Picking Low Maintenance Features When Building a House

Today's home buyers understand that buying a new house gives them the opportunity to pick out their cabinets, appliances and many other finishes. What you might not realize is when buying a new house, you can also invest in low maintenance upgrades that will reduce your ongoing home operational and home maintenance costs.

So what exactly is low maintenance? Well many people seem to think it's no maintenance … and that's not really possible. My favorite example of low maintenance is recommending a new composite decking material, to eliminate the need to stain and seal a wood deck, on a regular basis. There are an ever growing number of building materials on the market, but the basics are the same – low maintenance means:

• Less time needed to keep clean so when selecting a counter top material, a busy pattern will hide crumbs and more.
• Less annual maintenance, like wood that needs to be sealed on a regular basis versus vinyl or composite materials that don't rot.
• Longer life expectancy so the time before replacement is longer. For example, some roofs will last two or three times as long as your basic 3-tab asphalt shingles … and yes, these roofs will cost more up front, but aren't so expensive if you look at the cost over time.

Exterior Home Choices for Low Maintenance

You have lots of material choices for your home's exterior. It's important to consider the maintenance of these materials, in addition to the look and cost of different products. And remember that the total cost = product + install + maintenance and repair + replacement (and disposal) costs.

• Roofing – is a delicate balancing act between cost and curb appeal. A quality roof will need fewer repairs and provide a longer life expectancy. Where a metal roof might cost more, it's 50 year life expectancy could be similar when comparing the cost of replacing an inexpensive asphalt roof 2 or 3 times.
• Siding – has many alternatives to wood. There are quality vinyl products in styles that mimic  wood. There's also fiber cement siding which doesn't rot, and resists expanding and contracting as the weather changes. That means less caulking and painting … and yes, brick and stucco are also low maintenance siding choices, although less common in Newburyport where I build.
• Exterior Trim – is traditionally wood, but it requires a lot of maintenance – mostly sanding and painting every few years. There are composites like AZEK trim boards that I recommend to buyers who don't want to worry about painting, or repairs due to wood rot.
• Windows – if they're wood, will require maintenance. If you want the beauty of wood windows, you can find wood windows where the exterior is wrapped in aluminum, to get the low maintenance solution you want.

• Landscaping – offers a low maintenance option if you're willing to use native plants that don't require a lot of watering and pruning (get tips on landscaping with native plants).
• Home Maintenance: Products That Save Time
• 4 Low Maintenance Siding Options

Low Maintenance Choices for a Home's Interior

• Painting– means picking paint finishes that are washable, and a real time saver for high traffic areas and families with kids and pets.
• Counter Tops – depending on the material you pick, there will be different maintenance requirements and most people don't know granite needs to be sealed, about every 2 years according to This Old House. And remember surfaces with a pattern hide crumbs and nicks much better than solid colors.
• Flooring – choices balance beauty, durability and maintenance. Carpeting has lost it's appeal, and hardwood, tile and natural stone are more popular now as they're easy to clean and require very little maintenance.
• Lighting – is popular with many homeowners because they don't take any extra space. Besides changing light bulbs, there really isn't any maintenance.
• Bathrooms – are changing, with new fixtures that make it easier to keep a bathroom clean. My favorites are motion sensitive faucets without handles, solid materials without grout for shower walls and we haven't installed a wall mounted toilet yet, but they look interesting.

Want more ideas on how to reduce the time you spend maintaining your home?

• Home Maintenance: Products That Save Time
• Tips for Picking Your New Roof
• The Pros & Cons of Replacement Windows
• 4 Low Maintenance Siding Options