Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate The Milestone Team

Top Ten Common Repair Costs

Aug 28, 2015
Your House, Your Home

In the life of every home, repairs happen. Here are the top 10 most common repairs that, sooner or later, your house will require.

Congratulations on buying your first house. Now, you have to learn how to keep it in good repair. To be safe, you should set aside money every year — 1% to 3% of your home’s purchase price — for repairs and maintenance.

The good news is that most repairs are simple, inexpensive, and DIY-friendly. If you can fix stuff yourself, you’ll only pay for the cost of materials and save a bundle on these common repairs and replacements.

1. Replace Toilet Fill Valves That annoying sound of water continually filling and draining from your toilet tank is often caused by leaky fill valve, which a plumber can replace, stopping water waste and restoring quiet. Plumber rates vary widely around the country, from $45 to $150 per hour, and the job will take about two hours — the minimum some plumbers require just to take the job. Labor: $50 to $200 Materials: $11 to $23 Total: $61 to $223 Related: Home Maintenance 101: 7 Things Every Homeowner Should Know 2. Repair a Leaky Faucet The water torture drip-drip-drip from a leaky faucet won’t just drive you insane, it can drive up water bills, too. Depending on the type of faucet you have, fixes typically involve replacing damaged rubber washers (10 for $2), O-rings (10 for $2), or a faucet cartridge ($8 to $30). Labor: $95 to $300 Materials: $2 to $30 Total: $97 to $330 Related: The WaterSense Label: What to Look For 3. Replace Ceiling Fan If you’ve got a ceiling fan, sooner or later the motor will burn out, the blades will warp, and fashions will change, so you’ll need to replace it. Replacing isn’t a big deal, because upgraded wiring, a reinforced ceiling box, and a light switch with ceiling fan controls are already in place. What you’re paying for is an electrician’s time — one or two hours — and a new fixture. Labor: $50 to $200 Materials: $54 to $1,000 and up Total: $104 to $1,200 Related: Ceiling Fans: Know the Spin Before You Install 4. Repair Drywall Nicks, gashes, and smashes inevitably mar your beautiful walls. You’ll have to patch and paint to make them look as good as new. A painter can do both jobs and will probably give you a flat rate that will include patching or filling blemishes, then sanding, priming, and painting. Painters charge $25 to $62 per hour for labor or $2.68 to $4.60 per square foot including materials. Figure it will take about three hours to repair a wall, including drying time for the patching compound and paint. It’s a good idea to save up painting chores so you have enough to keep a painter busy while repairs cure. Materials include paint at $12 to $50 or more a gallon, which should cover about 350 square feet; plus another $10 to $50 for brushes, rollers, drop clothes, and drywall patching compound. Labor: $75 to $186 Materials: $22 to $100 Total: $97 to $286 Related: Patch a Drywall Hole 5. Repair Cracked Tile Tile is hard and durable, but drop something heavy on it and it’s likely to crack — a reason to always order more tile than you need so you’ll always have spares. To replace cracked tiles, a handyman must pry out the damaged tiles, scrape away old fixative, re-glue new tiles, and spread new grout. Replacing a 2-foot-by-2-foot section of tile should take one to two hours, not including the drying time required for the adhesive to set. Labor: $30 to $125 per hour; with possible $150 to $350 minimum charge for a handyman Materials: $1 to $20 per square foot Total: $34 to $430 Related: Smart Tips for Choosing Bathroom Flooring 6. Replace Caulk Around Tubs, Sinks, and Showers Caulk is the waterproof seal around sinks, tubs, and showers that prevents moisture from seeping through gaps and onto drywall and flooring. When caulk cracks or peels, it should be replaced immediately to prevent mold and rot. A handyman can dig out old caulk around a tub and reseal with new in about an hour. Labor: $30 to $125 per hour; with possible $150 to $350 minimum charge for a handyman Materials: $1 to $4 for a tube of bathroom caulk Total: $31 to $354 Related: How to Remove Caulk 7. Fix Gutters Gutters and downspouts carry water from rain and snow away from your house and onto the ground. Sometimes the weight of wet snow and soggy leaves puts too much pressure on gutters, causing them to pull away from the house or pitch at inefficient angles. A gutter contractor will clean gutters, and replace or reinstall supportive hardware and hangers. To restore the correct pitch, the contractor must detach and reattach each gutter section. Labor: $127 to $282 (depending on length of gutter) Materials: $10 for five hangers; $6 to $9 for gutter sealant Total: $143 to $301 Related: How to Unclog a Gutter 8. Fix Out-of-Alignment Doors Over time, your house moves as its foundation settles and building materials expand and contract with changes in humidity. The movement often is noticed when doorframes shift slightly, causing hinges to creak and doors to not shut properly. Adding wooden shims to frames and hinges can bring doors back into alignment and let them easily open and close once again. Replacing worn-out screws with longer screws helps secure hinges tightly. A handyman can fix a door in about an hour. Materials will include shims and screws. Labor: $30 to $125 per hour; with possible $150 to $350 minimum charge for a handyman Materials: $5 Total: $35 to $355 Related: Cool Improvements: Replacing Your Interior Doors 9. Repair Ice Damming If your house isn’t insulated correctly or your roof isn’t designed correctly, melting roof snow can run off and freeze around roof edges. Eventually, this can form an ice dam that creeps up your roof, damaging shingles and forcing melting water into your home. One popular solution to ice damming is to install a heating cable along the roof’s edge, which warms the area and prevents freezing. It’s not a DIY job. Roofing contractors will install the cable, and an electrician will install outlets that will juice up the cable. If you want a thermostat to turn the cable on and off automatically, that’ll be extra, too. Labor and materials: $30 to $60 per linear foot Total: $371 to $1,319 (average job cost) Related: How to Prevent Ice Dams 10. Fix a Faulty Light Switch Sometimes you turn on the light but nothing happens; or sparks crackle, and the light turns on. It’s disconcerting, but most likely it’s an easy fix. An electrician will turn off the power, take off the faceplate, check and perhaps tighten wires; or replace the switch. All told, it will take less than an hour. Labor: $50 to $100 per hour Materials: $1 to $6 for a single pole light switch Total: $41 to $106 Related: How to Repair a Light Switch

