Home repair budget worksheet
A one-page worksheet for planning a year of repairs: list the jobs, decide DIY or hire, record the real quotes as they come in, add a contingency, and see the total before anything is committed. Print it blank and fill it in by hand, or use the interactive cost planner, which does the arithmetic and gives you a link to save.
1. Projects for the year
One row per job. Priority: A = safety or active damage, B = prevents a bigger bill, C = comfort or cosmetic.
| Project | Priority | DIY materials | Quote 1 | Quote 2 | DIY / Hire | Budgeted | Month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subtotal | |||||||
| Contingency (10% default; 15–25% for an older home or anything behind a wall) | |||||||
| Total repair budget for the year | |||||||
2. Emergency reserve
| Home value × 1% (common rule of thumb for annual upkeep) | |
| Oldest major system (roof, furnace, AC, water heater) and its age | |
| Replacement range for that system (see table below) | |
| Reserve to hold this year |
3. Typical 2026 ranges for the big-ticket jobs
Planning figures, not quotes; local labor and material grade move real prices 20–40% either way. Jobs with a link have a calculator with project-specific inputs.
| Project | DIY materials | Pro installed | DIY? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Replace asphalt roof (2,000 sq ft) | pro only | $9,000–$18,000 | Pro only |
| Replace central AC (3-ton) | pro only | $4,500–$9,000 | Pro only |
| Replace gas furnace | pro only | $3,500–$7,500 | Pro only |
| Upgrade to 200A electrical panel | pro only | $1,500–$4,000 | Pro only |
| Install gutter guards | $300–$800 | $1,200–$3,000 | Moderate |
| Replace water heater (tank) | $500–$1,200 | $1,200–$2,500 | Hard |
| Install Level 2 EV charger | pro only | $600–$1,800 | Pro only |
| Stain / seal a deck (300 sq ft) | $80–$200 | $600–$1,500 | Moderate |
| Replace sump pump | $150–$400 | $600–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Replace dishwasher | $450–$900 | $650–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Replace toilet | $150–$500 | $400–$900 | Moderate |
| Paint a 12×12 room | $60–$200 | $400–$900 | Easy |
How to use the worksheet
- Walk the house once a season with the seasonal checklist and write down everything that needs attention, not just the urgent items.
- Price each row twice. Put the DIY materials figure in from the planner or a calculator, then fill in real quotes as they arrive. A row with quotes but no DIY figure is a decision you haven't made yet.
- Decide DIY or hire per row using the suitability label on each project page — not the price gap alone. Gas, refrigerant, panels, and roofs are pro rows regardless of the saving.
- Add contingency before you add anything else. 10% is a floor; older homes earn 15–25%.
- Sequence by month so the furnace is handled in September, the AC in April, and the roof before the rains — off-season quotes run 10–20% lower in most trades.
- When bids come in, line them up in the quote comparison worksheet before you copy a number into the Budgeted column.
Common questions
How much should I budget for home repairs each year?
The common rules of thumb are 1% of the home's value or $1 per square foot per year, averaged over time. Both understate years when a major system is due; that is what the emergency reserve section is for. A home with a 15-year-old furnace and a 20-year-old roof should be holding several thousand dollars more than the rule of thumb suggests.
What counts as a repair versus an improvement?
For budgeting, treat anything that restores the house to working order (roof, furnace, water heater, leaks) as a repair and anything that adds capability or finish (new kitchen, deck, addition) as an improvement. Repairs go on this worksheet and come out of the reserve; improvements are discretionary and should not consume it.
Is there a spreadsheet version?
The interactive planner is the spreadsheet: it holds your selections in the page link, applies contingency and a regional band, and prints to one page. Print this page blank if you prefer paper.
Figures reviewed November 2026. See how the estimates are built.