Check your whole home and build a five-year repair plan

This guide is for homeowners who have just moved in, inherited an older property, or simply realised they have no idea what condition their house is really in. You will inspect the outside, the roof space, every room and the services in a set order, record what you find in one place and sort it by urgency. By the end you will have a five-year repair plan, a rough budget built from real quotes, and clear written briefs that get you comparable prices from trades.

What is inside

• Full step-by-step method9 detailed steps with decision points
• Ready-to-use templatesDefect log column headings and example row · Brief to send to a tradesperson for a quote · Five-year plan summary table
• Timed action plan8 stages from “Day 1” to “Every autumn”
• Costly mistakes to avoid4 traps and what to do instead
• Complete checklist12 items to tick off
• Insider tips and fixes4 tips and 4 common problems solved

Step by step

1. Gather what you already know

   Before you look at anything, dig out your purchase survey, any guarantees, certificates and receipts, and the building control or planning paperwork for past works. Note the age and construction of the house: solid brick walls, cavity walls and timber frame each have different weak points. Find your stopcock, gas meter shut-off, consumer unit and water meter and label them, because you will need them in an emergency anyway. Ask neighbours with similar houses what has already gone wrong on theirs, as identical homes often fail in identical ways. Start a single notebook or spreadsheet with columns for location, defect, photo reference, risk, likely cost band and who should fix it.