S/O how much have you spent on your house?

[Anonymous]

And what have you done? I feel like most peoples biggest expense outside of kids is their house. How much have you spent on your house and what have you done to it? Did you do it all at once or over time? How much did you buy your house for and what is it worth now?

[Anonymous]

Bought for just under $500k in 2015 and refinanced at the interest lows. We truly never planned to stay in this house forever, which was our “starter” home but it doesn’t make sense to move so we have spent a LOT. Probably $300k. We have redone the kitchen, finished the basement and added a basement kitchenette, gutted 2 of 4 bathrooms, major change to the exterior, landscaping… oh and of course new air handlers and new appliances…

[Anonymous]

We bought for $430,000 in 1998. Worth a million and a quarter now. We've probably sunk an additional $300,000 over the years doing the following:

Enlarged and renovated kitchen: $130,000. Finished basement: $40,000. Renovated all bathrooms: $75,000. Expanded primary suite: $40,000.

[Anonymous]

We bought a townhouse for $420K in 2017, it's probably worth $520K now? We've only done needed maintenance and repairs, although it's needed a fair amount (new roof, new HVAC, water damage from a toilet that clogged). No renovations.

[Anonymous]

Let's just say a lot. It's a prewar apartment we purchased in 2006, and since then we have (1) gut renovated every room, and (2) purchased the small apartment next door and annexed it to ours. It was always the long-term plan to do this when we bought it, and it was done in five separate "big projects" that were finally finished in 2023.

It's now worth more than twice of what we paid for it, but most of that is due to general property appreciation and not our renovations per se. We loved it when we bought it, and the end product has been worth the wait, inconvenience, and expense.

[Anonymous]

Just this last week, we spent $900 repairing the AC and $500 repairing the stove. Since buying, we’ve spent $27k on a new roof, $100k on all new windows and outdoor doors, $15k having mold in ducts remediated, $8k on a new furnace. I’ve lost track of amount we’ve spent on painting, HVAC, and other miscellaneous repairs. Home ownership is a racket!

[Anonymous]

Bought it for $150,000 25 yrs ago, now worth $400,000.
Replaced the roof ($10,000) and garage door ($3,000), rewired after small fire- but insurance covered that.
I’ve replaced a few faucets, changed lighting, but it was minor.

[Anonymous]

For my primary house aside from a new composite deck when I bought the place in 2003 (deck was $12k), it’s mostly repairs or maintenance. New kitchen in 2015- replaced appliances, flooring, cabinets and counters- was $28k. New roof was $6k in 2009, new windows were $22k in 2025. I had some rotten wood repaired (about $3500), new HVAC and water heater ($8000). Landscaping and mowing costs me about $2k a year,
Blacktopping the driveway is $125. House was $385k in 2003, worth about $900k now.

My weekend place is a money suck. Paid $187k in 2009, worth $400k now. I’ve had to replace the roof ($6k), constant work on the three level deck- just to stain was $3300 and repairs have probably put in an additional $8k over the years. I put in a fire pit $1500, pest control and critter removal is probably $2k a year. I sunk about $5k into it last year to paint some rooms, replace some fixtures, replace ceiling fans, add a garbage disposal. It really needs a full renovation and there are always little things that need to be done (still need to fix the shed roof where a stick poked a hole, my metal chimney had a branch move it askew).

I own both properties outright so any money I have to put in doesn’t sting that badly.

[Anonymous]

$20,000 on mold remediation for mold and moisture issues missed in the home inspection. I hate this house.

[Anonymous]

Bought last year for $850k, online estimates show around $1M now but who knows? We spent about $80k right at move-in replacing roof and gutters, swapping out oil heat for electric, painting, electrical heavy-up, refinishing floors, replacing water heater, adding indoor and outdoor lighting. The house was priced accordingly so these were all anticipated.

[Anonymous]

We bought new for $350,000 in 2000 and we have redone most of the inside of the house, finished basement, replaced all of the flooring, gut renovated all of the bathrooms. In 2022 we did a complete kitchen and 1st floor remodel. Outside we have done extensive decking, screened in porch, stairs and patio. Redone landscaping twice. We have replaced the roof, HVAC, and we are on our 3rd hot water heater. All in we have probably invested between 300,000 and 400,000. The house next door to use sold last year for $1.1 million with no cosmetic upgrades (both new roof and HVAC). I am guessing we would get be $1.1 and $1.2 if we moved. We want a nice home with nice updates and nice things. I am currently looking at updating the front door and replace with a custom one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We bought new for $350,000 in 2000 and we have redone most of the inside of the house, finished basement, replaced all of the flooring, gut renovated all of the bathrooms. In 2022 we did a complete kitchen and 1st floor remodel. Outside we have done extensive decking, screened in porch, stairs and patio. Redone landscaping twice. We have replaced the roof, HVAC, and we are on our 3rd hot water heater. All in we have probably invested between 300,000 and 400,000. The house next door to use sold last year for $1.1 million with no cosmetic upgrades (both new roof and HVAC). I am guessing we would get be $1.1 and $1.2 if we moved. We want a nice home with nice updates and nice things. I am currently looking at updating the front door and replace with a custom one.

If you can afford it, why not? Renovate while you are living in the house so you get to enjoy it! What's the point of living and saving if you don't enjoy life a little.

[Anonymous]

Bought for 700k in 2014. Spent about 250k. We have a new kitchen, wood floors throughout the entire house, finished basement with mini kitchen, bathroom, 2 guest rooms and a big family room and workshop. 3 new ACs, new tankless water heater, every room of the house is painted, new baseboards everywhere. New roof. These were all projects done one by one.

We still need a new master bathroom and a new kids bathroom, and a new brick walkway to the front door (it’s sinking and falling apart slowly). I’d like a new screened in deck too. Mosquitoes have gotten worse over the years. We’re just tired though and aren’t ready for the disruption.

[Anonymous]

Bought a 1980s colonial in an expensive inside-the-beltway area about 10 years ago for $1.4M. Have spent a ton of money. Around $100k on landscaping and minor updates when we moved in, $100k on a kitchen renovation a few years later, and most recently $300k on a full basement renovation. A few months ago I would have said it's worth $2.4M, but today the market feels weaker so maybe $2.2M.

Realistically, it would have been worth almost as much without any of the renovations.

[Anonymous]

You people are all lazy. Growing up my parents had us do all the home repairs or we did not eat.