Buying a home involves a lot of decision-making factors, not least among them the purchase price and the interest rate of the loan. But one of the less obvious, long-term costs has to do with the maintenance of the home. What type of upkeep and care will the home require year after year? Are there features that may make the home energy inefficient, resulting in higher heating and cooling costs? These are all things that you should factor into your decision.
Factoring Home Maintenance Requirements into your Buying Decisions
Home maintenance can have long-term costs, but these potential costs are typically not as obvious or calculable as the mortgage rate, insurance costs or costs of home repairs. For that reason, it’s not as easy to factor in the costs of home maintenance when you are negotiating a price reduction.
For example, if the home has vinyl siding or log siding, there is routine care that must be performed in order to maintain the home’s exterior. Swimming pools and large yards are other features that have to be regularly maintained. Your home inspection should include an assessment of the long-term costs of maintaining the home.
Another thing to consider is the cost of cooling and heating the home. If you’re moving into a bigger place or relocating to a different climate, don’t let yourself be surprised by these energy costs. Windows, walls, exterior paint and other features can all be designed to be more energy efficient. Use the home inspection as an opportunity to examine the energy consumption of the home and to assess what you will need to do to make it more efficient.
Maintenance Free, Energy Efficient Steel Siding vs. Cost of Log Home Upkeep
For log-home buyers in particular, the cost of maintenance can be somewhat of a surprise. Because log homes are traditionally built with real wood, there is necessary upkeep that must be performed every 2-3 years, such as:
- Re-sealing
- Re-chinking
- Repainting
- Elimination of wood-boring insects
- Replacement of rotted or damaged logs
Over the decades, the expense of this routine maintenance may add up to tens of thousands of dollars. With TruLog™ steel log siding, you still get the appearance of genuine wood, but without the maintenance. Additionally, TruLog™ is installed with a foam backer that adds an R-value of R-1 to R-2, so your home will have improved insulation and better energy efficiency. Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or looking to upgrade your home, TruLog™ steel log siding reduces the time and money you spend on siding maintenance compared to a log home or fiber-cement home.
To find out more about TruLog™ steel log siding and how much it will cost to re-side your home with our American-manufactured steel siding, please call our helpful, friendly team in Loveland, Colorado at 970-646-4490.
