Spending $ now to eliminate recurring costs?
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SmallCityDave
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Curious how others think about spending on home to eliminate ongoing costs.
How much is your water bill and how much do you plan on spending on the well?
Ways to eliminate ongoing housing costs:
Pay off mortgage
solar
cut the cord
voip for phone
Well (?)
New water heater
Shop for lower priced home owners insurance.
How much is your water bill and how much do you plan on spending on the well?
Ways to eliminate ongoing housing costs:
Pay off mortgage
solar
cut the cord
voip for phone
Well (?)
New water heater
Shop for lower priced home owners insurance.
This is a great list.
On the mortgage, we just refinanced and have a great rate, so that’s one we won’t be doing.
Have full offset solar.
Trying to convince DH to cut the cord—with the exception of news, the only tv we watch is streamed.
Need landline for alarm for lower home insurance.
Have new water heater
Just reshopped our home insurance. Unfortunately, it’s doubled in the last year, which hurts!
I was trying to keep it general, to keep the conversation focused on the decision making process, but since several have asked, I’m estimating our annual water bill at around $9600. That’s when there are no surcharges in place, which happen sporadically. The cost to have city water/sewer for the house is about 2000 annually and I’m assuming 600 in annual well expenses. Full offset solar, so no cost there.
Well bids are coming in starting at 30k and going up to 70k worst case. Most saying 45-50 is most likely.
Any way you look at it, big dollars.
We may get a new roof due to hale damage. If insurance reimburses for new roof, X$, we may put solar panels on. We have a south exposure. Currently our electricity is wind generated. There are line costs and whatever fees. I think it's time for solar panels.
SmallCityDave
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This is pure madness...
We spend $420 annually and I'm thinking about connecting our well to the home.
Simply safe may be a good option for the alarm and I don't think you need a land line (cellular?) and it's $15 per month.
There are a number of good free new options such as cnn, fox & business, newsnet, haystack and chedder.
Do you get enough sun annually to be worth it? We live in one of the highest power rate areas in the country and get a lot of sunshine, so it was a pretty easy call. It’s harder to justify in other areas where power is cheaper and sunshine is less abundant. I like not having the annual expense though!
Now you see why we’re looking at a well!
I’ll look into simply safe. I haven’t gone through our cable bill yet, but other than DH watching news in the background all day long, we watch maybe one show a night, and those are 100% streamed. We both need good internet, which I think is about half the bill.
There are a few people in C-U area that are "off the grid" entirely. I have to contact them and ask questions, rather than to a sales person. One is a professor, has geo thermal heat, solar panels, electric cars. He talks at environmental seminars in the area.
DAYDREAMER
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OMG! That is nuts! I would be moving ASAP if our water cost that much.
Our public water bill is only $25/month, and is amazingly clean as reported from the annual water quality report. We live about 30 miles north of Seattle.
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Yes, it's nuts. That's why I didn't outline costs up front. It comes with the sunshine and a pool/lawn... 7k in potential savings/yr has us thinking a big initial spend may be worth it.
zinger1457
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A desert style landscape (crushed rock, low water plants) would definitely cut down on the water use, would think that it would start to be common in areas like SCal with water issues (costs, supply, etc.). I spend $0 on watering my landscape, there was some minor watering required the first couple years to get the plants going but after that what rain we get is enough. My water bill averages under $20/month.
aja8888
Moderator Emeritus
There are lots of threads here on solar panel cost/justification. You should review them as a starter. Also, many power companies are starting to charge line connection fees and other fees for your solar installation. There are lots of factors to determine if it is wise to invest thousands of dollars for a solar installation and those systems are unique to each locality.
Most people you ask about their solar installation will be biased and really not understand the payback, if any. Usually, the payback period is long (decades) and many users don't understand or want to discuss maintenance, operating and replacement costs. If you put a system in with battery backup for periods when there is no power being generated, the system can get real costly. If it snows where you are, panels with snow on them are not effective. Etc...
My SIL recently got sold (talked into) a solar setup where she lives in northern Wisconsin. After about one year, they are not happy as the system is not efficient and their so energy savings is much less than "advertised".
Good luck!
ncbill
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Do any of your neighbors depend on a well for domestic needs?
