How Much Money to Budget for Home Maintenance
Owning a home comes with a lot of responsibilities. One of these involves home maintenance. Sometimes, people are surprised by the size and frequency of home maintenance costs. To reduce the stress that comes with home maintenance, it is important to plan ahead of time. This means budgeting for the inevitable costs that come with home maintenance. There are a few systems that people can use to estimate their home maintenance costs.
The Percentage System
One of the most common systems that people use is the percentage system. In general, the amount of money that people spend on maintenance is directly related to the size of their home. The larger the home, the more money someone is going to spend on maintenance.
Most people will spend between 1 percent and 4 percent of their home's value every year in maintenance costs. Older homes are going to have more maintenance costs than younger homes. For example, if a home is worth $300,000, someone is going to be spending between $3,000 and $12,000 per year on upkeep.
The Square Footage System
The range above might be too large for someone to budget accurately. Therefore, a lot of people also use the square footage system. Again, the larger the home, the more someone will spend on upkeep.
In general, someone should allocate $1 dollar per year per square foot of home. For example, if someone's home is 2,500 square feet, they should allocate about $2,500 per year in home maintenance.
Some of the downsides of this method are that it does not consider the location or age of the home. Keep these factors in mind as well.
Home Maintenance is Different Than Home Repairs
Home maintenance costs are very different than major repairs. The idea of maintenance is to prevent repairs from arising. If someone must replace their HVAC unit or take out faulty wiring, this does not count as home maintenance costs.
It is important for everyone to budget accurately for home maintenance and to make sure these tasks are completed on time. Proper home maintenance can save money on homeownership by preventing major repair bills from coming up down the road. And any time you have home maintenance questions, remember to ask your real estate professional. They have a lot of experience dealing with every type of home repair and a list of local referral maintenance providers.
If you are in the market for a new home or interested in refinancing your current property, be sure to contact your trusted home mortgage professional to discuss financing options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Homeowners should budget between 1 percent and 4 percent of their home's value annually for maintenance costs.
The square footage system suggests allocating about $1 per year for every square foot of the home to cover maintenance expenses.
Because it does not take into account the home's location or age, which can affect maintenance costs.
Home maintenance involves routine upkeep to prevent repairs, while major repairs are unexpected replacements or fixes like HVAC units or faulty wiring.
Planning ahead helps reduce stress by ensuring funds are available for inevitable upkeep and that maintenance tasks are completed on time.
Talk to an Advisor
Get personalized mortgage guidance from a local expert.