5 Costly New Homeowner Maintenance Mistakes (And Fixes)
Owning a home comes with responsibilities that can surprise first-time buyers. Common costly mistakes include skipping regular home maintenance, not knowing what home insurance covers (since coverage varies by policy and insurer), and being unprepared for severe weather.
Our 2024 Housepower Report shows the impact of these challenges: 73% of homeowners said they regretted purchasing their home in 2024. This makes sense when nearly half of homeowners (46%) spent more than $5,000 on unexpected repairs in 2024, up from 36% in 2023.
"Preventive maintenance is critical to avoiding bigger, more expensive issues down the line. For example, if you ignore a small leak, you could end up with mold and structural damage to your walls and flooring. By staying proactive with home maintenance, homeowners can help avoid costly, unexpected damage in the first place." — Peter Piotrowski, Chief Claims Officer, Hippo Insurance Services
Whether you just got your keys or you're still shopping for your dream home, here are some common (and costly) mistakes new homeowners make. Plus, practical advice on how to avoid them.
*These are general homeowner practices, not professional recommendations.
1. Skipping the home inspection before closing
Not all home issues are visible to the naked eye. A professional home inspector could find problems that homeowners didn’t know existed.
Some buyers may waive inspections to shorten the home-buying process, which could lead them to unknowingly buy a home with serious issues.
Factors such as a home’s age, location, and maintenance history can all affect potential risks, making a professional inspection a worthwhile investment.
It could also be helpful to go beyond a general inspection, as general inspections may not cover everything. Specialized checks, such as for pests, mold, or structural concerns, often require separate assessments.
Typically covered in general home inspections[1] | Typically covered in specialized home inspections[1] |
|---|---|
Roofing: materials, drainage, flashing, skylights, and chimneys | Antennas, hidden vents, and roof accessories |
Exterior: walls, doors, decks, porches, steps, grading, and walkways | Fences, outbuildings, pools, docks, and soil conditions |
Structure: foundation, framing, floors, walls, ceilings, and attic/crawlspace (visible areas) | Engineering analysis, hidden areas, small crawlspaces, and attic insulation hidden by material |
Plumbing: pipes, fixtures, drains, water heater, and sump pumps | Wells, septic systems, water quality, irrigation, and solar water heating |
Electrical: service panels, wiring, outlets, light fixtures, and GFCI/AFCI | Security systems, low-voltage wiring, solar/wind systems, and testing voltage or amperage |
Heating & cooling: central heating/cooling, vents, ducts, and energy source | Portable units, humidifiers, air cleaners, renewable HVAC, and balance or efficiency checks |
Inspections could also affect the insurance process. Some insurers conduct a home insurance inspection to review the property’s condition and identify potential risks. Any issues may affect your home insurance premium, coverage, or timing, depending on your insurer.
General considerations for home inspections:
- Get a home inspection before purchasing. This could help you catch hidden issues like foundation problems or HVAC failures that might otherwise become your responsibility.
- Consider specialized inspections, especially for older homes or when there are known risks, such as mold or pest activity.
- Schedule your inspection during the contingency period—the window in a real estate purchase where certain conditions must be met before proceeding with the sale. Doing so can help prevent delays in the process and may even influence insurance costs.
2. Ignoring routine maintenance until something breaks
Homes need regular maintenance. Not regularly maintaining your home could shorten the lifespan of some of your major (and expensive) systems. Simple tasks like changing HVAC filters or cleaning gutters could help prevent future costly repairs.
Many homeowners from our Housepower Report understand these stakes:
- 65% said they complete seasonal maintenance tasks to help prevent unexpected repairs
- 45% completed maintenance as a way to protect their home’s overall condition
- 46% reported they completed maintenance to maintain or increase return on investment.
That said, when routine maintenance tasks slip through the cracks, the results can be expensive. “I've replaced entire roof sections because $200 worth of annual cleaning was skipped,” reports Esteban Marin, contractor at Loudoun Roofing and Home Improvement.4
“Most customers will spend more on cable TV monthly than protecting their largest investment.”
General considerations for seasonal maintenance:
- Follow season-specific maintenance checklists to help stay on top of tasks. For a complete seasonal maintenance guide, check out our home maintenance checklist.
- Focus your efforts on the core systems—such as your roof, foundation, or plumbing systems—of your home that could cause costly damage if they fail.
- For every major maintenance task you complete, keep receipts and make a note of the date. If you ever need to file an insurance claim, having detailed records could make the process smoother.
To help keep things organized, consider using a digital tool like the free Hippo Home App, which can create a custom maintenance schedule for your home while helping track to-dos and service history.
