A newly built country house will not cause its owners many worries in the next couple of years. During this period, the tasks of landscaping the area around the building come to the fore.
We plant, care for, and improve
No matter how beautiful the cottage is, almost 90% of the “wow” effect depends on how well the landscape design is designed. Even a small area around the house should be neat and well-groomed.
Let’s start step by step:
• Lawns. The owner’s direct responsibility is to constantly keep them neat: trim, water, fertilize, “treat,” etc. You’ll need a good lawn mower, a watering system, and advice from a gardener.
• Snow removal. Snow must always be removed from around the garage and outbuildings, on paths, and in the adjacent area around a residential building. To do this, you’ll need to purchase a snow blower.
• Trees and shrubs. They require maximum attention: in the spring — pruning, pest and disease control, fertilizing. In the summer and fall — harvesting, removing wilted flowers and dried branches. In the fall — covering for the winter. You’ll need a sprayer and everything you need for gardening — shovels, saws, pruning shears, rakes, etc.
• Vegetable garden. Having decided to plant a vegetable garden with beds, the owner adds a lot of worries to himself: in the spring – planting, in the summer – weeding, fertilizing, in the fall – harvesting, preparations for the winter.
Taking care of the house
Foundation and drains
The basis of any building is the foundation. It is from here that you need to start monitoring the structure. Particular attention should be paid to groundwater lying close to the foundation. It can rise and wash away brick and concrete masonry. Then you will need to contact specialists for help in draining groundwater. You also need to consult professional builders on the issue of cracks in the foundation.
It is recommended to always keep drainage systems clean, as clogged runoff that flows under the house can damage the foundation.
Roof, gutters and facades
Every year in spring and autumn, a preventive inspection of the roof and drain is carried out: the integrity of the structures is restored, the drain is adjusted. Solid and well-built buildings do not require much attention to the facades, but it is necessary to inspect the walls and roof from time to time for damage, the appearance of dark spots. Harsh Russian winters, winds and precipitation quickly wear out building structures.
Preventive maintenance of stone buildings can be carried out once every 2-3 years. For wooden structures, this period is 1-2 years. They need to be treated with antiseptics and fire-retardant impregnations. Cracks that appear on the walls must be sealed, fungus and mold formations must be eliminated.
A roof built according to all the rules will not cause any trouble, but if the standards are violated, you will have to constantly clean the roof from snow and fix leaks from time to time.
Ventilation and communication system
Accumulation of fungus and mold, the smell of dampness – all this is the cause of the malfunction of the ventilation system. Already at the design stage, it is imperative to pay attention to this nuance. Hoods should be in every room where dampness can accumulate.
To prevent communication systems, you need to invite a specialist once a year. He will carry out diagnostic work and point out the faults that need to be fixed. If you have your own well on your site, carefully study the rules for its operation and find out what happens when the system fails – this will help to avoid a global breakdown.
Heating
Boiler and heating system maintenance should be performed at least once a year. This is usually done in spring or summer, when it is warm outside and the heating season is far away and there is time for restoration and repair.
Windows and doors
If the operating rules are followed, modern fittings will serve for many years. However, cleaning from dust, dirt and minor repairs of surfaces will extend the service life of window and door systems.
Walls and decoration
Modern building materials and technologies allow to construct buildings, the service life of which is more than 100 years, without the need for major repairs. However, no one cancels cosmetic. Having noticed fading or damage to the integrity of the finishing surface, you need to act – restore.
Fire safety
Inspect electrical wires, sockets and boxes for melting or dark spots. Avoid using open fire indoors, clean chimneys and stoves, install an automatic fire extinguishing system.
Additional list of tasks
For a new house, no special investments are required for the first 2-3 years. According to statistics, cosmetic repairs are carried out after 3-5 years, windows and doors are replaced after another 3-4 years (optional), and roofing and utilities are replaced after 10-15 years.
It is necessary to foresee all possible financial investments at the stage of planning the purchase of your own home. At least once a year, the owner of a private house will have to call a specialist to check the chimneys. Work to eliminate faults is paid for separately.
We do not take into account regular washing of floors, dusting and putting things in their places. In the house there are not only rooms, but also additional premises – a basement, an attic, a boiler room, a garage. At least once every 2-3 months they need to be cleaned.