6 Durable Renovation Projects to Reduce Maintenance
Constant building maintenance can be a massive issue for any rental or income property, especially with many units. However, reducing the amount of maintenance you have to do doesn't mean you have to reduce the quality of the property! These are some of the best ways to update your income properties so they can be low maintenance!
1. Fresh Siding to Protect the Home
Siding is an essential part of many properties. It ensures that the building is safe from water, debris, insects, and even sound that can otherwise make its way into a property. When updating your property, look into steel siding that will last for as long as possible without the risk of having to update it, correct cracks, or deal with leaks.
Steel siding is long-lasting, can be painted whenever you want to update its look, and will ensure that, come rain or shine: your property is safe and well protected.
2. Windows that Update Your Look
Windows are an issue that comes up for every property owner. The problem is figuring out when to update them, what they should look like, how protective they should be, and how much money to put into them. So if you're revamping your windows, take the time to make sure you're considering all of your options.
For aesthetics, it's a good idea to consider single hung vs. double-hung windows to find which will visually fit your buildings the most. Beyond this, you should also ensure that they're storm-resistant so that you won't have to head out and check on them any time there's a storm coming. This preparation will also help tenants save money on heating and cooling, which is a perk everyone seeks out.
3. Insulation to Cut Down on Heating and Cooling
Beyond windows: well-insulated windows are the primary way to keep down tenants' heating and cooling costs. Good insulation will ensure that the building can keep in as comfortable a temperature as possible while blocking insect life, noise, and moisture the same way that steel siding can. In addition, ensure that the entire building is well insulated: since this will also cut down on noise complaints from tenants about other tenants.
4. Flooring That's Built to Last
The foundation within your property should last as long as possible. To make sure your board and batten siding will look great forever, ensure the build of your floor is from materials like vinyl that looks like wood. Although vinyl has had a rough reputation in the past, it's changed and upgraded within the last ten years to last a long time and look incredible while it does it. Natural wood floors are easy to scuff and can quickly get ruined with water damage.
5. Paint that Keeps Moisture At Bay
Paint is something that many property owners cut corners on, assuming that a repainting job will occur when the current tenants leave: but that's not necessarily the case. One of the most damaging things in nature is water. Suppose water or moisture, in general, can make its way into your property. In that case, it can cause damage like rot, mold, or other issues that will lead to an expensive repair or replacement of many parts of your property.
Use high-quality moisture-resistant paint that won't smudge or stain from being washed or spilled on and will leave your properties feeling fresh and brand new. Try to go with neutral muted colors, avoiding anything too drastic, including bright white that might make a room look too bright or sterile for those looking at apartments.
6. Doors With Completely Keyless Entry
One of the most common reasons why people need to call maintenance, or the front office of the building they're renting from, is because they've locked themselves out. Instead, change the doors to keyless entry with tenants' ability to change their entry codes besides the base one you set as a landlord. This routine will ensure that you can reset their codes or perform general maintenance less than once every five years when you have to replace the batteries for these devices.
Make it clear to the tenants that it's up to them to safeguard this code information, and ensure that you seek out high-quality locks. This agreement will save you a surprising amount of time and is a significant perk for future tenants. They can give codes to guests and immediately turn those codes off or change them whenever they want to.
Maintenance Doesn't Have to Be 24/7!
Although we must do what we can to ensure properties are well taken care of: it's better if we don't have to update them constantly. Taking some of the tips above into consideration for maintaining and editing your properties will help you ensure they last forever.
Contact Condominium Associates for more information!
About the author:
Ryan Shure is an editor for the Innovative Building Materials blog and a content writer for the building materials industry. Focus on helping fellow homeowners, contractors, and architects discover materials and construction methods that save money, improve energy efficiency, and increase property value.