Depending on the type of homes you’ve owned before, the idea of home maintenance can be absolutely dreadful. Leaky toilets, drafty windows, and remodeling a 1950's kitchen are just the tip of the iceberg of all of the items on which you can spend all your free time. It’s time to stop chasing the rabbit.

With a custom house, your home is built to higher standards, which in turn minimizes home maintenance significantly. For starters, the superior quality of a custom home is such that products in your home will not require replacing or repair for quite some time. Additionally, there are several selections you can make to further reduce the maintenance needed on your home.

Metal Roofing

A metal roof is a great investment for a custom home, given its extraordinary lifespan. Most metal roof installations come with a 40- to 50-year warranty, meaning you will likely never have to replace it in your lifetime.

In addition to reflecting heat in the summer (keeping your house nice and cool) metal roofing is impervious to snow and rain. In fact, snow will shed more quickly than from most other roofing materials. This greatly minimizes your chances of water damage, ice damming and other water-related issues. 

Low Maintenance Flooring

When it comes to high-end flooring options, there are plenty of low-maintenance options available. Hardwood, for example, comes in solid wood, engineered, laminate, and an alternative solution called vinyl plank. Don’t let the term ‘vinyl plank’ fool you, though; while this product is not actually made of wood, its quality makes it look like real wood and it is extremely easy to maintain. It very rarely scratches, even if you have a pet with sharp nails or drag furniture across it.

Genuine hardwood is constructed to last long periods of time before needing repair. Each plank is made from solid wood, meaning even if you need to repair it later on, you are able to sand it down and restain, far more cost effective than replacing the entire flooring.

Engineered hardwood and laminate are woods that are a bit more cost effective and simple to keep clean, but you are not able to sand and stain this product.

Tile is also easy to maintain as it’s a quick sweep up or wet mop and you're done. When you’re selecting your grout, however, consider high traffic areas as grout is porous and will absorb dirt and moisture. If you are planning for tile flooring in your foyer, for example, remember that it will likely have snow and dirt on it, so you’ll likely want to select a grout that will show less mess over time.

Quartz Countertops

Granite is a natural product and is extremely porous. This means if you spill a glass of wine, for example, there is a possibility it will stain if the counter isn't properly sealed. Bacteria can collect as well if you don’t maintain it properly. For this reason, granite is a bit of a higher maintenance product.

Quartz, on the other hand, is a man-made product, is antimicrobial and scratch resistant. Unlike granite which needs to be re-sealed periodically, quartz will almost never stain and is extremely easy to keep clean.

Composite Decking

When building your outdoor entertainment area, consider selecting a composite product for your deck or patio. Not only will you avoid having to repaint or sand down every few years, composite decking is splinter free. This type of surface is expected to last approximately 25-30 years, so you will likely install and never need to think about it again.

Central Vacuum and Sweep Inlets

Sweep inlets are the epitome of simple cleaning tools. The worst part of sweeping up is attempting to get every tiny morsel off the floor and into a garbage bin. A sweep inlet is located under your cabinet by your feet and allows you to simply sweep the dust and dirt into the hole. This inlet is tied to your central vacuum system, making sweeping up likely the easiest task on your cleaning list.

Speaking of central vacuum, having several outlets installed around your home will make for quick and easy cleaning - rather than lugging a vacuum around the house. 

Special Storage Areas

The wonderful thing about a custom home is that you can truly customize your home to your needs. This includes planning for storage space for all of your items, giving everything its own special place to keep your things organized and reduce clutter.

Special pot and pan drawerspot and pan drawers are great for giving these items an organized home, preventing the need for stacking—and eventually wrecking—your cookware. Build a recycle and trash centre into a cabinet in your kitchen to keep empty cans, newspapers, and other refuse organized and off the countertop.

Consider furniture pieces that have built-in storage. An ottoman with a hidden compartment is a great place to store a cozy blanket for those chilly evenings.

There are many different ways to reduce the maintenance needed in your home. A custom home offers the flexibility to create spaces that are functional and easy to maintain. For further great customization ideas, check out our post: 

(Almost) Anything is Possible With Home Customization.