Guides / Saving for the house
How much to set aside for maintenance
Rules of thumb, and how to adjust them for your home.
A common rule of thumb is to set aside about 1% of your home's value each year for maintenance, more for older homes or those in harsh climates. It's a starting point, not a formula.
Adjust for your home
- Older homes and older systems need more
- Big yards, pools and decks add cost
- Harsh winters or humid climates are harder on homes
- A newer home may need less at first, but save anyway
Make it automatic
Divide your yearly figure by 12, and move that amount into a separate savings account each month. Our maintenance budget calculator works out a range for you.
General educational information. Costs vary by home and location. Better Home Budget isn't paid by any lender, insurer or contractor.