First Person: I Cut My Home Repair Costs by 85%

After remodeling my home over a period of four years, I didn't expect to have more projects to deal with. But every year something else breaks, requiring more investments. This year, I received quotes totaling $6,300 for three home repair projects. Instead, I decided to tackle the repairs myself and ended up spending $930, for a total savings of $5,370.

Repairing a failing window

When the seal in two of my double-paned windows failed, the windows became foggy and smeared with the melting black seal. Not only was this unsightly but the windows ceased to be energy efficient. A window company quoted me $1,200 to replace each window ($2,400 for two).

With a little research, however, I learned that the windows can be repaired instead of replaced at a fraction of the cost, totaling $500 for both windows. By replacing the glass only, instead of tearing out the window frame as well, I have saved $1,900.

Replacing a section of carpet

When my Berber carpet began to unravel in places, like a run in a pair of stockings, I thought of replacing the carpet. I went to my home improvement store and received a quote for $2,100. Instead, of replacing the carpet with a brand new one, I decided to fix the existing one at no cost at all.

I had saved the leftover carpet from the initial installation. Using a sharp utility knife, I cut the damaged area out of the carpet. Then I inserted an identically sized strip from the leftover carpet. To hide the seam, I used a little fabric glue to connect the fibers on either side of the cut. In less than 2 hours I fixed my torn carpet and saved $2,100.

Replacing rotten wood on my deck

After an especially hot summer, some wood in my deck began to rot dangerously. I thought of replacing the floor of the deck completely, but the quote from a contractor came to $1,800.

Instead, I decided to pry out the rotten wood myself and replace it with new 2x4 lumber. After cutting each piece down to size, I first primed and painted it before installing it in the deck. As a result, I avoided having to repaint the whole deck. The project cost me $430, saving me $1,370.

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First Person: I Cut My Home Repair Costs by 85%