Home maintenance for older homeowners

A house that gets regular attention stays a good place to live. A house that does not starts to show it within a year. The silicone round the bath goes black. The gate stops closing. Paint chips. Small jobs pile up until the whole place feels like it is getting away from you. I offer a quiet, steady maintenance service for older homeowners who don't want to deal with all of it alone any more.

How it works

I book you a regular slot, monthly or quarterly, depending on what the house needs. I arrive on the agreed day, walk through with you, and work through a rolling list. Anything urgent gets done first. Anything that can wait goes on next month's list. Over time the house stays level instead of slowly falling behind.

Quarterly safety walk

Once a quarter I do a short walk round the property. I test every smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector. I check outside lights, front and back steps for trip hazards, banisters on the stairs. I make sure you know where the stopcock is. I note anything that needs a proper tradesman, like a loose roof tile or a boiler service that is overdue. The safety walk is charged at the normal hourly rate.

Monthly visits

Shorter and more routine. Bulbs replaced. Batteries swapped. A dripping tap sorted. A cupboard door rehung. Furniture tightened up. The garden gate oiled. Small things that stop the house feeling neglected.

What builds up when nobody is keeping an eye on it

Mouldy bath sealant. A kitchen tap dripping all night. A radiator cold at the top. A smoke alarm that has been chirping for weeks and is now sitting unplugged on the sideboard. A curtain pole down. A stiff lock. A fence panel leaning on next door's.

None of them are emergencies. All of them are easier to sort on a regular visit than to let slide for another six months.

Pricing

Same rates as any other booking. The first hour is £55 and includes getting to you if you're within five miles of Cirencester. After that it's £35 an hour, charged in half-hours. Got a longer list? A half day (4 hours) is £125 and a full day (8 hours) is £230. Most regular visits fit inside a half day. Further out, I charge 45p for each mile beyond the first five, there and back.

How to book

Call me on 07803 176290 or use the contact form. If you're setting this up for a parent, I'm happy to walk round the house with them and suggest how often to visit before anything is agreed.