Repairs that should be addressed quickly if possible
Roofs
New England’s harsh climate can take a toll on our home’s exterior. Roofing issues left unchecked can cause serious damage that will be far costlier to repair in the future. If you have an aging roof that should be replaced, you could have your roofer do a once over, replace some shingles, check the flashing details around chimneys, and try to squeeze another year or two out of your roof. What we’ve tried to do for past clients is to have our roofer check things out after the last of the leaves have fallen. That way they can clean gutters and downspouts and ensure they are running clear before winter. In a bad winter, a clogged gutter/downspout system can be one of the catalysts for dreaded ice dams. As we all know, ice dams can cause serious interior damage to our homes. An important part of roofing and gutter work is making sure the bottom of all the downspouts have leaders that pull water away from the foundation. This is so often overlooked but if left unchecked can be a source of water infiltration into basement areas. All said, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure when it comes to roofing maintenance.
An important part of roofing and gutter work is making sure the bottom of all the downspouts have leaders that pull water away from the foundation.ShutterstockBasements
Another problem area that people may defer tackling is basement water or seepage. Depending on the water table and grading around your property, seasonal water infiltration can be a constant problem. It can also be an expensive problem if left unchecked. French drains in an already existing basement are an invasive and costly project. One cost-effective stopgap measure that can mitigate the problem is a submersible sump pump. Pick the area in the basement that seems to have the worst water issue or entry point and dig a single hole for a sump pump basin. Put a submersible sump pump into the basin and this will pick up quite a bit of the rising water table before it gets up through the basement floor. It’s not a substitute for a French drain, but in many cases, we have found these to be quite effective. We also advise having any of these systems on a battery backup for when the power goes out — usually during storms when you most need the pump systems to be working.
Repairs that could be deferred
Siding
Unlike roofs, siding that needs repair work in most cases will not lead to catastrophic damage inside. Siding and trim repairs can be done piecemeal and in a way that prevents expensive interior repairs down the road. Careful attention should be paid around windows, doors, or any penetrations that have flashing around them and can hold standing water. Sections of the house that face northeast or are subject to prolonged sun exposure are areas where we find the most problems. A once-over by a skilled set of eyes can help identify areas that need immediate repair from those that can be deferred to another day.
Windows and doors
Windows and doors are similar to siding in that most likely you will not have expensive interior repairs if replacement is put off for a few more years. The same set of skilled eyes that you may have looking at the siding can also identify where water may be getting in around the window trim. Selective caulking or epoxy work should be able to buy you quite a few years on an older window. If the windows are older and single pane glass with a storm window (terrible in the winter), you can apply clear plastic shrink wrap to the inside of the windows; this actually works surprisingly well by creating a thermal gap between the warm room and the cold glass. We have also done window replacements in stages for some clients. You can replace the windows that are in dire need now and deal with the rest the following year or even later. No need to do the entire house at one time.
Laminate flooring with click-lock floating designs make it a popular DIY-friendly option to save on labor.AdobeIf you have a bathroom, for instance, that you have been thinking about gutting and remodeling, a makeover could be a stopgap approach. Unless you have had leaky plumbing fixtures that have caused water damage, simply swapping out the bath fixtures, towel bars, and accessories together with a fresh coat of paint can go a long way. You can even paint most tiles; there are special primers that create a good bond for paint which allows you to pick virtually any color you want for floors or walls. There are good quality vanity and top setups available online as well as quality tub surrounds that can be installed and give the bath a nice look until a full gut remodel is feasible. In the kitchen, cabinet refacing, new countertops, and a new sink and faucet can give a space a new look at a fraction of what a whole new kitchen would cost.
Planning for future renovation work while working on a current project is something we do quite often regardless of the economy. As an example, you may have been considering a multi-floor renovation, but if that is too much to bite off in this economy, we would do all the planning necessary for the second floor work, but only rough-in for plumbing, electrical, and HVAC. In that way, you could tackle the second-floor work years down the road without opening all the walls and ceilings of your first-floor remodel. You get some of the economies of scale to doing a larger remodel without making that big a commitment now.
Mark Philben is the project development manager at Charlie Allen Renovations in Cambridge. Send your questions to homerepair@globe.com. Questions are subject to editing. Subscribe to the Globe’s free real estate newsletter — our weekly digest on buying, selling, and design — at Boston.com/address-newsletter.