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.
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.
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.
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.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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Do any of your neighbors depend on a well for domestic needs?
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.
I have done concealed fasteners metal roof for very same reasons last year. Huge sticker shock but I am glad it is past us.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.
Won't you get a bill from the water company anyway (some sort of service charge) even if you use 0 gallons?
And in many municipalities that supply public water, your sewer bill is based on the amount of public water you use. Might be interesting to see how your sewer bill will be calculated if you use well water.
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.