3. Underestimating insurance needs and coverage gaps
Another step for new homeowners is understanding what their insurance policy does and doesn’t cover. A standard policy may protect against theft and certain named perils, like weather events, but it may exclude risks like mold or earthquakes. Because coverage and exclusions vary by policy and insurer, make sure you review your policy carefully.
Get familiar with where you live. Your neighborhood’s risks and the extreme weather patterns could help you spot areas where you might need more protection.
"Many first-time homeowners may assume their policy covers everything, but if you add on certain home features like pools and detached structures, you generally need to get additional coverage for those items. Flooding also isn’t covered in a standard policy. Homeowners should regularly review their policy and consult their insurance provider for any coverage questions or recommendations.” — Peter Piotrowski, Chief Claims Officer, Hippo Insurance Services
General considerations:
- Know your area’s most common risks—like hurricanes, wildfires, or windstorms—and see if you’re covered.
- Ask your licensed insurance representative to explain what’s not covered in your policy, since that’s often where surprises happen.
- At a minimum, review your homeowners insurance policy annually, keeping in mind any home upgrades or changes in extreme weather patterns.
4. Failing to budget for the true cost of home maintenance and protection
Your mortgage isn’t the only thing you’ll have to pay for when you own a home. Regular maintenance and occasional repairs are essential to keeping your home in good shape. These expenses can quickly add up and create financial stress.
That financial strain showed up clearly in our Housepower Report, with 53% of homeowners going over budget on seasonal maintenance in 2024. The report also found that 83% of homeowners faced unexpected repairs in 2024, nearly double the 46% reported the year before, and 47% said those surprises strained their budgets.
You can start planning for these expenses by looking at annual maintenance trends. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), maintenance for a post-2010 home may cost roughly 3% of its value each year. For older homes, that figure rises to about 5% annually.2
Seasonal patterns and geography also affect maintenance spending. For example, our Housepower Report found 49% of homeowners on the West Coast reported winter as their most expensive season for maintenance. Meanwhile, 39% of Southern homeowners said summer is their highest season for maintenance spending.
Keep in mind how much you need to save and when you plan to spend. A Minnesota homeowner may budget for furnace tune-ups and frozen-pipe prevention before winter, while someone in Arizona may spend more preparing for heatwaves.
General considerations for budgeting:
- Book seasonal services early (e.g., schedule winter maintenance in the fall, summer maintenance in the spring, etc.) to lock in rates and availability. Peak-season scheduling may mean higher costs and longer wait times.
- Set aside funds in the months before your region's severe weather seasons. This could help ensure you have money available when you need it most.
5. DIY-ing maintenance projects beyond their skill level
DIY projects can be rewarding and cost-effective, but the cost of overestimating your abilities could outweigh potential savings. Our DIY Disasters Survey revealed how quickly these projects can spiral out of control.
More than half (58%) of homeowners ended up spending more than they planned on their projects because of mistakes. Even more concerning, 54% ran into financial issues serious enough that they needed help paying for them.
Knowing which projects your skills are a match for could help you avoid these expensive pitfalls.
General considerations for DIY decision-making:
[3] Typically safe for beginners | [3]Proceed with caution (requires experience or special tools) | [3]Leave to professionals (requires permits and inspections) |
|---|---|---|
Painting | Tile work | Electrical work beyond changing fixtures |
Caulking | Installing crown molding | Structural changes |
Simple hardware installations with no electrical or plumbing connections | Building a deck | Major plumbing repairs |
Be honest about your skill level. It’s better to bring in a professional in the beginning than to have to pay for a repair to fix a DIY and the original damage.
Step into homeownership with confidence
While homeownership mistakes can be easy to make, doing your research can help you sidestep some of the most expensive ones.
At Hippo Insurance Services, we believe confident homeowners make stronger homes. Get a quick homeowners insurance quote to explore your options and find coverage that fits your needs.
Sources
- American Society of Home Inspectors. (n.d.). Standard of Practice
- National Association of Home Builders. (2021, January). Operating Costs of Owning a Home
- New Jersey Real Estate Network. (2025, March). Best DIY Home Improvement Projects: Tips For Success & When to Get a Contractor
- All quotes from individuals not affiliated with Hippo are sourced from Featured.com
This article is for informational purposes only. The content reflects general homeowner considerations and is not professional advice. It also includes observed trends within the surveyed population and certain additional information compiled from sources not affiliated with Hippo. While we believe this information to be reliable, we do not guarantee its accuracy or completeness. For any insurance-related decision, please consult your licensed insurance producer.
Sources cited are publicly available and referenced in September 2025.
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