Repairs • Maintenance • Practical Improvements
Home Repairs & Maintenance
Sometimes the best solution is to repair what you already have.
From deteriorating exterior timber and failed double glazing to handrails, porch repairs and larger home improvements, I can help with many of the practical jobs that keep a property working properly and looking cared for.
The jobs that don’t always fit one trade
Practical repairs inside and outside the home
Not every problem needs complete replacement or a specialist contractor. Many jobs simply need someone prepared to investigate the problem, repair what can be saved and make the finished result look right.
This service covers the sort of repair and maintenance work that falls between the traditional trades — from damaged timber and weathered exterior surfaces to small installations and more involved home improvements.
How I can help
Repairs, maintenance and improvements
Exterior Timber Repairs
Doors, frames, lintels, soffits, weatherboards and other exposed timberwork.
Windows & Glazing
Repairs to existing timber and metal windows, including replacement double-glazed units where appropriate.
Interior Improvements
Handrails, partitions, small installations and practical alterations around the home.
Making Good & Maintenance
Repairing deterioration before repainting, refinishing or returning an existing feature to useful condition.
A larger home improvement
Creating a compact ensuite within an existing bedroom
This project involved deciding where best to position a small ensuite within an existing bedroom and then creating the new space with a stud partition and entrance door.
The finished ensuite included a shower, wash-hand basin and bathroom cabinet. Dmytro worked alongside a plumber who carried out the specialist plumbing elements of the job.
It is a good example of how several practical skills can come together on one job while specialist work is handled by the appropriate trade.
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Starting point
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Construction in progress
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New space taking shape
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Finishing stages
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Completed ensuite
Repair rather than replace
Victorian entrance door & frame repair
The lower sections of this substantial Victorian entrance-door frame had deteriorated. The damaged timber was removed and replaced, together with new weather bars to both doors, before the repaired areas were prepared and repainted.
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Damaged timber removed
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New timber fitted
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Repairs painted
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Completed entrance
Window repair
Timber window & double-glazing repair
This existing timber window was in poor condition and most of its six double-glazed units had failed.
Rather than replacing the complete window, the failed glazing units were removed and six new double-glazed units fitted, allowing the existing timber window to be retained and refurbished.
Exterior maintenance
Looking after the fabric of the building
Small areas of deterioration are often worth dealing with before they become larger and more expensive repairs.
Exterior window, door & timber maintenance
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Exterior window
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Exterior door
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Timber lintel
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External metal window
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Repointing
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Soffit Repair
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Porch renovation
Exterior timber maintenance
Weatherboard maintenance
Weatherboarding is exposed to the elements and can deteriorate if the surface protection is allowed to fail.
Here the damaged surface was prepared and refinished, extending the useful life of the existing timber rather than replacing it unnecessarily.
A smaller interior job
Stair handrail installation
Not every useful home improvement needs to be a major project. A properly fitted handrail can make a staircase safer and more comfortable to use.
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Newly fitted
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Painted and finished
The approach
Keep what is worth keeping. Repair what can be repaired.
A sensible repair can often save an existing feature, reduce unnecessary replacement and preserve more of the character of the property.
Assess
Look at what has failed and decide whether repair is practical.
Repair
Replace or restore the damaged parts rather than automatically replacing everything.
Protect
Prepare and finish exposed surfaces properly so the repair lasts.
Improve
Leave the property working better and looking cared for.
Have something that needs fixing?
Send Dmytro a few photographs and explain the problem.
If you are not sure which trade you need, that is often a good reason to ask. A few photographs can usually help establish whether it is the sort of job Dmytro can undertake.