Keeping the maintenance costs down on your rental property is all about durability.
How much wear and tear can it withstand before the use starts to show? How much does it cost to fix the damages? How often do you find yourself paying for expensive repairs?
With maintenance costs cutting into your rental profits, you want to think long-term when it comes to upgrades and preventative maintenance. While the initial costs of these upgrades might be expensive, you’ll find you will save money in the long run through low-maintenance renovations.
Here’s how you can create a quality, durable home that can withstand the tests of time:
1. Start with the plumbing and foundations.
Before you do any other work on your property—whether you recently acquired a fixer-upper or you’re converting a unit to a rental—you want to check out the basics.
Hire an inspector to thoroughly go over your foundation and plumbing to check for any potential problems. The last thing you want is to have a major issue occur while your tenant is in the middle of their lease, leaving you to struggle to pay for maintenance and provide a suitable property for your tenant to live in in the meantime.
Repair and restore what you can. Then, upgrade your faucets with easy maintenance cartridge faucets and thoroughly clean your drains. Your tenants should be responsible for keeping drains and faucets clear at that point, which should be defined in the lease agreement.
2. Focus on the kitchen.
The kitchen and bathrooms in your property are the most important rooms in the house in terms of increasing the value of your property. You want to maintain this value through durable renovations that are easy to clean and care for.
For a durable kitchen, consider laminate countertops that will be easy to clean and offer some protection against cuts and burns. For cabinets, real wood is preferable, since you can always sand and repaint instead of fully replacing them. Use a gloss paint for your kitchen walls to make them easy to clean.
Finally, don’t forget splash guards behind all counter surfaces to protect against water damage.
3. Upgrade your floors.
When it comes to durable flooring, carpeting is not your friend. Prone to unavoidable stains and wear, carpet is a common maintenance headache. There are better options you can invest in.
You don’t have to go all in with real wood floors either. Easy-to-install options that you can put down over existing floor are common and affordable. Consider laminate or engineered hardwood for that wood-floor look without the cost. These flooring options are easy both to install and maintain without doing any major work to the property.
Vinyl tiling can also be a great option for good-looking durable flooring. Easy to put in and take out, these tiles are comfortable, functional, and can keep your property looking good for cheap.
4. Improve your windows and doors.
When upgrading your windows and doors for durability, there are plenty of options to get the most for the least maintenance.
Consider fiberglass or even steel for the exterior doors. You can paint these materials to look just as good as a wood door and get twice the life and security as a bonus. For interior doors, you only need simple, hollow-core doors that you can keep looking fresh with some semi-gloss enamel.
When upgrading your windows, focus on good insulation. This will save you and your tenants money in the long run and increase the value of your property. Get double-insulated glass if you can, with easy-to-open sliders.
5. Install customizable lighting options.
Lighting is essential in creating an open, inviting environment, and just like every other part of your property, good lightning needs to be maintained.
To cut maintenance, your best option may be to make your lighting options customizable. This will allow your tenant to adjust, maintain, and provide their own lighting as they like.
For example, consider having at least one outlet in each room that is activated by a light switch. This will allow your tenant to personalize their lighting options with a variety of lamps and fixtures.
Alternatively, try track lighting. Track lights are easy to install and completely adjustable with little effort. Your tenants can get the lighting they need where they want it, and you won’t have to replace or install or replace alternative fixtures.
Durable renovations will save you money.
You won’t have to spend too much money to install renovations in your property that will withstand wear and tear and save you money in maintenance and replacements. Focus on simple and preventative upgrades that will make your property beautiful and comfortable for tenants and watch your property values rise in the process. The best thing about these durable renovations is that they don’t require too much invasive work and can be changed out on the fly, giving you a valuable, customizable asset that will only grow in value.
For more tips on home renovations and raising your property values, contact 208.properties today.