The hidden costs of owning a home in Maine
By Kathleen O’Brien, Bangor Daily News Staff
Buying a home in Maine is an expensive investment, but plenty of costs arise in the months and years after move-in day.
From insurance to electricity, property owners have to pay countless fees to keep their home safe and habitable. And you must always be prepared for an unexpected emergency to arise that requires a costly repair or replacement.
Here are a few things someone can expect to eventually pay for after buying a home that they likely never had to consider as a renter.
Utilities
The Maine Office of the Public Advocate compiled a list of energy prices for residential customers throughout the state. The list includes different companies’ rates for essential utilities, including electricity, natural gas and heating fuel.
Heating oil and propane were priced at $3.33 and $3.02 per gallon, respectively, while kerosene was slightly more expensive at $4.20 per gallon.
Filling a 275-gallon oil tank — the standard size for a house — would cost about $915, and many local companies recommend having more oil delivered every four to six weeks during the heating season.
A 250-gallon propane tank, which can support a home with multiple appliances and a propane heating system, would cost $604 to fill. How often the tank needs to be refilled depends heavily on the season, temperature and how many appliances use propane.
Electricity rates in Maine ranged from 10.56 to 11.65 cents per kilowatt hour depending on whether customers use Central Maine Power or Versant. Residential customers that use 550 kilowatt hours of electricity in August received a monthly bill of $154.65 for Central Maine Power to $168.70 for Versant.
For a standard water meter on a residential home, the Bangor Water District charges a quarterly minimum of $65.11, according to the district’s website. However, the average quarterly water bill for residents is slightly more at $99.99, according to a rate increase letter the district sent in March 2025.
Taxes and insurance
No matter what kind of home you buy or where it is, needing to pay a property taxes bill is inevitable. Property taxes in Maine vary widely based on where someone lives and how much their home is valued at. Each community sets its own tax rate annually based on local budgets.
In Bangor, a home valued at $350,000 will see an annual tax bill of $6,195, based on the city’s tax rate of $17.70 per $1,000 of valuation.
Like property taxes, the cost of homeowners insurance can vary based on several factors, such as the home’s location, characteristics, the owner’s credit score and the level of coverage someone needs.
NerdWallet, a personal finance company, found that a 40-year-old homeowner with good credit, $300,000 of dwelling coverage, $300,000 of liability coverage and a $1,000 deductible would pay an average of $2,110 a year for homeowners insurance. In Maine, however, the average homeowners insurance policy will cost $1,180, the company found.
Yard maintenance
Those looking to save money by doing their own yard maintenance and snow removal rather than hiring a company will still need to buy tools to make the job easier.
A basic push lawnmower will cost anywhere from $200 to more than $700, depending on its size, whether it’s electric or gas-powered and if it’s self-propelled. For those with larger yards, most riding lawnmowers are at least $2,000, according to Home Depot’s online selection.
Weed whackers, hedge trimmers and leaf blowers usually cost at least $100, depending on their size and capability.
Most snow shovels can be bought for less than $50, but larger snow totals usually require a snow blower to clear. Gas and electric snow blowers vary in price, but most cost at least $1,000 to purchase, according to the Home Depot’s website. Some larger or more advanced models are priced at more than $2,000.
Major appliances
Household appliances people use every day are bound to wear out and break over time, and replacing them is often an immediate need. Here’s what you can expect to pay for these standard appliances, based on their online prices.
Refrigerators come in a variety of sizes and capabilities, with some smaller, more basic models costing around $600 or less. Larger, two-door options with additional features such as ice makers and water dispensers can cost $2,000 or more.
Depending on its size, style and features, a new washing machine can cost well over $1,000, though some basic models are more affordable around $600. Many dryers, however, are less expensive and average around $500 to $700.
Most freestanding ovens with a four-burner electric range cost between $600 to $1,500.
Basic dishwashers can cost as low as $400 while high-end options can exceed $2,000.
The Home Depot estimates that installing a new water heater costs between $1,600 and $5,400. Tank water heaters are generally less expensive while tankless options tend to cost more.
Plus, those who live in areas that lose power often may choose to buy a home generator. Standby generators range in price from $6,000 to $15,000 depending on their capacity and local installation rates.
Regular or emergency cleaning services
Anyone who owns a home with a forced air heating system should have their ducts cleaned every five years, according to Lara Clark, marketing and sales director of Bouchard Cleaning and Restoration, which has offices throughout the state.
That service, which usually starts at roughly $500 but can be more depending on the size of the home, can cut down on indoor allergies.
“Indoor air quality is extremely important, as that’s where we spend the majority of our time,” Clark said.
It’s also a good idea to get carpets, furniture and even tile floors professionally cleaned occasionally, as that cuts down on indoor allergens and extends the lifespan of the materials, Clark said.
Carpet cleaning generally starts at $100, but increases based on the size of the carpet and its condition, Clark said.
Homeowners should have their heat pumps cleaned once a year or more depending on environmental factors, such as if a house has multiple pets. Otherwise, heat pumps will start spitting out water on their walls and floors, causing additional water damage, Clark said.
While regular maintenance of a home’s essential systems can prevent future issues, sometimes emergencies happen, such as a furnace malfunction that sprays soot throughout the house or a sewer line backup that causes an area of the house to flood with contaminated water.
Unforeseen emergencies such as those are often covered by insurance, Clark said, but can still cause headaches.
For example, local laundromats usually won’t accept items that have been exposed to mold or sewage, so owners have to have them professionally cleaned and sanitized.
“If grandma’s quilt was sitting on the floor when that happens, we can save it,” Clark said.
If homeowners find mold in spaces with excess moisture, such as basements or attics, an estimate for mold remediation will cost $250, Clark said. However, that fee is subtracted from the service price when a customer hires Bouchard Cleaning and Restoration to perform the work.