Some of the most common maintenance jobs have also become more expensive

Research by property maintenance solution provider, Help me Fix, looked at the average cost of eight common household maintenance jobs, from painting to brickwork pointing, and how this cost has changed in the last year.

From the cost of mortgage payments, energy bills and even our weekly shop, we’re now paying far more for the essential costs of running our homes. This is no different when it comes to the cost of repairing, maintaining or improving our properties, which is thought to have climbed by 3.9% in 2022.

But what does this mean when it comes to the real-term cost increase to the average homeowner?

The research by Help me Fix shows that the cost of a fresh lick of paint has increased in price by the largest margin. A year ago, the cost of painting a room would have set you back £400. Today, this cost has climbed to £459 – the largest increase of all tasks at £59.

Gutter cleaning and repair has also seen a considerable increase, with the cost of this job up £34 in the last year alone to £264 today.

The cost of the essential annual boiler service has increased by £20 in the last year, while the cost of replacing or changing a lock is up by £17.

Replacing a leaky tap will now cost you £126 on average, £16 more than it would have a year ago, with the cost to replace a window now £12 more expensive.

Even installing a new plug socket (£10) or having your brickwork pointing sorted (£8) will cost you more today than it did just a year ago.

Ettan Bazil, CEO and Founder of Help me Fix, said: “It’s an expensive time to own a home at present, with increasing inflation driving up the cost of everything from our energy bills to our food shop and even the cost of our monthly mortgage repayments.

“Unfortunately it’s not just the cost of running a home that has increased, the cost of maintaining it has also jumped so far this year, with those working within the home maintenance sector having to adjust the price of their services in order to survive.

“The good news is that you can cut costs when it comes to some areas of maintaining your home. For example, a fresh lick of paint can be done for little more than a tin of paint and some elbow grease, which will yield a considerable saving and avoid the price hike seen in the last year.

“Other tasks are also achievable with a little help from online resources, or via a video call from a professional tradesperson, saving on expensive call-out fees.

“However, there are some jobs that will require professional help, such as your boiler service, and in these cases, you have little choice but to stomach the higher price it will cost.

“We also highly advise against tackling any task that could pose a threat to your safety, such as working with electrics, or scaling a ladder, unless you are absolutely confident with your abilities.”