The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it.
The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday in the noon hour.
What was the most you’ve ever paid to repair something in your home, and what was it? (example: new roof, termite damage, new washer & dryer, water damage, etc.)
Talk about it….
50 year roof…
Most expensive repair was remodeling my entire home for just $50,000 cheaper than to move to a new house. Loving it it hard for me to leave my crib sometime.
We try to do one “big” project each year … and they all seem to be in the $10,000 range. For this year we’re getting ready to pull the trigger for a new roof (about $12K) … installed a new heater and AC last year ($10K) … new redwood fencing all around the year prior ($10K) … the year before that it was exterior painting, a new garage door and opener for a tad under $9,000 … and the list goes on an on. I read somewhere that you should set aside about 5% of your home’s value each year for repairs/upkeep.
Just a FYI – I used Dynasty Roofing in Pleasant Hill. Great price, professional, clean and quick.
Just about $4000 so far for kitchen work and install. Stove is still on the list for next month so (with tax of course), might end up about $5000/$5500 by the end of August.
Replacing the transmission
Good one Mike I have a transmission in my house also.
New heater/Air conditioner: $15K
Thanks for the warning. I’ve been told Heat/Air replacement can go to $25K,
@Dorothy – If you have concerns about your AC/Heat systems, I highly recommend Absolute Air in Martinez. They are our go to for all HVAC needs. They are wonderful. Expert work and very reasonable charges. They will tell you if it is better to repair or replace a unit, and will completely explain the reasoning. Also, they are a highly trained union shop and the crews really know their stuff.
Thanks Mary. I better make note of them – and that you recommended them. It could be a year or two before I can do it though.
So far it’s been a new roof plus installation for a bit under $13,000. Also did A/C and a new heater, plus a new panel on the side of the house and had the garage rewired. All that cost about $10,000. I need to get going on other stuff that the house needs. Mainly landscaping and paint at this point.
Apart from my full home remodel which I did about 7 years ago for $65,000, I try to do one big update about once a year to keep things fresh.
Last year I replaced each of my toilets with the new ones that have bidets and a nice water saving feature for the #1 business. A total of 9 toilets replaced. Honestly cost me an arm and a leg, almost $4,000 a toilet, but my bathroom guy says that they’ll last for years to come. It was a hoot and a half watching the guys replace them though, 40 years since these toilets were last replaced.
@Maximus77
WAIT WHAT?!!! You have 9 toilets in your house?!
Not to quibble, BUT you did a “full remodel” of a 9 bathroom home for all of $65k and then 7 years later spend almost $36k on toilets, albeit fabulous ones, 7 years later. Doesn’t sound like a full remodel, just saying. Also spent $42k last month on new roof and gutters.
@Nokeem I was able to do it for relatively cheap because I did most of the work myself – laminate flooring, tiling, painting, etc… I always hire out for skilled stuff like electrical work and plumbing.
Regardless, I cut a lot of corners and the whole thing didn’t turn out looking too great, definitely not too pleased with the end result. Plus, the house only has 4 bedrooms, so its not anything too big or extravagant.
@Maximus77
Once again the 9 toilets have me scratching my head. Are you saying you have 9 bathrooms in your house?
9 bidet toilets in a 4 bedroom house? …never seen that!
If I’m reading this correctly, he has 9 toilets at his business (#1 business). No one has 9 bathrooms in their 4 bedroom home with toilets that last 40 years. #1business is the operative word (I think).
Just for clarity on the 9 bathrooms since everyone seems to be losing their marbles over it –
The house does in fact have 9 bathrooms: 1 for each bedroom (4), 1 off a hallway, 1 off the living area, 1 built out into my my garage/shop area, 1 outside near the pool (I built it to look like an old outhouse, with an outdoor shower and everything), and 1 just off my billiards room.
Haha Maximus77. I love the genuine perplexity over the 9, yes NINE, toilets…my self is included in that eye popping statement.
Sooooo, I assume you have one al fresco in the back 40. I am sure you would have an audience if you told us where each of them is.
@Justifiable Languor I explained in he comment above where each of them is located.
Thank you Maximus77. I don’t know how I missed it.
You can make any toilet a little more water-saving by putting a brick in the tank. A large plastic Pepsi bottle filled with water will do the same thing. Just make sure it is filled with water and doesn’t interfere with the flushng mechanism.
Our 1940s waste line we recently replaced. Open trench, 130 feet of waste line including 3 new clean outs. For the connection at the public sewer line in the lane, Central San also required us to abandon the old connection and install a Y junction sewer connection. Haul away about 13 yards of old dirt. Purchased probably 20ish yards of gravel for fill in driveway and lane. Then replaced concrete along trenched area.
We knew the expense was coming, it wasn’t a surprise. I won’t go into the cost. But let’s say that for the next 2, maybe 3 Christmas seasons, everyone on the Christmas list gets a homemade holiday card and a cookie.
Trees were just trimmed. Next on the list is some dry rot repair and painting the house. It never ends, does it? 🙂
Haven’t done the kitchen yet, which will be the big one.
But, 2 years ago, the Heater/Air Conditioner, which was a big one, $10,000.
Yikes!
@Roz
We just gutted & remodeled our kitchen, & let me tell you, spending $10,000. for the heater/air is nothing compared to what you’re about to spend on your kitchen! Well worth it though.
