Home Maintenance in Newcastle, ON

A Spring and Fall Routine for Newcastle Houses

Seasonal visits are a big part of what we do here. Spring is about what winter left behind: caulking that cracked in the cold, troughs full of seed pods and grit, torn screens, and deck boards or railings the frost has loosened. On the rural properties outside the village, the spring list usually grows to include fence posts and sticking shed doors.

Fall is about getting ready for the cold. We clear the troughs once the leaves are down, check the weatherstripping on exterior doors, shut off and drain outdoor taps, and test smoke and CO detectors. In the older homes near the core, Pedro also looks where trouble tends to hide in an old house, like the basement walls after the first heavy rains and the attic hatch where warm air escapes.

Twice a year keeps most houses ahead of problems. Older homes can benefit from a quarterly visit, while a newer build south of the 401 may only need a fall check plus whatever has come up since. A half-day visit covering a list of small jobs usually runs $200 to $350. There's no formal plan to sign up for; many people simply book the next visit as we finish.

Pedro handles seasonal upkeep and preventative maintenance. For how he approaches home maintenance in general, see our home maintenance page.