By: Lisa Kaplan Gordon - is an avid gardener, a member of the Fairfax County Master Gardeners Association, and a builder of luxury homes in McLean, Va. She’s been a Homes editor for Gannett News Service and has reviewed home improvement products for AOL

Why Pay Rent - You Can Afford to Own This!

Aug 28, 2015

If you are looking for a good home at a good value, then give this one a look. Small but practical, its move-in ready. Offering an efficiently designed eat-in kitchen with a back pantry/laundry room, a sunny living room and newly carpeted floors. A large basement provides great storage and you also can enjoy the convenience of a 2 car garage. Close to Exit 10, I-89, this location is perfect for going north or south. Wood in the back and small lawn around the house - yard work is a breeze. Stop paying rent and begin home ownership here! Offered at $168,000. For more information and photos, visit www.RanchinNH.com.

Donna Forest, Listing Broker, 603-526-4116

Teamwork from the Team that works – Coldwell Banker Milestone Real Estate.

Price Reduction - Sunapee, NH

Aug 26, 2015
Sunapee Listings

Don't miss out on this immaculate antique cape with new kitchen, master suite addition, new windows and numerous upgrades. Historic charm in Sunapee village with town water and sewer, 4 bedrooms, 3 baths. Walk to Sunapee Harbor and ski at Mt. Sunapee ten minutes away! Was $330,000, now $325,000. For more information, visit http://tour.circlepix.com/home/Z9H2NN.

Anne Marie Appel, Listing Agent, 603-526-4116

Real estate markets are local, and we have the real scoop on ours. Coldwell Banker Milestone Real Estate

Waiting to Buy Could Cost You

Aug 21, 2015
Real Estate Info

If you’ve been on the fence about buying your first house or moving up to a larger one, waiting until next year may ultimately mean more money out of your pocket. Why? Not only are home prices rising, the interest rate you pay on a mortgage is also expected to increase. The higher the rate, the greater the payment will be. Let’s look at an example of how this impacts a mortgage payment. Say you found your dream home today and are getting a loan for $250,000. Current mortgage rates are around 4% so the monthly payment is $1194 (principal and interest only). By this time next year, rates are projected to increase to around 5% and home prices are also expected to increase about 4.3%. To buy that same house, you now are getting a loan for $260,750 and the monthly payment is $1400. The difference in payment is $206 more a month! Over the course of a year, that is $2472. Hmm, I’m sure you could think of plenty of things to do with that kind of extra money! Bottom line, if you seriously want to buy, waiting until next year does not make sense. Contact me if you want to take advantage of today’s rates and pricing to find your new home. www.donnaforest.com, donna@donnaforest.com, 603-526-4116.

Real estate markets are local, and we have the real scoop on ours. Coldwell Banker Milestone Real Estate

Looking for a Home with Great Views?