Hey Derb ~ Yeah, I hear You!
We figured the kitchen will be the biggest ticket item we’ll be doing,…saving up for it. Hoping to keep the cost down by doing some work ourselves,…hoping to keep the cost under $20K.
Bathroom was done 1995, mostly by us, under $5K, but needs some up- date, floor & toilet.
There are other methods of sprucing up a kitchen. When it came time to redo mine, I preferred the real wood of my antique cabinetry to the materials that would replace them.
List the several items that must go. Flooring, counter tops, new stove and high tech fan. By orchestrating the renovation you can cut costs by 2/3’s.
Just a thought.
We’ve been in our 1963-built home since 1988, and have dealt with the typical stuff: 2 water heaters ($600 and $800), central air ($8K), 2 dishwashers ($400 and $600 ), 2 washers/dryers ($800 and $1100), a new roof ($10K), and 2 stoves ($2,400 and $2,800). We installed solar for $12,000 a few years ago, and recover about $1500 every year. With PG&E getting ready to really hammer the ratepayer, we should recoup our investment a lot faster.
Most expensive compared to what was done – replacing a water heater on the weekend for $2,500. Probably should have been less than $1,000.
Otherwise front & back landscape & hardscape was $62,000.
I’ve lived in my house for nearly 40 years. For the first 20 I did my own work mostly a series of smaller jobs like installing a wood stove, later replaced by a replica gas unit, and whole house fan which together has saved me a ton of money in heating and cooling over the years. I also did a small remodel in the fam room to relocate the laundry and water heater to the garage. In 2008 I hired a contractor who did a substantial remodel of the kitchen, dining, and family rooms which involved moving a wall and relocating the HVAC unit to another part of the house. Now, I have aged and possibly intend to sell in the next year or so and will have to farm out the prep work which might be substantial. Hope this was not too long and boring.
@ Kirkwood
Before you do all of the work to sell, invest in having a reputable building inspector to come out and inspect the house for any trouble that you should address while dolling your house up for sale. It’s money well spent and no surprises from buyers on that front.
Nope.
Kirkwood – Oh, the memories in your house and her bones! 40 years is a long time. Take the time in making your decision. When/if the time comes, I can share local contractors husband Jim and I have personally used (he’s an Architect, so deals with this issue daily) to help ensure you will be treated fairly with any work you intend to do, and that the work is performed as expected.
@ Nokeem ~
Yes, I agree with you. We plan on an engineer to double check before doing our kitchen, so to see if one wall can be opened up, or if it is load bearing. Plus check for what other surprises may be hiding.
OUCH! Some of you really got taken to the cleaners.
HVAC = You need to go with small companies. An actual heating unit ( forced air furnace ) is only $1,500
Regular non tankless water heater should not cost more than $1,500 installed.
The best deal seems like that $12,000 solar. When calculating for solar, go with the highest tier rate .36 kwh because that is where solar is going to pay off quick.
Dorothy, Anyone paying 25k for HVAC is getting ripped.
I have to agree. I feel good about what I’ve paid for similar items (roof, kitchen, etc) after reading this. I installed my own water heater that i got at cost. Not hard at all. Don’t be afraid to shop around!
In compliance with recent Pleasant Hill requirements, we had to cough up $8,000 for new sewer connection. Bad news they had to break though a tile floor that I had just had laid six months earlier! So I had to pay for contractor to come back to replace!
Monier tile roof $7,500 Neighbor roofer
double electric oven $100 home warranty
garbage disposal $100 home warranty
hvac $7,500
Gas water heater $640 didn’t submit to home warranty in time, gave us a partial
I completely stripped 70+ years of paint off of my interior woodwork; wainscoting, 2 hutches, 14′ mantle & shelves underneath surrounding the fireplace, 9 doors & 12 doorways, 20 window sills & frames, 1″ x 4″ Douglass fir quarter sawn trim everywhere. Since I did it I don’t know how to put a price on it, but it cost me a lot.
Is yet to come . . .
Kitchen: new fridge, oven, cooktop, hood, dishwasher, backsplash, and granite counter. Cost about $17,000.00 Big problems with the big box stores not pulling permits. I had to cover the cost and had to pay for a separate contractor to make inspections. Lesson: Find out if your contractor pulls permits. I found a list of vetted contractors who do pull permits and follow the rules. I will never use Lowes or Home Depot again.
Roof, Original shake 1972, reroof 1983, started new roof today 18k hopefully last one for me
$60k for our kitchen. Gutted the whole thing and took down a load bearing wall: new beam, new floors, removed soffit, island, countertops, cabinets, appliances, new floors in living room and hallway, took down popcorn ceiling, painted. It’s like a whole new house and so much more functional
A new roof — a little over $12,000, if I remember correctly. Used Dynasty Roofing in Pleasant Hill, too. “Great price, professional, clean and quick.” They were amazing, really.
Excellent advice folks, I indeed intended to seek out advice in how to prepare the property for sale, code upgrades, what makes economic sense, etc. All suggestions are taken to heart and appreciated.
My advice is hire local, licensed referral based contractors.
Especially bigger projects like kitchen, baths and additions.
There are a lot of details that need to be addressed to ensure a
nice end product.
$4,000 to replace exterior sewer line and add a clean out.