Yearly maintenance is a necessity for smart homeowners who want to increase the value of their home but how do they know if they’re paying too much for these services?  

SERVIZ  did a lot of research on what homeowners should be booking professionals for and on average what these services should cost.  We discovered the estimated annual maintenance cost of a home in the U.S. can fall anywhere between 1.5 and 4% of the home’s purchase price.  The infographic breaks down the following pricing per service category.

Heating and AC

Since half the energy used in your home goes to HVAC it’s important to keep everything maintained so you don’t lose money on waste.  HVAC energy loss through the windows alone can be as high as 30%.  The cost of this depends a lot of the design and infrastructure of the home.

Gutters

Damaged or improperly maintained gutters can result in foundation damage.  Average cost per year = $321

Carpets

Regular carpet cleanings can extend a carpet’s lifespan by 3-5 years saving you money on new installation.  Do you have a pet? 65% of requests to clean stains are specifically for pet stains, but people are more likely to tweet about spilling sauce and nail polish.  Average cost varies depending on whether you have pets and/or children since they can increase the number of times carpet needs cleaning per year but try not to pay more than $40 per room.

Appliance Repair

Refrigerators, washers and dryers are the most common appliance that need repair or maintenance.  A side-by-side refrigerator is the most commonly repaired kitchen appliance and ice makers account for 31% of refrigerator and freezer repairs.  Depending on your make and model the prices vary but a basic repair shouldn’t set you back more than $200. Washers and dryers should be regularly cleaned and maintained, especially the dryer vent.  Doing this can prevent 34% of clothes dryer fires that are recorded each year.  This shouldn’t cost you more than $208.

Plumbing

Leaks in the home can waste as much as 10,000 gallons of water per year so fixing those can really lower your utilities bill.  The average cost to fix a faucet leak is $234 and for a running toilet is $201.

Pest Control

People request pest control treatment for bugs twice as often as they request treatment for rodents. The average cost of pest control treatment is $143 but the location of your house and the pest density will determine how many times a year you need to get this done.

Locks and Doors

It’s shocking that 34% of burglars will enter a home through the front door so changing your locks is important and sometimes necessary.  The average cost of changing 5 door locks is $160 and hiring a professional to do this rather than doing it yourself decreases the chances a burglar can easily get in.

Doggy Doors

This obviously isn’t a necessary expense for all homeowners but installing a doggy door through a brick wall is three times as expensive as installing one through drywall and plaster so something to keep in mind if you’re a happy fur-parent.