The Average Life Expectancy and Cost of Everything in Your Home
When you own a home sometimes things break.
And nobody wants to deal with a $4000 unexpected expense, scrambling to pay and putting the entire purchase on a credit card. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a general idea of how long your water heater might last and how much it will cost to replace?
Below is list of all of the major systems and components in the average home along with the life expectancy and installed cost.
Hopefully it will help you to plan out your home’s future maintenance costs. A good rule of thumb is to expect your home’s annual maintenance bill to be roughly 1-3% of your homes cost.
Commonly asked items in orange.
Appliances | Average Life Expectancy (Years) | Average Contractor Installed Cost (Low-High $) |
| Trash Compactor | 6 | $800-$2100 |
| Dishwasher | 8 to 12 | $600-$1200 |
| Disposal (food waste) | 12 | $250-$550 |
| Dryer | 10 to 15 | $750-1700 |
| Exhaust Fans | 10 | $150-$450 |
| Oven/Range | 10 to 18 | $750-$2000 |
| Refrigerator | 9 to 13 | $800-$2200 |
| Washing Machine | 10 to 15 | $750-$1550 |
Decks | Average Life Expectancy (Years) | Average Contractor Installed Cost (Low-High $) |
| Composite | 25+ | $35-$70 per sqft |
| Pressure treated wood | 10 to 20 | $15-$35 per sqft |
Electrical | Average Life Expectancy (Years) | Average Contractor Installed Cost (Low-High $) |
| Circuit Breakers | 30 to 40 | $75-$150 each |
| GFCI outlets | 10 to 15 | $40-$75 each |
| Flooring | Average Life Expectancy (Years) | Average Contractor Installed Cost (Low-High $) |
| Standard Wood Floors | 100+ | $11-$22 per sqft |
| Carpet | 10 to 15 | $3-$6 per sqft |
| Laminate/Vinyl | 15 to 25 | $4-$8 per sqft |
| Tile | 75 to 100 | $3-$7 per sqft |
HVAC | Average Life Expectancy (Years) | Average Contractor Installed Cost (Low-High $) |
| Air Conditioner (central) | 15 to 20 | $3000-$5000 |
| Attic Fan | 15 to 25 | $400-$800 |
| Boiler | 40 | $4000-$8000 |
| Whole House Dehumidifier | 8 to 15 | $2000-$5000 |
| Ducting | 60 to 100 | $33-$55 per linear ft |
| Electric Radiant Heater | 40 | $100-$250 each |
| Furnace | 15 to 30 | $2500-$4500 |
| Fireplace | 15 to 25 | Many factors |
| Chimney Flue Tile | 40 to 120 | Many Factors |
| Oil Tank | 25 to 50 | $1000-$3000 |
Inground Swimming Pool | Average Life Expectancy (Years) | Average Contractor Installed Cost (Low-High $) |
| Concrete Shell | 25+ | Many Factors |
| Filter | 10 to 15 | $500-$800 |
| Pump | 4 to 8 | $300-$600 |
| Vinyl Liner | 10 to 15 | $2000-$4000 |
| Waterline Tile | 15+ | $2500-$5000 |
Plumbing | Average Life Expectancy (Years) | Average Contractor Installed Cost (Low-High $) |
| ABS and PVC Waste Pipe | 50 to 80 | Many factors |
| Cast-Iron Waste Pipe | 50 to 100 | Many factors |
| Caulking (interior & exterior) | 5 to 10 | Many factors |
| Copper Water Lines | 70 | Many factors |
| Gas Lines (black steel) | 75 | Many factors |
| Gas Lines (flex) | 30 | Many factors |
| PEX Water Lines | 40 | Many factors |
| Plastic Water Lines | 75 | Many factors |
| Septic System | 25 to 30 | Many factors: $5k-$50k |
| Sump Pump | 7 to 10 | $400-$600 |
| Water Heater (conventional) | 10 to 15 | $1000-$2000 |
| Well Pump | 15 | $500-$2000 |
| Water Softener | 20 | $500-$3000 |
Radon Systems | Average Life Expectancy (Years) | Average Contractor Installed Cost (Low-High $) |
| Radon System | 50+ | $1000-$2000 |
| Radon Fan | 5 to 8 | – |
Roofing | Average Life Expectancy (Years) | Average Contractor Installed Cost (Low-High $) |
| Aluminum Coating | 3 to 7 | – |
| Asphalt Shingles (3-tab) | 15-20 | $3-$7 per sqft |
| Asphalt Shingles (archictecural) | 20-30 | $4-$7 per sqft |
| Copper | 70+ | – |
| EPDM Rubber | 15 to 25 | $4-$7 per sqft |
| Metal | 40 to 80 | $7-$12 per sqft |
| Slate | 60 to 150 | $11-$16 per sqft |
Siding | Average Life Expectancy (Years) | Average Contractor Installed Cost (Low-High $) |
| Aluminum Siding | 25 to 40+ | $5-9 per sqft |
| Gutters, Downspouts | 20 to 40+ | $3-$9 per linear ft |
| Asbestos Shingle | 100 | – |
| Brick | 100+ | $6-$12 per sqft |
| Engineered Wood | 100+ | $3-$10 per sqft |
| Fiber Cement | 100+ | $2-$5 per sqft |
| Stone | 100+ | $15-30 per sqft |
| Stucco/EIFS | 50+ | – |
| Vinyl Siding | 60 | $2-$7 per sqft |
Windows | Average Life Expectancy (Years) | Average Contractor Installed Cost (Low-High $) |
| Skylights | 10 to 15 | $700-$1200 each |
| Window Glazing Repair | 10+ | $50-$100 each |
| Vinyl Windows | 15 to 20 | $400-$900 each |
| Wood Windows | 30+ | $1000-$1500 each |
Other | Average Life Expectancy (Years) | Average Contractor Installed Cost (Low-High $) |
| Carbon Monoxide Detectors | 5 | $40 each |
| Smoke Detectors | 8 to 10 | $20 each |
Life expectancy varies with usage, weather, installation, maintenance, and quality.
Installed Replacement Cost varies with the quality of the product, labor needs, size of the home, warranty, manufacturer, installation provider etc.
This list is a resource and not a guarantee of life expectancy or cost.
Updated 2/19