Homeownership is great, but maintenance is time-consuming to you and costly to your budget. In Australia, harsh sunshine, extreme temperatures, and ocean salt all expedite deterioration. The silver lining is that there are logical ways to restrict home maintenance without sacrificing style or comfort.
Whether you’re a new home builder, rebuilding, or just making over a house, these tips allow you to build a home that’s:
- Practical
- Resilient
- Low Maintenance
Use Hardy Outside Material
The outside of a house is exposed to everything harsh in nature. The use of resilient, weathered material can restrict maintenance work to you. For exterior walls and exterior cladding, fibre cement boards or bricks resist Australia’s sun, storms, and high winds.
They don’t crack as easily, either, and are naturally resistant to wood-damaging pests like termites. Colourbond metal roofs are a favourite for their durability, rust resistance, and low maintenance for recoating. Also, they keep heat out—a plus when you want to stay cool in summer.
Luse paints and finishes that are engineered to resist Australia’s climate. Some exterior paints have UV protection that holds their colour better, decreasing the paint work you need to do to keep their colour up. In bushfire-prone areas, use a material that’s fire-resistive to Australian standards. This keeps you safer, yet limits costly repairs caused by bad weather or natural forces.
Simplify Your Landscaping
Your yard or garden can be a big maintenance chore when you use high-maintenance flowers. You’d be better off opting for low-maintenance Aussie natives such as:
- Kangaroo Paw
- Bottlebrush
- Grevillea
Native flowers require little watering or fertiliser, and many resist pests that destroy exotic flowers. Ground cover such as creeping boobialla takes over hard-to-cut areas of lawn, freeing up time that would otherwise be used to use a lawnmower.
Furthermore, an efficient irrigation system minimises yard work even more. Drip irrigation targets water at the roots, wasting less water and giving you healthier plants. You could use an auto timer to control watering in cooler parts of the day when there is low evaporation.
Mulching around flowers also keeps them moist, prevents weed growth, and presents gardens in a neat arrangement without requiring a lot of effort.
Make Pathways and Decking Low-Maintenance
Hard landscaping such as walkways, driveways, and decks need special maintenance if they’re made of a material that stains, discolours, or warps. With decks, composite decking material is a better option. It looks just like timber without splitting, rotting, or staining needs. It generally only needs some light sweeping or hosing to maintain it.
For walkways and driveways, use textured concrete or pavers. Pavers or textured concrete easily withstand heavy foot traffic and rough weather. A concrete driveway is a great option for durability, but apply a sealant that protects it from oil drips or weather deterioration.
Dark-coloured pavers hide stains and dirt better than shades of light-coloured pavers, requiring less washing.
Design Interior to be Durable
Inside the home, surfaces that can withstand day-to-day use will require fewer repairs over time. Tiles or vinyl planks are great for flooring, resistant to spilling, scratches, and fading. And they’re a breeze to clean up, a great bonus in busy homes. If you prefer carpet in certain rooms, use a spill-repelling type. Carpet in heavy-use areas, often described as pet or child-friendly, holds up well and resists matting.
For walls, washable paint or semi-gloss paint in high-mess areas (kitchens or children’s play areas) is a lifesaver. Quick wipedowns get most marks to disappear without having to repaint frequently. Time and effort are saved, and walls stay at their best for a longer time.
Use Fixtures and Fittings That Are Low-Maintenance
As you choose fixtures such as taps, light switches, and handle components, note how easy it is to clean and maintain it. Stainless steel or brushed nickel fittings resist fingerprints and smudges more easily than highly polished finishes.
In kitchens and bathrooms, sinks that sit under-mounted have fewer creases and corners where dirt builds up, making it easy to wipe counters straight into the sink without hassle.
Use plain, contemporary-looking shower screens, cabinets, and countertops. Frameless shower screens cut soap scum build-up around edges, and high-quality stone or solid surface countertops resist staining from spills.
Soft-close drawers and cabinets cut the potential for damage over time, making it last longer.
Utilise Smart Home Technology
Smart technology means you control your home without a great deal of effort. Smart lights allow you to program lights to turn off automatically when you do not need them – a major money saver regarding bulb replacement and electricity. Smart air conditioners and thermostats set temperatures in response to patterns of use to cool or heat more efficiently.
For convenience and security, install a smart security system that has cameras and motion detectors. Even when you’re not home, you can view events using a phone application.
Some systems even provide leak or fire detection that alerts you in time to take action before harm is done. The initial cost of installing smart devices is more than recouped in:
- Time Saved
- Appliance Wear Minimised
- Unexpected Repairs Avoided
Give Top Priority to Proper Ventilation
A home with good ventilation stays fresh, dry, and mold-free. Roof vents, eave vents, and properly placed windows are crucial for circulating air, particularly in regions with high humidity.
Good airflow prevents moisture buildup that can damage walls and ceilings. Ceiling fans can also help move air around and reduce reliance on air conditioning. Lower humidity levels lead to less mildew growth in bathrooms and kitchens, meaning you spend less time scrubbing surfaces.
In wet areas like bathrooms and laundries, install exhaust fans that vent to the outside. This setup prevents steam from settling and causing paint or grout issues. Consider using mould-resistant grout or silicone sealant for tiles, which lasts longer and needs less upkeep.
Create a Storage and Organisation Plan
A clutter-free house is easy to maintain. If you put everything in its place, it takes less time to keep surfaces clear. Built-in storage solutions such as wardrobes with sliding doors or cabinetry in nooks make tidying up quick.
Open shelves can be aesthetically pleasing but become dusty when untidy. Counteract this by storing day-to-day objects in easy-to-get-to places and occasional objects in enclosed areas.
Incorporate Easy Maintenance Landscaping
Outdoor living is a huge part of the Australian lifestyle, so include comfortable spaces without creating extra chores. When designing patios or alfresco areas, opt for materials that resist weather-related damage. Stone pavers, sealed concrete, or composite decking handle heavy use while offering easy maintenance. A roof or pergola over the area protects outdoor furniture from sun and rain, reducing how often you need to clean or replace it.
Try container gardening for herbs or small flowers instead of large-scale garden beds. Containers let you manage soil quality and pest control more precisely, saving water and fertiliser. They’re also easy to rearrange or replace if a plant doesn’t do well.
Conclusion
Whether you’re designing from scratch or updating an existing space, these strategies will give you more time to enjoy your home and less time stressing over repairs.
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