About 50% of our neighbors have a well for irrigation/pool. Most are on city water/sewer for home use. We looked at another house that had a well installed and it was a definite positive for us, but I don't think we realized how much of an advantage it would be!
Teacher Terry
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Our water bill is between 25-40/month. We put in Astro-turf due to the water shortage and zero maintenance. We have the plants and garden on automatic sprinklers.
Interesting. We can't do that as part of our hoa, but when we last looked into it the cost to install was very expensive and the replacement cycle made it not cost effective. Maybe different installation costs in different areas?
On spending to save recurring expenses: I'll be looking seriously into a metal roof when our asphalt shingles crump out (probably about 10 more years). The snap-down concealed fastener style looks good to me, and they are reportedly very resistant to hail, etc. Lower insurance costs, no future roof leak issues, and a >real< 50 year expected lifetime for the installation (i.e. I'll never need to do it again) are all considerations.
I have done concealed fasteners metal roof for very same reasons last year. Huge sticker shock but I am glad it is past us.
SnowballCamper
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What happens to your roof runoff? Maybe a combination of rain barrels and switching to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xeriscaping that the HOA could live with. Seems that there would be more than just one person from the HOA interested in being environmentally friendly...
Teacher Terry
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TB, my husband is very handy so installed it himself. We bought high quality grass and even with all our sunshine it still looks brand new. Some HOA’s around here are allowing it.
Installed Solar to offset electrical usage.
On waiting list to install Well to offset water usage.
Exploring hydroponic farming to offset some of our food costs. We are a family of 5 and eat a ton of fruit, and fresh fruit or organic is expensive.
My 3,000 square foot house in Texas costs me $50 - $200 in utilities per month. My electricity bill averages about $50 per month due to how they bill and pay for my electricity. My water bill, includes pool and sprinkler system is the rest.
If / when I get the well, my water bill will go to $40 per month for the house and pool. But, I will add 3x the sprinkler system to my yard and water the crap out of my grass.
On waiting list to install Well to offset water usage.
Exploring hydroponic farming to offset some of our food costs. We are a family of 5 and eat a ton of fruit, and fresh fruit or organic is expensive.
My 3,000 square foot house in Texas costs me $50 - $200 in utilities per month. My electricity bill averages about $50 per month due to how they bill and pay for my electricity. My water bill, includes pool and sprinkler system is the rest.
If / when I get the well, my water bill will go to $40 per month for the house and pool. But, I will add 3x the sprinkler system to my yard and water the crap out of my grass.
Initial cost?
Yearly power usage?
- Can any of that be offset by solar (or wind) power?
Estimated lifetime of pump with your planned usage?
Cost to replace pump (labor could be bigger than the pump itself)?
If I read correctly, it's for irrigation. Would it be cheaper in the long term to convert to a native landscape? If the HOA is against that, sic the "water police" on the HOA for having rules that waste water. In some states, that's not a battle the HOA is likely to win.
I live in an unincorporated area with no HOA. The County does have some rules about parking junk cars in the yard and keeping the grass short enough that the house can be seen but not much more than that.
Yearly power usage?
- Can any of that be offset by solar (or wind) power?
Estimated lifetime of pump with your planned usage?
Cost to replace pump (labor could be bigger than the pump itself)?
If I read correctly, it's for irrigation. Would it be cheaper in the long term to convert to a native landscape? If the HOA is against that, sic the "water police" on the HOA for having rules that waste water. In some states, that's not a battle the HOA is likely to win.
I live in an unincorporated area with no HOA. The County does have some rules about parking junk cars in the yard and keeping the grass short enough that the house can be seen but not much more than that.
Senator
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I have city water and septic. I get charged for water, and not all at for sewer. I am required by law to get my septic system pumped every three years, at a cost of ~$300.
A well is not a good solution.
Go with LED bulbs, that's maybe a long term payback. Nest thermostat. If you travel, get a WiFi water valve so you can turn it off. New washing machine hoses.
Music Lover
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
LED bulbs are a good investment. Also upgrading insulation especially if you DIY.
Nest if you really want but there are plenty of other thermostats that do just as well at a better price. I'm currently in another country and able to monitor and adjust my house temperature with an Emerson Wi-Fi thermostat. $90 on Amazon last time I looked.
