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Home Upkeep Costs
$279,000 Here a Yr.
Rappahannock’s County’s homeowners spend a pretty penny each year on the upkeep of their property, according to a recent government study. Their outlay per year, for general maintenance and for alterations, additions and repairs, is approximately $279, 000. That is an estimate based upon a government survey of home expenditures in communities across the country. The figures include data from the Department of Commerce and from other sources. They show that the average amount spent for such purposes in Rappahannock County’s regional area is about $197 per housing unit. This compares with $253 nationally That is the average. Some homeowners spend comsiderably more than that at times when major repairs are called for, but get along with smaller outlays in other years. Overall figures that show the total amount being spent for residential upkeep and improvement are contained in the Commerce Department re port. The outlay in this direction, throughout the nation, comes to $11.44 billion per year.
How is Rappahannock County’s share of this, $279,000, being distributed?
A breakdown, based on the national figures, indicates that 56 percent of it goes for ad ditions, alterations and replacements.
The other 44 percent is for general upkeep, maintenance and repairs. In this category, painting is the biggest item of expense. It accounts for 42 percent of all upkeep costs. Plumbing is next, with 11 percent, followed by roofing, 7 percent, and heating and air conditioning, 4 percent. Furnace repairs, electrical work, flooring and the like make up the remainder. Home maintenance and repair was more expensive last year, at least five percent more, than in the preceding year, according to Labor Department figures. In addition to increases in the cost of lumber, hardware, pipe fittings and other items, there was a marked increase in labor costs for mechanics and handymen. Frequently, these workmen were unobtainable at all. They had more jobs than they could handle. As a result, many homeowners were forced to pick up the wrench or the paint brush and do their own repair work.
88.8%