The problem with repairs at a second home
Every home needs steady upkeep. The difference with a second home is that you're not there to let the plumber in on a Tuesday morning — and you don't want to give up a Saturday on the water to wait for one either.
So repairs at lake houses tend to go one of two ways: they get put off until they're expensive, or they eat the time you bought the house to enjoy. Maintenance management fixes both.
How we manage maintenance
1. One list, always current. Every home we care for has a running maintenance and repair list. Items come from our weekly walk-throughs, from the review form you fill out after each visit, and from your calls and emails.
2. We schedule the right people. We've lived and worked in the Highland Lakes since 2000, and we know the local trades. We line up the work crew so you don't have to start from a search engine.
3. We provide access. We meet vendors at the property and let them in, so you don't have to hand out keys or gate codes — or be there yourself.
4. We verify the work. A job isn't done because someone sent an invoice. We check that the work was completed properly, and our next weekly walk-through confirms it's holding up.
5. You get the summary. Your monthly email includes updates and recommendations on maintenance projects, so you always know what was done and what's coming.
The routine items that prevent big repairs
Some of the most valuable maintenance is the least glamorous. As part of your plan we handle the small recurring jobs that owners of second homes most often forget:
- A/C filters. Hill Country summers are hard on air conditioning. A clogged filter makes the system work harder and fail sooner.
- Water filters. Changed on schedule, not when someone notices the taste.
- Faucet covers in winter. Central Texas doesn't freeze often, but when it does, exposed hose bibs are the first thing to burst. We cover them before cold weather arrives.
What costs extra
We believe in being plain about pricing. Your monthly fee covers our time and management. The work performed by outside vendors — housekeeping, lawn service, pest control, power washing, and skilled crafts and trades — is billed as an additional cost. You'll never be surprised by it: recommendations come to you first in your monthly update. See how it works for the full picture on billing.
