Home Maintenance Cost Calculator
Find out how much you should budget annually to keep your home in top shape. Based on industry standards and adjusted for your specific situation.
How Much Does Home Maintenance Cost?
The general rule of thumb is to budget 1% to 4% of your home's valueeach year for maintenance. For a $350,000 home, that's $3,500 to $14,000 annually.
Where you fall in that range depends on several factors: the age of your home, your climate region, and specific features like pools, decks, or septic systems that require dedicated upkeep.
Older homes tend toward the higher end. A 50-year-old home with original plumbing and an aging roof will need significantly more attention than new construction. Harsh climates — whether extreme cold, humidity, or heat — also accelerate wear.
What happens if you skip maintenance?
Deferred maintenance doesn't save money — it compounds costs. A $200 HVAC tune-up prevents a $5,000 compressor failure. A $150 gutter cleaning avoids $10,000 in water damage. The math is clear: routine maintenance is always cheaper than emergency repair.
That's why tools like Hearthward exist. Instead of guessing what your home needs, you get a personalized care plan that tells you exactly what to do, when to do it, and how.