Home Ownership Costs

We started hiding our money in our house in 1966. We bought a “fixer-upper” in the St. Charles County exurbs of St. Louis Mo. for $16,000. We fixed it up ourselves and sold it for $36,000 in 1975. We took our $20,000 and plopped it down on a $55,000 house in Salina Ks and sold it for $85,000 in 1983.

When we moved to Dunwoody GA in 1983, we purchase a large home for $134,000. We paid it off in 2003. It is now worth over $500,000, but we spent about $80,000 on maintenance and upgrades. This home had dark paneling in the family room, kitchen, garage and basement and a 1970 style ceiling to floor brick fireplace façade. We removed the paneling, ran the electrical for can lights and waited for the drywall guys.

We did our own maintenance for decades. I bought a 40 foot ladder from HD $100 in 1983, so I could paint the house as needed. We had his and her matching crowbars. 

Our maintenance and upgrade costs have been as follows:

Installed garage door $935 in 1991

Driveway parking pad expanded $3500 in 1991

Wood Floors from A-Flooring $2000 in 1995.

35 Year Elk Architectural Roof installed $3500 in 1996

Installed lawn sprinkler system $1081 in 1998

Cherry Built-ins throughout with and Corian Countertops from Georgia Kitchen Fronts plus Sub Zero from HD Expo, $20,000 in 1999. New oven, microwave, cook top and dishwasher $1500 in 1999.

Drywall for family room and garage. $2000 in 2001.

Basement upgrade in drywall $5000 in 2002.

Replace HVAC units $4000 in 2002.

Red Brick Patios using 14 pallets of Lowes brick and 11 tons of granite sand $1600 in 2003 with no contractors.

Fireplace Mantle made with marble and Fypon architectural pieces from Home Depot and HD Expo. $600.in 2004 with no contractor.

Outside electrical outlets from Meer Electric and Up-lights from Lowes. $500. In 2007

Wood fence replaced 240 feet $3500 in 2007

Gutter Guard 220 feet by Taylor Construction $4000 in 2011

New sewer and waterline $4000 in 2012.

Concrete Fiber Board from All-Phase $20,000 in 2014.

Tree removal costs over 30 years totaled $4000.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader