How much do common home projects cost and how long do they last?
This page pulls the numbers homeowners search for most into one place: what common projects cost, how long home systems and appliances last, and how much material a job takes. The figures are compiled from the sources cited across our guides (government agencies, manufacturers, and established trade and cost publications) and are national planning ranges, not quotes for your home. It is a synthesis of published data rather than a survey, and each row links to the full guide or calculator where the numbers and their sources live.
What common home projects cost
Installed cost ranges, materials plus typical professional labor. Your real price moves with size, materials, site conditions, and local rates.
| Project | Typical installed cost | Full guide |
|---|---|---|
| Wood fence | $15 to $30 per linear foot | Wood fence cost |
| Vinyl fence | $25 to $40 per linear foot | Vinyl fence cost |
| Chain-link fence | $10 to $20 per linear foot | Chain-link calculator |
| Aluminum fence | $30 to $50 per linear foot | Aluminum fence calculator |
| Pressure-treated wood deck | $15 to $35 per square foot | Deck cost |
| Composite deck | $30 to $60 per square foot | Composite deck calculator |
| Concrete patio | $8 to $20 per square foot | Concrete patio cost |
| Exterior house painting | $1.50 to $5 per square foot | Exterior paint cost |
How long home systems and appliances last
Typical service life for well-maintained equipment. Hard water, heavy use, and skipped maintenance pull these lower.
| Item | Typical lifespan | Check yours |
|---|---|---|
| Tank water heater | 8 to 12 years | Water heater guide |
| Gas furnace | 15 to 20 years | Furnace guide |
| Central air conditioner | 15 to 20 years | AC guide |
| Asphalt shingle roof | 15 to 30 years (3-tab 15 to 20, architectural 25 to 30) | Roof guide |
| Refrigerator | 10 to 15 years | Fridge calculator |
| Dishwasher | 9 to 12 years | Dishwasher calculator |
| Washing machine | 10 to 13 years | Washer calculator |
| Clothes dryer | 10 to 13 years | Dryer calculator |
| Sump pump | 7 to 10 years | Sump pump calculator |
| Water softener | 10 to 15 years | Water softener calculator |
Quick material coverage reference
How far common materials go, so you buy the right amount in one trip.
| Material | Coverage or yield | Calculator |
|---|---|---|
| Interior wall paint | 1 gallon covers about 350 to 400 sq ft | Paint guide |
| Mulch | 1 cubic yard covers about 108 sq ft at 3 inches deep | Mulch guide |
| Concrete | An 80 lb bag yields about 0.6 cubic feet (roughly 45 bags per cubic yard) | Concrete guide |
| Gravel | About 1.4 tons per cubic yard | Gravel guide |
| Sod | 1 roll covers about 10 sq ft | Sod calculator |
How to use these numbers
Treat every figure here as a starting point for planning, not a final answer. A cost range tells you whether a project is a few hundred dollars or several thousand, which is enough to budget and to spot a bid that is way off. A lifespan range tells you when to start setting aside money for a replacement, so an aging water heater or roof is a plan, not a surprise. When you are ready for a real number, run your own measurements through the matching calculator, then get local quotes.
Method and sources
The costs and lifespans above are compiled from the sources cited in each linked guide, which draw on cost aggregators (HomeAdvisor, Fixr), manufacturers (Carrier, Trane, Rheem, Sherwin-Williams), government and standards bodies (the U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Star, EPA, NFPA), and established trade and consumer publications (This Old House, Bob Vila, Family Handyman, the Insurance Information Institute). Figures are current as of 2026 and are national planning ranges. This index organizes and compares that published data in one place; it is not original survey research.