What are the most common home maintenance costs?

The expenses don’t end when you buy a home. In fact, they are just getting started. There are a lot of houses hidden costs — and the main one is maintenance.

You may not consider maintenance when buying a home, especially if you’re moving from a rental home where the upkeep of the home is largely the responsibility of the landlord. The result: surprise or even alarm when a major appliance fails, the furnace leaks, or a window breaks. The vast majority (78 percent) of homeowners will face unexpected repairs in 2023. This was reported by the insurance company Hippo.

Besides major and unexpected repairs, there is regular daily maintenance, and that adds up quickly too. In the third quarter of 2024, the average annual cost of maintaining a single-family home rose to an all-time high of $10,433, according to the home renovation platform. Thumbtack Home Care Price Index“

Add in other ongoing homeownership costs, such as property taxes, insurance and HOA fees, and it costs more than $18,000 per year to maintain a typical single-family home, according to Bankrate. Hidden costs of home ownership Study.

Of course, these maintenance costs can vary greatly depending on the home and your location. They range from $11,500 per year in Kentucky to just over $29,000 in Hawaii.

Most common home maintenance expenses

Since the pandemic, maintenance and repair costs have skyrocketed (no pun intended). Supply chain problems have led to material shortages that are only now beginning to ease. On the demand side, an increase extreme weather events led to an increase in the need and frequency of repairs. This has led to an increase in the workload of the workforce, and the cost of contractors and specialists has also increased.

On top of all this, increased interest rates made borrowing for large-scale renovations more expensive. Homeowners spent 51 percent more on home projects in 2023 than in 2019, according to the home services company. Angi’s 2023 State of Home Spending Report.

Maintenance may require additional costs, but it is almost always cheaper than repairs and renovations, not to mention the initial cost. Interestingly, in the Hippo study, 45 percent of homeowners said their home had suffered damage that they could have prevented.

Below are some of the most common ongoing costs of home ownership: The most regular expenses you may encounter and for which you should prepare.

1. Lawn care and landscaping

Lawn care is one of the most time-consuming parts of home maintenance. But it’s a key part of curbing attraction. HomeGuide found that the average American spends between $1,200 and $2,400 per year on lawn care and landscaping. Most of these costs are related to mowing, watering and general maintenance. landscape design (mulching, hedge trimming and gardening). However, the beauty of lawn care and landscaping is that you can cut costs by doing most of the work yourself. If you hire a professional, the average cost per visit ranges from $130 (standard lawn care) to $450 (more extensive jobs like tree trimming), according to Fixr home project website.

2. Cleaning and maintenance of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

Air quality matters in your home and gives you HVAC Regular cleaning helps the system. According to the home advisorThe average cost of air duct cleaning ranges from $269 to $506. While a full cleaning should be done about every five years, a little less effort and filter changes will make breathing easier at home.

3. Cleaning gutters

Important to clean gutters To prevent damage to both the interior and exterior of your home. If gutters become clogged with leaves and debris, water can overflow, which can damage your home’s roof and walls if water pools where it shouldn’t. Additionally, water that accumulates at the base of your home can eventually damage your foundation.

HomeAdvisor says the average cost of cleaning gutters ranges from $119 to $234, and it is recommended to clean them once to three times a year, depending on the weather and the amount of debris that may accumulate in them. For example, homes that are not surrounded by trees may not require as much cleaning of their gutters. You can often clean the gutters yourself to cut costs, but be aware that this may mean you’ll have to spend a lot of time on the ladder.

4. Pest prevention

Insects and rodents love to invade your home, especially in inclement weather, and they are quite good at finding their way inside. Looking for signs of their presence can help you stop an intrusion before it becomes serious. Paying for an exterminator can be expensive, especially if you have an infestation. The average cost for pest control services ranges from $108 to $261, according to HomeAdvisor. You can do some pest control yourself by purchasing traps and sprays that kill the invaders before the problem gets out of control. Remember the old saying: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

5. Housekeeping and house cleaning.

A clean home is a safer home. Regular house cleaning, from mopping the floors table tops Vacuuming and sweeping high-traffic areas is often a task that takes more time than money. However, cleaning products are not cheap, costing close to a dollar.170 per consumer in 2022data for the most recent year were available; adjusted for inflation, the amount will be closer to $182 in 2024.

