Home Improve Guide’s cost guides cover the hired side of home improvement: what contractors charge for repairs and replacements, what drives those prices and what a fair quote should include. Each guide pairs with the calculators for the same trade, so the quantities and the cost ranges come from the same dated figures. Guides are grouped below by topic.
For a quick look at the national figures behind all of the guides, the Home Improvement Cost Index gathers them in grouped tables with units and update dates.
Roofing guides
- Signs of Roof Damage: what to look for from the ground, in the attic and after a storm
- Roof Leak Repair Cost: common leak sources and what repairs cost
- Emergency Roof Repair Cost: tarping, after hours calls and temporary fixes
- Storm Damage Roof Repair: wind and hail damage, insurance claims and repair steps
- Flat Roof Repair: membrane roofs, ponding water and repair options
- Roof Cleaning Cost: moss, algae and safe cleaning methods
- Roof Inspection Cost: walk on, drone and infrared inspections and certification fees
Concrete guides
- Concrete Slab Cost: installed slab prices by size, thickness and finish
- Concrete Cost Per Yard: ready mix prices, delivery fees and short load charges
- Concrete Foundation Cost: slab, crawlspace and basement foundations
- Sidewalk Replacement Cost: removal, replacement and who pays for public walks
- Concrete Cost per Square Foot: installed rates, thickness, finishes and reinforcement
- Concrete Patio Cost: plain, stamped, stained and exposed aggregate patios
- Concrete Steps Cost: poured and precast steps, removal and railings
- Concrete Removal Cost: breaking out and hauling away slabs, steps and driveways
Paver guides
- Paver Installation Cost: installed prices, the layers of a patio and paver types
- Pavers vs Concrete: cost, repairs and upkeep compared
- Paver Sealing Cost: sealer types, cleaning and joint sand before sealing
Masonry and outdoor guides
- Chimney Repair Cost: caps, crowns, flashing, liners and rebuilds
- Tuckpointing Cost: repointing worn mortar joints on brick walls
- Stone Veneer Cost: manufactured and natural stone on walls and fireplaces
- Retaining Wall Cost: block, poured, stone and timber walls with drainage
Plumbing guides
- How to Unclog a Drain: safe methods by drain type and when to call a plumber
- Plumber Cost: hourly rates, service calls and common plumbing jobs
- Repiping a House Cost: PEX and copper repipes, drywall and permits
- Gas Line Installation Cost: lines and hookups for ranges, dryers and water heaters
Electrical guides
- Electrician Cost: hourly rates by license level and common electrical jobs
- Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost: 100, 150 and 200 amp panels, subpanels and permits
How the guides are written
Every guide follows the same rules as the calculators. Each price is a national planning range dated October 2026, refreshed on a 3 month cycle and given as a band rather than a single number. Each guide names what drives the price up or down, what a written quote should cover and where a licensed professional, a permit or an inspection becomes necessary. The methodology page describes how the ranges are built.
Guides and calculators together
A guide explains the job, and a calculator sizes it. The concrete guides pair with the concrete calculators, the roofing guides with the roofing calculators, the paver guides with the paver calculators, the masonry guides with the masonry calculators and the retaining wall guide with the outdoor calculators. Running the matching calculator with real measurements turns a guide’s typical range into a figure for a specific project.