Home Maintenance Budget Calculator
Estimate how much to set aside each year for home upkeep, and a monthly savings target to get there. You can override the built-in assumptions with your own numbers.
Estimated budget
How this is calculated
We blend two common rules of thumb — about 1% of home value per year and about $1 per square foot per year — then apply an age adjustment (×1.0 under 10 years, up to ×1.3 at 40+). These percentages are illustrative assumptions, not verified universal rules. Your actual costs depend on climate, construction, deferred maintenance, and luck.
What this calculator does
It estimates a yearly maintenance budget by blending two widely-cited rules of thumb — roughly 1% of your home’s value per year and roughly $1 per square foot per year — and then nudges the result up for older homes, which tend to need more work.
How to use it
- Enter your home’s approximate value and finished square footage.
- Enter the property’s age.
- Optionally override the percentage rate or enter what you’ve already saved.
- Read the recommended annual budget and monthly savings target.
Example
A 15-year-old, 2,000 sq ft home valued at $400,000 yields about $4,000 from the 1% rule and $2,000 from the $1/sq ft rule. Blended, that’s $3,000, adjusted ×1.1 for age ≈ $3,300 per year, or about $275 per month.
Limitations
The percentages here are illustrative assumptions, not verified rules. Real costs vary widely with climate, construction quality, deferred maintenance, and chance. Treat the output as a starting point for planning, not a guarantee.