No matter how old or what condition your Carlsbad home is when you purchase, it is inevitable that at some point things will need to be repaired. A good rule of thumb to start doing right away is putting away some extra funds to be ready for repairs. 1-3% of the purchase price is a good idea. Here are seven repairs that sooner or later you will face doing on your most prized investment. If you can fix stuff yourself, you’ll only pay for the cost of materials and save a bundle on these common repairs and replacements.
1. Replace Toilet Fill Valves
That annoying sound of water continually filling and draining from your toilet tank is often caused by leaky fill valve, which a plumber can replace, stopping water waste and restoring quiet. If you can't do this yourself, Carlsbad plumber rates vary from $45 to $100 per hour, and the job will take about two hours — the minimum some plumbers require just to take the job.
Labor: $50 to $200
Materials: $11 to $23
Total: $61 to $223
2. Repair a Leaky FaucetThe water torture drip-drip-drip from a leaky faucet won’t just drive you insane, it can drive up water bills, too. Depending on the type of faucet you have, fixes typically involve replacing damaged rubber washers (10 for $2), O-rings (10 for $2), or a faucet cartridge ($8 to $30).
Labor: $95 to $300
Materials: $2 to $30
Total: $97 to $330
3. Replace Ceiling FanIf you’ve got a ceiling fan, sooner or later the motor will burn out, the blades will warp, and fashions will change, so you’ll need to replace it. Replacing isn’t a big deal, because upgraded wiring, a reinforced ceiling box, and a light switch with ceiling fan controls are already in place. What you’re paying for is an electrician’s time — one or two hours — and a new fixture.
Labor: $50 to $200
Materials: $54 to $1,000 and up
Total: $104 to $1,200
4. Repair DrywallNicks, gashes, and smashes inevitably mar your beautiful walls. You’ll have to patch and paint to make them look as good as new. A painter can do both jobs and will probably give you a flat rate that will include patching or filling blemishes, then sanding, priming, and painting.
Painters charge $25 to $62 per hour for labor or $2.68 to $4.60 per square foot including materials. Figure it will take about three hours to repair a wall, including drying time for the patching compound and paint. It’s a good idea to save up painting chores so you have enough to keep a painter busy while repairs cure.
Materials include paint at $12 to $50 or more a gallon, which should cover about 350 square feet; plus another $10 to $50 for brushes, rollers, drop clothes, and drywall patching compound.
Labor: $75 to $186
Materials: $22 to $100
Total: $97 to $286
5. Repair Cracked TileTile is hard and durable, but drop something heavy on it and it’s likely to crack — a reason to always order more tile than you need so you’ll always have spares. To replace cracked tiles, a handyman must pry out the damaged tiles, scrape away old fixative, re-glue new tiles, and spread new grout. Replacing a 2-foot-by-2-foot section of tile should take one to two hours, not including the drying time required for the adhesive to set.
Labor: $30 to $125 per hour; with possible $150 to $350 minimum charge for a handyman
Materials: $1 to $20 per square foot
Total: $34 to $430
6. Fix Out-of-Alignment DoorsOver time, your house moves as its foundation settles and building materials expand and contract with changes in humidity. The movement often is noticed when doorframes shift slightly, causing hinges to creak and doors to not shut properly.
Adding wooden shims to frames and hinges can bring doors back into alignment and let them easily open and close once again. Replacing worn-out screws with longer screws helps secure hinges tightly.
A handyman can fix a door in about an hour. Materials will include shims and screws.
Labor: $30 to $125 per hour; with possible $150 to $350 minimum charge for a handyman
Materials: $5
Total: $35 to $355
7. Fix a Faulty Light SwitchSometimes you turn on the light but nothing happens; or sparks crackle, and the light turns on. It’s disconcerting, but most likely it’s an easy fix. An electrician will turn off the power, take off the faceplate, check and perhaps tighten wires; or replace the switch. All told, it will take less than an hour.
Labor: $50 to $100 per hour
Materials: $1 to $6 for a single pole light switch
Total: $41 to $106
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