Let the house dry out slowly for the first 8 to 12 weeks, keep water away from the slab, and work through a simple monthly, yearly and longer-term checklist. Most expensive repairs start as a small leak, a blocked drain or a gutter nobody cleaned.

We've put the whole routine in our free Home Owner Manual. Download the Varloch Home Owner Manual (PDF).

What should you do in the first few months?

A new house is full of construction moisture. Timber, brick and plaster dry out and shrink a little as you live in it, and small cosmetic cracks are normal.

Give the house a few weeks to acclimatise before you run the heating regularly.
Open windows in dry weather and use the exhaust fans in the bathroom, kitchen and laundry.
Don't patch hairline cracks straight away. Wait for the movement to stop.

If a crack looks bigger than normal, check it against what counts as a defect in a new home.

How do you protect the slab and footings?

Too much water in the soil is the most common cause of footing movement. Keep it away from the house.

Keep paths and paving against the house, not large garden beds.
Talk to an arborist or geotechnical engineer before planting trees near the house or pipes.
Don't overwater gardens and lawns.
Never let soil or landscaping cover weepholes or subfloor vents.
Keep drainage and silt pits clear, and don't dig through subsoil drains.

What needs checking every month and every year?

Every month:

Look for leaks around toilets and sinks.
Check grout and silicone.
Clean the air-conditioning filters and the rangehood filter.

Every year:

Roof and gutter inspection.
Termite and pest inspection.
Test smoke alarms and replace the batteries.
Check decks, irrigation, and storm-window drains.
Clean the dryer exhaust, solar panels and windows.

What wears out over 2 to 15 years?

2 to 5 years: replace wet-area silicone and seal grout, replace caulking around windows and doors, sand and stain timber decks, clean heating ducts.
5 to 10 years: repaint the exterior, and have the joists and roof rafters inspected.
10 to 15 years: replace the hot water system, smoke alarms and garage door opener.

What's your job, and what's the builder's?

The NSW Guide to Standards and Tolerances is clear that maintenance is the owner's ongoing responsibility. A few things catch people out:

Wet-area silicone may need replacing after five years. That's normal maintenance, not a defect.
A builder isn't responsible for foundation movement caused by paving, landscaping or trees added after handover, or by drainage the owner didn't maintain.
If damage gets worse because the home wasn't maintained, or a defect wasn't reported promptly, the builder may not be liable to fix it.
Fair wear and tear, such as discoloured sealant, blown globes and tap washers, is the owner's from handover.

Keep a simple record of what you've done and when. It helps if you ever need to make a warranty claim.

Can Varloch look after it for you?

Yes. Our services arm handles home care for Sydney homes, from a yearly building inspection to builder-led repairs:

Yearly building, roof and termite inspections.
Roof and gutter cleaning, power washing and window cleaning.
Re-staining, painting and special surface care.
Rising damp, cracking render, timber repair and underpinning.
Plumbers and electricians on call, plus HVAC servicing and pest control.

You can book a single job or put the house on a care plan. See home care services or compare care plans.

The short version

Let a new house dry out slowly for the first 8 to 12 weeks.
Keep water away from the slab: paving against the house, clear drains, no overwatering.
Monthly: leaks, grout, filters. Yearly: roof, gutters, termites, smoke alarms.
Reseal wet areas every few years and repaint the outside every 5 to 10.
Maintenance is the owner's job, and neglect can weaken a defect claim.

Download the Varloch Home Owner Manual (PDF), our full maintenance guide.

Want someone else to keep on top of it? Tell us about your home and we'll put a plan together.