panelling and my decks as well as other painted timber features. 

For the decks, spotted gum looks awesome when it’s new, but thats about it. I highly recommend when selecting timber decking stick to Merbau. It’s $5 cheaper per meter and doesn’t deteriorate nearly as bad. Unless it doesn't see any sun. I’ve already had to replace a corner section of my alfresco deck, and the next job is replace all the boards on my small backdoor landing. The entrance deck is just going to get a cosmetic makeover because when you only replace only some boards, the colour difference is too dramatic unless you’re prepared to sand it all back. But then there still are the shrunken and cupped sections. You don't get these issues with Merbau and you can buy it anywhere and it will always be a consistant colour. 

Next is to invest in quality decking oil. Yes it costs more up front, but overall value for money it last twice as long as the cheaper stuff and offers better protection. A tip make a note in your diary when to re-apply and don’t do what I did and let mine lapse a year through pure laziness. On a warm sunny day, you can clean your deck and give it two fresh coats done and dusted. But if you really want to save on maintenance check out the composite decking products . . .  no maintenance! For me, I’m not there yet with the finish compared to real timber, but thats just a personal thing.

For my painted timber features, again I highly recommend the better quality outdoor paints for the same reasons as the decking oils

Garden-wise, the majority of my plants are mostly maintenance free other than feeding and hedge trimming some. But I do have two large raised veggie gardens, which take up a little more time but I don’t consider that a chore. When it comes to watering, I love my home automations inside and out. I have app/wifi controlled sun blinds, garden/path lighting and irrigation systems.

For the irrigation system I run 7 x Orbit tap timers tap timers and two wifi hub add-ons (front and back systems). The addition of the hubs means I can control my system anywhere any time. And have the added benefit of connecting to the local weather services. This allows me to set parameters for high wind days and rain which will apply delays on to the watering schedule. It’s not always accurate, but neither are our weather services.

My tip if you have real lawns and hate mowing, a common mistake is to cut it too short in an effort to reduce mowing intervals. But shorter grass grows back faster, it requires more water to stay healthy and burns off on hot days and looks less green. So leave it longer especially over the hotter summer months. Thats what a lawn expert told me a long time ago anyway and it works for me. 

Steel edging Bunnings don’t sell the product I use (yet) but it’s commonly used by landscapers. They range in lengths and thicknesses  with the thicker being longer lasting but like all steel products it doesn’t come cheaply. I use 5mm thick 6m lengths which is around $100. Yep ouch! But it never deteriorates or rot out or get worn town from doing the edges with your line trimmer.

B-hyve tap timersB-hyve wifi hubSteel edging installSteel edging completeSteel edging completeSpotted gum damage reportSpotted gum damage replacementSpotted gum damage replacement fixed

[Dave-1]

Morning @Nailbag 

Yeah love your edging! and man that timber work for your deck Envy!  Seriously Nice work!

Want to know how long I have stood there looking at timers and spliters for sprinkling systems... About the same as I have done for paint! lol Looks like you have a pretty slick setup

Dave

[Nailbag]

Thanks very much @Dave-1 much appreciated 👍. Getting those corner section mitre cuts did my head in.