What Maintenance Actually Costs: 12 Real Calls From Our Properties
Owners often ask us what maintenance "should" cost. It's a fair question, but a hard one to answer in the abstract — because the honest answer depends entirely on what breaks, and repairs don't happen on a predictable schedule.
So instead of a general estimate, here are twelve actual maintenance calls from our properties over a recent stretch, with real costs attached.
Tree roots in the sewer line: $400
Busted lock on a window: $80
Failed clothes washer drain pump: $163
Roach extermination: $1,100
Failed deadbolt (changed all locks and handles, as needed): $280
Removal of 5 large cottonwood trees, stump grinding, dozen shrub removals, yard clean-up: $10,300
Oven replacement: $700
Replacement railing on entryway steps: $1,200
Exterior window/door trim painting: $300
Toilet replacement including flange: $420
Yard clean-up post wind storm (per yard, on 13 yards! Big storm!): $120
Fence repair post wind storm: $900
Some of these are minor — an $80 lock replacement doesn't move the needle. Others, like a $10,300 tree and landscaping removal, are the kind of expense that can catch a self-managing owner completely off guard if it's not budgeted for.
The Averages That Actually Matter
Individual repair costs are useful, but the numbers that help owners plan are the averages across a portfolio:
Average maintenance spend runs about 1.5% of property value per year, for properties up to a fourplex in size.
Average turnover spend at vacancy is around $800, after security deposit deductions are applied.
Average make-ready spend for new clients, per unit, is about $2,100 — this is the cost of bringing an inherited property up to the standard we operate at, which is often higher when we're taking over from another manager or a self-managing owner.
Costs Have Gone Up — But Context Matters
Yes, maintenance costs have risen. That's not in dispute. But it's important to look at that increase the right way.
As a percentage of property value, maintenance costs are still largely in line with where they've historically been. What's changed isn't that repairs have gotten disproportionately expensive — it's that property values themselves have gone up significantly, and a lot of owners' mental math hasn't caught up to that.
An owner who bought a property for $150,000 several years ago and watched it appreciate to $280,000 today should expect maintenance costs to reflect a $280,000 asset — not the $150,000 figure still anchored in their head. The property is worth more, so protecting it costs more. That's not repair costs spiraling; that's repair costs tracking the value of what they're maintaining.
Why This Matters for Budgeting
The real value in numbers like these isn't any single line item — it's using them to budget realistically. An owner who plans for maintenance as a percentage of property value, rather than a flat dollar amount from a few years ago, won't be blindsided when a tree removal or a storm cleanup shows up on the books.
This is also where a management company should be doing more than just approving invoices. Knowing which repairs are urgent versus which can be scheduled, negotiating fair vendor pricing, and budgeting proactively for the inevitable big-ticket item is the difference between maintenance being a controlled, predictable cost and it being a surprise every time something breaks.
Curious what your property's real maintenance numbers should look like?
If you're budgeting off numbers that don't reflect your property's current value, it might be time for an honest look. Let's talk. Blair Allen Property Management serves owners across South Dakota, Montana, and Arizona.
Chris Twiggs President, Blair Allen Property Management 📞 605-545-1218 ✉️ chris@blairallen.com