Property maintenance

Property maintenance in Edinburgh

Keeping a Scottish home watertight, warm and in good order — what each job involves, what drives the cost, and how to find someone reliable to do it.

• Roof repairs

  Slipped slates, failed flashings and leaks on Scottish pitched and flat roofs.

• Chimney repairs

  Repointing, flaunching, flashings and capping on Scottish chimney stacks.

• Gutters and downpipes

  Clearing, repairing and renewing rainwater goods before they cause damp.

• Damp problems

  Telling penetrating damp, condensation and rising damp apart before spending money.

• Condensation and mould

  Ventilation, heating patterns and cold spots — the most common damp complaint.

• Stonework and repointing

  Sandstone indenting, lime repointing and why cement mortar damages period walls.

• Roughcast and render repairs

  Cracked, hollow or blown harling and render on Scottish walls.

• Window repairs

  Sash and case overhaul, draughtproofing, and repairs to modern double glazing.

• Boiler servicing and repairs

  Annual servicing, common faults and when replacement makes more sense.

• Central heating repairs

  Cold radiators, noisy systems, power flushing and control upgrades.

• Plumbing and leaks

  Leaks, burst pipes, overflows and the water damage that follows in flats.

• Electrical safety checks

  EICRs, consumer unit upgrades and the certification landlords must hold.

• Smoke and heat alarms

  Scotland's interlinked alarm standard and what every home must have.

• Insulation and draughtproofing

  Loft, floor and wall insulation in hard-to-treat Scottish buildings.

• Ventilation and airbricks

  Extract fans, trickle vents, airbricks and underfloor ventilation.

• Rot and timber decay

  Wet rot, dry rot and woodworm in Scottish timber floors and roofs.

• Exterior painting and decoration

  Protecting windows, doors and rainwater goods on exposed Scottish elevations.

• Driveways, paths and drainage

  Surface water, permeable paving and keeping ground levels below the damp line.

• Garden walls and boundaries

  Boundary walls, fences, trees and shared responsibility between neighbours.

• Annual maintenance checklist

  A season-by-season routine that prevents most expensive property repairs.