These Are the Major Metro Areas with the Lowest Annual Home Maintenance Costs

When you’re shopping for a home, factoring in annual maintenance costs helps set realistic expectations for how much income you’re going to need to buy your home and maintain it over the years.

So how much does home maintenance add to the cost of owning a home? On average, keeping a home in good working order costs $10,867 a year, according to new research by Zillow® and Thumbtack®, a technology company  that helps people care for and improve their homes.

Let’s look at what some of those projects might cost, and where costs are lowest.

Routine maintenance and upkeep projects

Based on data from millions of home projects completed across the country, home maintenance and upkeep runs about $10,867 a year, according to Thumbtack. The list of projects is a long one that may or may not apply to your circumstances. Here are some of the most common projects, along with the average cost of each, which varies depending on your locale:

• appliance maintenance – average cost: $306
• carpet cleaning – $221
• central air conditioning maintenance – $914
• deck staining and sealing – $1,584
• duct and vent cleaning – $455
• fireplace and chimney cleaning – $681
• full-service lawn care – $318
• gutter cleaning and maintenance – $278
• heating system maintenance  – $775
• house cleaning – $232
• pressure washing – $408
• roof maintenance – $2,414
• sprinkler and irrigation system maintenance –$529
• tile and grout cleaning – $710
• tree trimming and removal – $1,365
• water heater maintenance –$1,045
• window cleaning – $303

What influences the annual cost of home maintenance?

The cost of maintenance is influenced largely by where you live, and the particulars of your home. Some things to consider when considering maintenance costs:

• Weather conditions – A home in a rainy climate is going to need more attention to water intrusion than a dessert home, while functioning air conditioning is likely to be a must-have in desert climates
• Age and condition of the home – Even a well-maintained home is going to need routine upkeep, and if it’s older, there’s a chance you could be looking at replacing major systems such a  roof
• Size of the home and property – Larger homes and properties are going to require more work
• Climate risks – Reducing the risks from floods, fire, wind and heat can add thousands to the cost of maintenance
• Availability and cost of skilled labor – Labor costs vary around the country. Depending on the project,  finding skilled labor could be a challenge 
• Cost of supplies – The cost of lumber and other supplies is subject to inflation

15 major metros with the lowest average annual cost of maintenance

15 metros with the highest average annual maintenance costs

How to budget for home maintenance

A long-standing rule of thumb says you should set aside 1% to 2% of what your home is worth for  maintenance every year. If you’re buying or just bought your home, use the sales price to calculate the cost. If you’ve lived in your home a while, you can use Zillow’s Zestimate to establish your home’s value and then calculate an amount based on the Zestimate.

For example, if you owned a typical U.S. home worth about $364,000, you would budget between $3,640 and $7,280 for annual maintenance ($364,000 X 1%=$3,640). Some years are going to require more than that, especially if you have to replace appliances, put on a new roof or dig up your side sewer.

Older homes will likely require more maintenance, and prices will vary depending on the local cost of labor and materials.

How to reduce home maintenance costs

Staying on top of maintenance chores is the best way to reduce costs. Natural wear and tear is inevitable, but proactively tending to upkeep protects your home from deteriorating and needing more costly repairs down the line. For example, the cost of cleaning your gutters once or twice a year is going to be a lot less than the cost of replacing wood rot or removing mold from water overflowing from the gutters into your home.

When prioritizing maintenance tasks, give attention to those items that are likely to have the biggest impact on the safety and comfort of your home. For example, spending to paint your entire home is going to seem like a waste of money if, in a year or two, you’re going to have to replace wood rot from a neglected leak around a window. 

To make things easier, schedule check-ins and consult Zillow’s seasonal home maintenance checklist throughout the year. For instance, spring maintenance tasks could include changing the filter on your heater and checking your foundation for water intrusion or pests. Fall home maintenance tasks could include cleaning out your gutters and touching up exterior paint.
You may also want to consider opportunities to DIY vs. hire a professional to do certain home maintenance tasks and curb costs. But some things, such as HVAC maintenance or roof repair/replacement, will likely require a professional, so be sure to budget for that.