However, not everyone has the time and opportunity to do more serious household chores. For those who need some help, the average hourly rate for professional home cleaning is about $224 per month, according to Thumbtack.

6. Painting and cleaning the deck.

If your home there is a deckit will require care, especially if it is made of wood. For example, cedar decks usually need to be cleaned and stained annually. Painted pine decks may only need to be repainted every three years or so. On the other hand, composite decking only needs to be pressure washed. Depending on the size of the deck and your skill level, you can do this yourself, which will significantly reduce the cost.

According to Thumbtack, consumers spend an average of $980 every two to three years on painting and sealing decks.

7. Pool care

A pool These are luxurious amenities, but not without their downsides. Maintaining a pool can be expensive. The cost range varies greatly depending on how long you keep the pool open. HomeGuide Maintenance is estimated to cost between $80 and $150 per month. However, additional pool cleaning and pool opening/closing costs more. With all the cleaning, repairs, electricity and water taken into account, the average owner will spend between $3,000 and $6,000 per year on their pool.

8. Roof repair and maintenance.

One of the most important and expensive parts of your home is the roof. While you may not have to maintain it much, when you do have to shell out for a fix, it can be a significant change. Thumbtack estimates that homeowners spend $1,313 per year on roof maintenance and repair. However, these costs can be much higher if there is severe damage, rot or leakage. In fact, when it comes to water damage, repair costs can range from $1,000 to over $6,000, according to HomeGuide.

Which home care costs have increased the most?

Inflation has increased the cost of maintaining a home, but all home care projects have increased equally. These seven categories saw the largest increases in repairs and maintenance over the past year:

How much should you spend on maintaining your home?

How much you should budget for home renovations depends on your income and location, as well as the size and value of your home. Bankrate Study on Unexpected Costs of Homeownership found that only 24 percent of homeowners had set aside money for home repairs and maintenance, while 19 percent took out debt to cover the cost of unexpected home repairs.

In case of emergency

It’s important to have a plan in case something unexpected causes damage to your home. Saving money into a savings account is a smart start. But what if you don’t have any savings or don’t want to spend them? You can also finance urgent repairs taking out a loan against your equity (the value of your property minus the mortgage). In fact, the data shows that 55 percent of current homeowners cite improvements or renovations as a good reason to use home equity. Bankrate Review of the securities market at home.

But home care is what you Maybe plan. One way to calculate costs: Budget 1 to 4 percent of your home’s value for annual maintenance—1 percent for routine work, then another 3 percent for unexpected replacements or repairs. This formula breaks down as follows:

Keep in mind that older homes typically require more maintenance and may require more extensive renovations over time. Often you need to replace or upgrade major home systems, such as upgrading from a wood furnace to a gas furnace or from an oil furnace to an electric HVAC system, or install central air conditioning.

Total costs of maintaining a home

We understand: Home maintenance may be a part of your budget that you don’t want to have. Actually, Bankrate Homeowner Regrets Survey found that maintenance costs and other hidden costs that were more expensive than expected were the most frequently cited items. About 40 percent of homeowners cited this as a regret when looking back on their home purchase.

But once you buy a home, you become responsible for its upkeep. This responsibility means keeping things in good condition and making necessary repairs in a timely manner. A poorly maintained home will not only lose value (depleting the value of your home). ownership share), but may become unsafe.

“Homeowners told us they plan to stay in their homes long-term,” says Marco Zappocosta, CEO and founder of Thumbtack. “And as we continue to see the effects of the aging housing stock—the average age of a U.S. home is 43 years—maintenance is an extremely important part of keeping things running smoothly and preventing emergencies.”

In other words, your home is an investment: in your life, in the life of your home, and in your enjoyment of it.