If you are about to receive the keys to your first home, congrats are in order; it can be a real challenge to get your foot on the first rung of the property ownership ladder, what with the deposit and all the fees that are part and parcel of home ownership. Now that you are the owner of your home, certain responsibilities become apparent, and with that in mind, here are a few tips on property maintenance from seasoned homeowners.

• Pre-source essential services – Start with finding a local company for ant pest control in Brisbane, ready for the summer; other numbers to source include, a plumber, electrician, drain specialist and a local roofing contractor. When you are in need of an emergency plumber, the last thing you need is to have to search online in the middle of the night; pre-sourcing saves time.
• Regular roof inspections – The roof is the one component of the house that is not fully visible from ground level and a missing tile is all it takes to let water into the internal section of the roof, which will cause damage. At least once a year, you should ask a local contractor to inspect your roof, while also cleaning out the guttering; you will receive a detailed written report on every aspect of the roof, plus any minor issues can be fixed before any damage is done.
• Be proactive – Some property owners wait until there is a problem and then call out the relevant local company for a solution; there are things that you can do to reduce the risk of building issues. Install mesh grills over all wastewater outlets to trap hair, soap residue and even food. The main cause of a blocked drain is foreign objects getting into the system, which you can prevent.
• Compare quotes – When looking for a service provider, don’t blindly accept the first quote you get; better to ask several contractors for a price and Google is very good at tracking down local tradespeople. There are small companies that don’t have a call-out charge, all you have to do is find them.

There you have it, a few tips from seasoned homeowners to help you keep building maintenance to a minimum.