Why I track every home repair (the spreadsheet story)Pinned
A plumber, 11 minutes, $140, and the spreadsheet I have kept since 2011. What this site is and how the numbers work.
One guy · One 1978 ranch · Every receipt
Every fix. Every dollar. Every trip back to the store.
Welcome. I'm Marty. I do payroll for a living, I own a 1978 brick ranch outside Richmond, and the house and I have an arrangement. It breaks something, I fix it, and I write down exactly what that cost me. Deb says nobody wants to read the spreadsheet. Prove her wrong.
The Spreadsheet Says
3Jobs logged
$60.31The Damage so far
1Trips per job
$1.00Swear jar
0Under budget
Live numbers from every post on this site. The spreadsheet goes back to 2011, but you have to earn that.
Dept. 01 · Fresh off the workbench
Latest repairs
AC dripping water inside? It's the condensate line (fix it for $4)
Water around the indoor AC unit almost always means a clogged condensate drain line. A shop vac, a gallon of vinegar, and about an hour.
$4.18 · 55 min · 1 trip · 2/5 wrenchesDept. 02 · The patient
The house
Built in 1978. Brick, one story, crawlspace with opinions. The back-left corner of the yard holds water, the 2009 windows are starting to fog, and every door in the place swells each July like it's paid to.
Follow along long enough and you'll know this house better than your own. The full story.
Dept. 03 · Know your limits
Things I will not touch
- Gas lines
- The electrical panel
- Garage door springs
- Roofs
- Anything structural
- The sewer main
If your project is on this list, stop reading blogs and pay the man.
Dept. 04 · Recurring characters
The cast
Deb
Runs the list. Right more often than I care to type.
Biscuit
Terrier mix. Scared of the shop vac.
Gary
Owns every tool. Right about 60% of the time.
Big Ron
Six tools, most of my knowledge. The good screwdriver was his.