Regular maintenance of a house is essential. This is not restricted to just the damages caused by the people living in it, but it involves regular wear and tears too. Pipe fittings, tiles, walls, etc., get damaged slowly over a while. Regular maintenance can help in slowing down these damages and spots, if any, at the earliest.
Home Restoration
When you have been living in a house or have rented it out for decades, it might be time to do some major repairs around the house to ensure it is in liveable condition. If you have rented out an apartment, though there are many takers due to the housing scarcity, only a good quality house can earn you a reasonable rent.
If you have a place in NYC, chances are you are getting a handsome rent and need not really do much work around the house. With good NYC property management on your side, you can find good regular tenants too.
However, if you want your apartment to look as good as new, to increase your rentals, here are some major restorations you can do. These can be done one by one as and when budget and time permits.
- Roof
This is the one part of the house that has been exposed to all weather conditions and can expect wear and tear easily. This is also the part of the house that requires being in top condition at all times; else, the entire house will be affected.
A small crack in the roof can be disastrous during the rainy season or a snowstorm. It will allow the heat inside to escape, thus making the house very cold to live in. The leaks will also cause the floor and other parts of the house to rot slowly.
To repair the roof, you need a well-experienced team who knows what they are doing. There are many technicalities involved in repairing a roof that has been in use for years, especially if there are people still living under it.
If budget or time is a constraint, you can repair the damaged part of the roof first and then slowly restore the roof, section by section. However, if you have an excellent property management team with enough manpower on hand, you can restore the entire roof within days.
- Wall
The walls are the first ones to get dirty. Kids tend to dirty them in no time. A house with a dirty wall is definitely not appealing. Having a property management team that will paint your walls as and when required to ensure you, prospective tenants are impressed with the freshly done walls can be a good investment.
However, a wall will require more than a fresh coat of paint if it has seen some damages. Restoring a wall can be tricky as it is connected to both the floor and the roof. You will need an expert to do this for you.
How To Repair A Wall
When your wall is damaged, you need to do the following to restore it:
- Scrape the damaged areas to ensure the surface is smooth
- Mix a new batch of plaster in the right consistency
- Next, apply this plaster evenly to the damaged areas. Some holes may require an extra coat or a tape to hold the plaster filling in
- Apply a layer of joint compound
- Now smoothen the area and ensure it is even with the other areas of the wall
- Paint the wall in the color of your choice
While all the above steps can be done by one individual, especially if keen on DIYs. It is not an easy task. When you have multiple apartments or a whole building, doing such repairs on your own will not benefit you in any way.
Having a professional property management company to take care of all these repairs can save you a lot of time, effort, and even money. Yes, money! Though you may have to pay the company, the contractor, etc., you will get all the materials at a discounted rate as the company will have tie-ups with various dealers.
- Tiles
Be it the bathroom or any other room around the house; if a tile is damaged, you need to get it fixed as soon as possible. This is important because once a tile is broken, the waterproofing seal is broken. Water will seep into your floor below the tile and will start accumulating and stagnating.
Over a period of time, when water does not flow out, it will find a way through your walls. A small crack in the plastering or severe leaks can even soak up your ceiling resulting in a leaky ceiling.
If such damages are allowed to continue, the building loses its strength, and you are open to more severe damages that will rot the building from within.
- Doors
Doors are another vital part of a house, be it big or small, and get damaged very easily. The wear and tear are also high.
While a small creak in the door can be fixed by oiling it from time to time, more serious repairs like the door not closing properly, a jammed lock, rusted hinges, etc., will require an experienced person to handle it.
When you change the locks or tighten those hinges, a little extra pressure is enough to spoil the door for good. It can break, creak or lose its balance which will result in more expensive repairs. Also, doors require to be maintained regularly.
Conclusion
A professional team is what you need if you don’t want to take up all the work and be burdened with various complaints from your tenants.
BJD Property Management is a full service NYC property management company servicing the boroughs of Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan and the Bronx. Whether it be a 1 bedroom condo or multi-family building we are able to assist our clients maximize their investments.