When I was working, in the first eight years after I moved into my house, I had one largish job carried out each year - paid for out of earnings. So, added Utility room, had new bathroom, completely overhauled kitchen, had Amtico floor laid in through lounge, new boiler, new carpet on stairs and landing and bedrooms, all ground floor ceiling re-done (getting rid of artex), loft extension, en-suite installed. After retirement, I just had essential work carried out, repairs to gutterings and roof, etc. Did most of my own decorating, although, finally, did have to have professional to paint hallway and landing. I reckon that over the eighteen years I was there I spent around sixty grand on improvements and maintenance. So, that averages just over £3000 pa, but that included extensions, not just maintenance.
As the house sold for nearly double what I paid for it, feel it was all very worthwhile in every way.
In the flat, I pay £675 every half year, this is obviously for maintenance and decorating to all public areas, but also included all water rates, building insurance, maintenance for combi boiler and central heating, I now have no worries about roofs, gutterings, fences, etc. Just have to pay small amount for contents insurance and my heating bills are lower here than in the house.
I have used much of the surplus money from my sale to carry out improvements here (fitted wardrobes, new floor, electrification of garage, new bathroom, etc. Really do not see that there are going to be much in the way of maintenance required over next few years.
Is there such a thing as delicious ready meals?