The Most Expensive Home Repairs (and avoiding them!)

Purchasing your home was a significant investment—and one that yields equity. While you know that you made a great choice when you bought your house, you might sometimes feel as if you’re tossing money into an abyss some months. We’ve rounded up the six most expensive home repairs to save up some cash to implement along with a few tips on avoiding them. 

Expensive Home Repairs and How To Avoid Them

1 – Restoring a damaged foundation

Restoring a damaged foundation adds up fast! While it’s an enormous expense, it’s one that you cannot skip as it serves as the structure on which your home rests. If it continues to deteriorate, your problems will escalate—and the repair costs will mount up even higher. 

As a benefit to you, restoring a damaged foundation will mean a dry, more usable basement.

Here are a few signs of foundation damage:

• Moisture inside the basement (even when you’ve graded the lot properly)
• Cracks in the basement walls
• Inside the main rooms, cracks in the ceilings and drywall
• Sloping floors
• Our of square walls, door frames, and window jambs

A foundation repair specialist can assess your situation and help you determine if you have a structural issue or some other cause of these symptoms. 

To prevent foundation damage:

• Keep your gutters clear and running freely to eliminate erosion
• Direct downspouts out and away from your foundation

• Have small cracks repaired right away
• Grade the land to move water away from your home
• Don’t cultivate deeply rooted plants near the foundation

2- Replacing the roof

A roof replacement comes with a price tag that varies based on the size and pitch of your roof. The cost can be high. However, the roof is an integral part of your home, and it’s one expense that you shouldn’t skimp on. 

And, a brand new roof will look fantastic and lower your heating and cooling bills.

What are the key indicators that your roof might need replacing? Do a DIY inspection, looking for the following:

• Leaks in your attic or skylights
• Rotting roof trusses in the attic
• Shingles that are visibly lifting
• Missing shingles
• Nails that have popped out

If you see any of these indications, then you are most likely in need of a roof replacement. 

To prevent roof damage:

• Keep trees trimmed back from the roof
• Periodically check for nail pop-outs and drive them back in
• Clean your gutters as needed
• Re-caulk around flashing, vents, and skylights whenever necessary

3 – Investing in replacement windows

While replacing windows your home’s windows comes with a hefty price tag, this project also presents the opportunity to amplify your curb appeal and increase energy savings. 

So, how can you tell if you need replacement windows? A few signs that may determine that you need new windows:

• Moisture build up between the panes
• Broken locks/latches
• Cracks or chips in the panes
• Windows are inoperable (which is extremely dangerous if you need egress)
• Rotting wood frames
• They feel drafty

A window company can show you where you’re losing energy and offer you the products to remedy the situation. 

To prevent window damage:

• Trim back shrubs and trees from the windows
• Inspect periodically and caulk around the frames as needed
• Clean them regularly and use the time to inspect for any damage
• Lubricate the latches, track, and frame yearly

4 – Rewiring your home

If you reside in an older home, you may have been putting off a total rewiring to avoid the expense. That can be a costly mistake, as wiring today is safer and more reliable than that from decades ago. 

Here’s how you can determine if you need rewiring done in your home:

• Inspect for cracks in the wire housing
• Use your phone charger and plug it into every outlet to ensure that it works and does not jiggle around or feel loose
• If you smell a faint burning aroma, get it addressed asap!
• You blow fuses regularly

Rewiring your home is not a safe project to try to tackle yourself. One mistake can cause a fire or bodily injury. Call a qualified electrician to handle this upgrade. 

Unfortunately, there are few remedies to help “prevent” the need to rewire your home. It’s one of those must-do projects that ensure the functionality of your home and your family’s safety.

5 - Replacing your HVAC Unit

Your HVAC unit is the mechanism that cools you in the summer and warms you in the winter, so it’s essential to keep it running right. But, when the time comes to replace it, the cost can be significant (depending upon the size of your home).

Signs that there could be issues with your HVAC unit:

• Struggles to heat or cool the home 
• Makes rattling noise
• Bad odors when the unit runs

Luckily, this is a reasonably quick replacement for an HVAC installer—a one day job in most cases.

To extend the life span of your HVAC unit, here are a few things you can do:

• Change the filters according to manufacturer schedule
• Have a technician inspect and maintain it every six months or so
• If your unit sits outside instead of in a basement, keep the area clear of debris
• Get the ductwork professionally cleaned annually

Now, the Good News About the Most Expensive Home Repairs

All that probably sounds very costly—and it can be! However, there is a silver lining at the end of this story. Your investment will make your home more comfortable and safer for your entire family. And, isn’t that what we all want?