Repairs are a fact of life for homeowners. Roofs, windows, doors, gutters and vinyl siding are all essential elements that protect the house from storm damage, and must be kept in good repair. While renovations are a recurring expense, the good news is that they add value to the home. Home repairs are also an opportunity to make your home more energy efficient and ecofriendly.
Estimating your annual home repair bill
Repairs and upkeep are necessary to keep your home in good shape. It’s always better to anticipate and carry out repairs when they’re needed, rafter than wait until it’s too late and you have an emergency on your hands. For most homeowners, the annual cost of repairs runs to about 1 to 4% of your home’s value.
For a home that’s worth $200,000, annual repairs could cost around $2,000. The silver lining is that any home repairs you do will add to the value of your home. Repairing or replacing roofs, siding, doors and windows all offer many benefits besides keeping your home safe and comfortable. It’s a chance to update the look of your home, make it more durable, and also more ecofriendly.
Roof repairs and replacement
It’s important to keep roofs in good repair. If you have a roof in need of repairs, it’s never a good idea to put it off. Minor damage can quickly escalate into a major emergency, which will be much more costly to fix. Roofs should be inspected every year, or even every six months, for signs of damage and wear.
It’s possible to do roof repairs yourself, but not recommended. The risk of injury is real, and professional roofers also know how to make sure that their work is done according to code. The cost of professionally replacing a standard 2200-to-2600 square foot roof will be around will be anywhere from $2000 to $8500.
Replacing windows: the silver lining
New windows and doors can help reduce your energy costs. Replacing old and drafty windows with new and well fitted ones can have a real impact in terms of lowering your heating and cooling costs. That’s because leaks and drafts lead to the loss of heated or cooled air from your home, increasing your energy bills by as much as 50%.
Replacing your old windows with Energy Star-approved models can lead to savings of up to $501 a year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The average cost of replacing vinyl windows is $11,319, while replacing wood windows costs $12,229, according to Remodeling Magazine’s annual Cost Vs Value Report.
Vinyl siding protects your home
Most of us never give a second thought to the simple vinyl siding that covers so many homes, but it does a great job of preventing wind and water damage. It is designed to withstand 110 mph winds, as well as water, ice, snow and whatever else the weather brings.
Vinyl siding is also easy to replace and reinstall if it is damaged or worn. For all of these reasons – durability, practicality and cost – vinyl siding is a popular choice. It was the principal exterior material used in 36% of all new single family homes built in the U.S. last year, according to the Census Bureau. Brock, stucco and fiber cement are other popular choices for home exteriors.
Home repairs are always an opportunity to improve your home and add to its value. It’s a chance to make roofs, windows, siding and gutters mire secure and durable.