Aug 18, 2015
New London Listings

In the country, yet just on the edges of town, this contemporary deck home offers southwestern exposure with 180 degree views including Mt. Sunapee, Mt. Kearsarge, the Village of New London and a solid glimpse of Pleasant Lake. Beautifully crafted with maple, mahogany and cedar, and gracious open and light-filled spaces. Master bedroom with private bath and walk-in closet on the main living level. Abuts a large conservation area with many trails for hiking. A very exciting opportunity! Offered at $539,000. For more photos and details, visit www.PanoramicNHViews.com

Marilyn Kidder, Listing Broker, 603-526-4116

“Word of Mouth” is the best advertisement, and we love it when you refer your friends and family to Coldwell Banker Milestone Real Estate.

New Listing - Newport, NH Home for Sale

Aug 07, 2015

This classic cape with a wraparound porch has great curb appeal and a fantastic yard! Harvest the fruits of their labor from the number of trees planted over the years - many varieties of apple trees, peach & plum, blueberry bushes and lots of pretty perennial gardens. Enjoy those hot summer days swimming in the in-ground pool. The screened porch is a great place to relax as well and has a view of Mt. Sunapee off in the distance. Very convenient to the lake and Mt. Sunapee for summer and winter fun. Also has direct trail access for the snowmobile enthusiast with plenty of room to store them! Offered at $285,000. For more photos and details, visit http://tour.circlepix.com/home/DTV9EN.

Jane Snow, Listing Agent, 603-526-4116

Known for service, trusted for results – Coldwell Banker Milestone Real Estate.

Happenings at Mt. Sunapee

Aug 07, 2015
Local Events

You have until this Sunday, 8/9, to visit Mt. Sunapee Resort and view the annual League of NH Craftsmen's Fair. The Fair showcases the work of more than 350 craftspeople's items made by hand. It's the place to see an incredible variety of beautiful, one-of-a-kind craft items that are functional, decorative, and built to last. And don't forget the Adventure Park at South Peak! You'll find disc golf, mini-golf, guided canopy tours, an aerial challenge course and more! Visit their web site and come enjoy the local fun, www.mtsunapee.com

You’ll be moving in the right direction with Coldwell Banker Milestone Real Estate.

Housing Market Remains Positive

Jul 30, 2015
Real Estate Trends

Good news – homes sales January through June in the 10 area towns combined are up 9.2% from last year for the same time period (170 homes sold in 2015 vs. 156 homes in 2014). The average selling price inched up about 1% and the average days on market increased from 143 days in 2014 to 169 days in 2015. Not all towns are seeing sale increases at this point, however overall, the market is moving in the right direction. For example, Newbury has 20 home sales this year as compared to 11 in 2014, Sunapee has 20 home sales as compared to 18 last year, while New London has seen a decrease with 25 home sales this year compared to 42 in 2014. The most recent report from New Hampshire REALTORS® show statewide sales are up 4.5% January-May and the median price up 6.2%. At that time, all but Merrimack County saw median price increases. So what does this mean? Essentially, our area is still in a buyers' market with more homes to sell than there are buyers. Homes properly priced and prepared for the market will have a better chance of selling this year compared to previous years. With low interest rates and prices holding steady at this point, buyers still have great buying opportunities. It is a unique market with pluses for both buyers and sellers. Contact me if you want to take advantage of being a buyer or seller! 603-526-4116, donna@donnaforest.com, www.donnaforest.comFigures are based on information from the Northern New England Real Estate Network, Inc. for the period 1/1/14 through 6/30/14 and 1/1/15 through 6/30/15.

Real estate markets are local, and we have the real scoop on ours. Coldwell Banker Milestone Real Estate

Reduced Price on Sunapee Home

Jul 24, 2015
Sunapee Listings

This spacious home is close to Mt. Sunapee Resort in a quiet, private setting with many upgrades. Nicely landscaped with level lot. Great home for entertaining with plenty of living area inside and out. Kitchen features granite countertops with center island, hardwood floor, slider to the deck, propane stove for extra heat and ambiance and convenient breakfast area. Formal dining room with hardwood flooring. Spacious family room with fireplace and tile floor opens onto the back deck. A lovely home with plenty of room for all. For more photos and details, visit http://tour.circlepix.com/home/BLNQZJ

Joan Wallen, Listing Agent, 603-526-4116

Known for service, trusted for results – Coldwell Banker Milestone Real Estate.

Looking for a Fixer Upper?

Jul 24, 2015

This is a must see for the handy person! Adorable farmhouse with loads of potential. Currently a 3 bedroom, 1 bath home with a future master suite which has been partially started and features a bathroom plumbed in. Huge workshop with wood stove provides a great opportunity to work at home. Beautiful, mostly open lot with seasonal local views. Many established gardens. Convenient access to Route 11 for an easy commute to New London, Concord or the Upper Valley. Offered at $149,900. For more photos and details, visit http://tour.circlepix.com/home/6A7KAX.