Building and property maintenance: Why it’s important not to let your Building fall into disrepair.

In every neighbourhood there is at least one property in a state of disrepair. 

It’s common that you see older properties that are left to slowly decay as the harsh elements launches a brutal assault on the external structure over time, but sometimes newer properties are not well-maintained either and that’s where you find re-occurring problems arising, that ends up being very costly, if not dealt with timeously.

Examples of Disrepair would commonly be:

·      Mildew, Mould, rising damp and/or vermin infestation, 

·      Rotten woodwork, broken glass, wall and floor tiles. 

·      A sagging roof or missing and broken roof tiles.

·      Water damaged ceilings.

·      Unsteady walls or balustrades.

·      Rusting pipework or leaking taps.

·      Broken gutters and downpipes.

·      Cracks in walls larger than 3mm wide

·      Fault electrical wiring and fittings

·      Blocked drains and poor plumbing. 

·      Bubbling or peeling of paint work

·      Overgrown vegetation not cut back from the building.

·      Banks not retained properly or movement of retainer blocks

·      Geyser not installed correctly or with no compliance certificate

·      This list is not exhaustive as maintenance could refer to anything requiring replacement or immediate attention.  

Why Protecting your investment is Important?

Your Property is the most significant investment you will ever own, so allowing it to fall into a state of disrepair is not good business sense and if wear and tear and maintenance if left too long it could exacerbate into bigger more costly projects.

In simplest terms, the more neglected a property is, the less it is worth. 

You should always protect your investment with a program of regular property maintenance.

Regular maintenance jobs that every Property owner should adopt:

 There are a variety of jobs every building owner can’t afford to leave indefinitely, and they are:

1) On-going roof maintenance should be top of your to-do list. 

The roof keeps a property safe from the elements and adverse weather. 

If the roof is allowed to fall into disrepair, it won’t be long before water finds a way in causing all sorts of problems, such as damp, mildew, rotten wood , faulty electrics etc

2) Cleaning of gutters and external Pipework.

Too often we see vegetation growing in the gutters which makes it ineffective, restricting the water flow and the weight bearing down tends to rip the gutter from it’s bracket. We recommend clearing the gutters and keeping them free of debris at least every six months. Over hanging tree in close proximity of the main dwelling requires more frequent inspections.

3) Maintaining Boundary walls and retainer walls and vegetation.

(a) Prune over hanging branches that could break off and damage the roof tiles. Branches can be destructive following a storm and high winds.

(b) Ensure that you regularly inspect the boundary wall/fence or retainer for signs of damage. 

The problem here is that through soil erosion over long periods of time, the boundary wall begins to lean (if on an incline on embankment). To save the costs of hiring a contractor the building owner tries repairing the wall himself, with dire consequences. If the foundation is compromised rather get a professional to offer advice.

4) External Paint work

Even if you have done a great job on the rest of your house and are happy, you can still end up with a house that is not worth having. By painting the right kind of material and the right type of paint, you can guarantee that you will end up with a great looking house that will give you a good sense of comfort as well as a comfortable home for you and your family.

There are several different kinds of paint that you can choose from. For example, you can opt for wall paint that is made from ceramic tile or wood, for instance. However, there are also plenty of other options, including vinyl and other synthetic materials. One of the best things about these materials is that they are extremely easy to clean and can provide you with a nice looking finish over a long period of time.