Just like in your career or personal life, setting clear goals for home maintenance is essential to achieving long-term success. Homeowners in South Africa can reap significant benefits by establishing annual targets for upkeep and improvements that boost both the value and comfort of their property. Whether you're maintaining your home’s value or preparing to sell in the near future, setting home maintenance goals ensures you stay proactive and competitive in the real estate market.
READ: 9 tips that will maintain and grow your property’s value
To get started, Quay 1 International Realty shares that the first step is to assess your home's current condition. Walk through your home —inside and out—and inspect it thoroughly. Take note of cosmetic issues (like peeling paint, cracked tiles, or worn-out flooring) and functional problems (such as leaks, mould, or inefficient plumbing and appliances). Pay attention to areas that may need attention, such as your roof, electrical and heating/cooling systems, and exterior paint.
READ: Ways to ensure your home holds its value over time
Once you’ve identified what needs attention, apply the SMART framework to your home maintenance goals:
- Specific: Be clear about what needs to be done (e.g., "repaint exterior trim," "fix a leaking faucet," "upgrade heating system").
- Measurable: Set measurable milestones (e.g., "replace flooring in the living room by July").
- Achievable: Set realistic goals that fit your time, budget, and
- Relevant: Ensure the tasks align with your long-term goals, whether that's improving energy efficiency, enhancing curb appeal, or preventing costly repairs down the line.
- Time-bound: Set deadlines to ensure timely completion, whether it's a monthly, quarterly, or yearly target.
With a clear list of priorities and SMART goals, home maintenance becomes far more manageable. Tackling tasks on a schedule will help prevent overwhelm, maintain the value of your property, and ensure your home remains in great condition for years to come.
READ: 5 improvements to consider to maximise the value of your investment property
Here is a look back at David Jacobs, Gauteng Regional Manager for the Rawson Property Group, favourite DIY home improvement ideas:
Kitchen facelifts
Kitchens are renowned for their impact on the value of a home, and clever updates in this area can give a lot of bang for your buck. Concentrate on external surfaces like countertops and cabinet doors, which are easy to refurbish without professional help.
Cabinet doors
Modern buyers definitely prefer light and bright kitchens and repainting old, dark cabinets a lighter or more modern colour can really open up a space.
Solid wood cupboard doors can be sanded down using a palm sander before painting, while melamine cabinets need to be primed with a special primer before they’ll be ready to paint. Remember to remove the doors from the cabinets and take off all the handles and hinges before sanding and painting. Use a foam roller with a water-based enamel paint for the smoothest and long-lasting finish.
READ: How regular maintenance protects your home's resale value
Countertops
Great countertops make a big difference to both a kitchen’s appearance and the cooking experience. Granite, Caesarstone and marble counters are always crowd favourites, but they do cost a fair bit and need to be installed by professionals. Timber and Formica are much more approachable and affordable for the DIY family, and can be just as attractive if they’re chosen and installed well.
When selecting a Formica finish, Jacobs recommends avoiding dated options like faux granite or marble.
Modern wood grains and minimalist textures give the best results. A square edge profile rather than the traditional quarter-round also adds a more contemporary flavour.
For the more adventurous DIYer, there are also options like casting your own concrete countertops. Just keep in mind the general style of your home, and make sure your countertop choice enhances its surroundings.
Your garage
Garages may not seem like the most important part of a home, but Jacobs says homeowners can add a lot of value to their property by turning them into more functional spaces.
Garages are often underutilised. They’re ideal spaces for adding extra storage - something that is very important to a lot of buyers, and can often accommodate a mini workbench or laundry area with a little planning.
While adding a laundry corner to your garage would require a plumber, storage is an easy weekend DIY for the handyperson in your home.
You can buy ready-made cupboards and shelves from your local hardware store, but budget-conscious DIYers can also try second-hand websites to find old kitchen cabinets to mount along their garage walls.
For those with less available space, hanging storage may be a better option. Try pegboard walls with hooks for holding everything from bicycles to lawnmowers and secateurs.
Update outdoors
Garden spaces are still very popular with buyers, but a bigger emphasis is being put on ease of maintenance.
Water-hungry lawns and labour intensive plant beds are falling out of favour, but outdoor entertainment areas are in high demand. Homeowners with a flair for DIY could do well to combine these two trends by adding paved or gravel sections to their garden, and possibly a pergola or a built-in braai.
While paving may be hard work, it is DIY-friendly, as is the basic brickwork required for a simple braai. Construction plans for braais and timber pergolas can be found online, and all supplies are available at your local hardware store.
Remember, low-maintenance doesn’t mean bare of all greenery and life - try to at least keep a border of plants or creepers, and definitely preserve any mature trees.
READ: 3 ways to store up value in your home
Restyle your bathroom
Bathrooms may be tricky to totally revamp as a DIYer, but small updates can make a big difference here. Try a fresh coat of paint on your walls and ceilings and replace old-school towel rails and accessories with more modern versions. You can also refinish your bathroom cabinets, or replace your vanity entirely. Adding a few stylish mirrors or display shelves can be a great idea as well.
Retiling makes a huge difference, but it’s a pretty big DIY. If you’re not up for a project of that scale, you could consider refinishing your existing tiles using the specially formulated tile paints that are now available.
If you do decide to paint your tiles, just remember to follow the instructions very closely. For the best finish, avoid areas like shower enclosures that get wet on a regular basis.
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