Making a major home improvement is always exciting. You have the chance to upgrade various systems, repair old sections, and update your interior and exterior design.
Unfortunately, only once you commit to the refurbishment do you realize how much work it takes. Even if you hire the best contractors in your city, there’s a chance you’ll still have to hassle with all sorts of problems. To make matters worse, the costs ramp up rather quickly, forcing homeowners to overstep their budgets.
And while we can’t help you with the extent of the work, we can at least assist you in predicting the expenses. In this article, we’ll talk about the most common home improvement projects and how much they’ll cost you. Enjoy!
1. Roof maintenance
It doesn’t take much to realize your roof needs fixes. If your home is experiencing extensive interior leaks, there’s a good chance that some of the shingles or tiles are damaged. You can also notice signs of damage by simply climbing on the roof and looking for discoloration. In the most extreme cases, the sections will show signs of caving in.
Fortunately, fixing this area of the house isn’t particularly hard or expensive. “The average cost of roof repairs goes from $600 to $6,000,” according to Style Roofing Inc., Roofing Contractors in Fairfax, VA. However, if you need to replace the entire roof, you’ll probably need more than $10,000.
2. Pipe bursting
Faulty pipes are one of the most frustrating problems. Unlike roof repairs, where you can easily prevent further damage by reacting quickly, nothing can prepare you for a pipe burst. What’s even worse, you can’t implement any control or preventative measures, given that the pipes are deep in the walls.
So, when one of them finally gives in, there’s a good chance that the whole section of your house will be flooded. The repairs present another obstacle, as you’ll have to demolish the entire wall to replace damaged parts. Anyway, sewer line repairs cost around $2,600, while installing new pipes comes down to $1,200.
3. Foundation repair
Foundation damage is especially common in areas with lots of rain and snow. Having swelling or eroding soil underneath your home is another cause of the problem. And while you can implement certain preventative measures, such as adding an advanced drainage system, you might still encounter this issue.
Detecting a damaged foundation can be tricky. A homeowner should pay attention to things such as sloping floors, cracks in surrounding asphalt, door and window issues, and water puddles in your basement.
The foundation repairs usually cost between $500 and $11,000.
4. Insect damage
Insect issues, and specifically termite damage, are one of the reasons why you might need foundation repairs. Bug problems can be insidious, causing enormous but unnoticeable damage over time.
Treating your home against termites and other insects costs approximately $500 and is a good way to prevent future issues. However, if you don’t react quickly enough, you’re looking at expenses north of $7,000 (which can be higher for houses mostly made of wood).
5. Electrical problems
Every homeowner should have a trusty electrician on the speed dial. In the end, electric problems and maintenance are among the most common house fixes.
Similar to pipes, all wires in your home are located in the walls. If you try to repair a section, not only are you at risk of electrocuting yourself, but you might also cause unnecessary damage to the walls. So, hiring a professional is both cheaper and safer.
Electrical problems are somewhat easy to spot. Tripping circuit breakers, flickering lights, and shock from appliances are good indications that something’s wrong. Doing basic repairs will cost you $300, while completely rewiring is approximately $15,000.
6. Water heater repairs
In the worst-case scenario, a faulty water heater can lead to massive flooding. Even if you’re dealing with a minor problem, not having warm water can be a real nuisance. Luckily, you don’t have to be an expert to notice there’s something amiss. Common indications of damaged heater are leaks and strange noises.
If you wish to prolong the life expectancy of your heater, we suggest you flush the tank every year. You might also want to check the pressure valves from time to time. Repairing this part will cost you $500, while replacement costs $1,000 and more.
7. Septic tank repair
Damage to septic tanks is both nasty and annoying. Aside from the fact your toilet might not flush, you’ll also have to deal with feces spilling into your backyard. Regular inspections are one of the best ways to prevent such mishaps. If you still need to do some basic repairs, they will cost you $1,500.
Tammie~