Effective 3 November 2026.
General information only
Everything on CostPlain (costplain.com) is general information, published to help readers understand what home repairs and replacements cost. It is not professional, engineering, legal, financial, tax or insurance advice, and it does not take your own home, location or circumstances into account. For decisions that matter, please speak to a qualified professional.
Estimates only
Every cost on this site is an estimate. It is not a quote, a bid, an appraisal, a guarantee or a judgment on whether any price is right. Our figures are national and built from public data and stated assumptions, as our how we estimate costs page explains. Your real cost depends on your region, your house, how easy the work is to reach, what is found once work starts, and local code and permit requirements.
A licensed local contractor prices the real job, and your local building or permit office decides what the work requires. Check licensing with your state or local licensing board, and permits with your local building department, before work starts.
We do no jobs
CostPlain has no crew, inspects no homes and does no repair work. We have not seen your house or your quote. Prices, wages and published estimates we cite come from others, and we cannot verify them ourselves.
Safety
Electrical, gas, structural and roof work can be dangerous. Nothing on this site is an instruction to do that work yourself. If you smell gas, leave the house now and call 911 or your gas utility from well away (PHMSA). If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, get outside to fresh air immediately and then call 911 (CPSC). In any emergency, call 911.
Accuracy
Pages are checked against the sources they cite, but no check catches everything. Prices, wages, fees, rules and tax credits change, sometimes quickly, so a figure may be out of date by the time you read it. Check important details with the original source before you rely on them.
Insurance, tax and financing
Notes on insurance, tax credits, rebates or financing are general. They are not claim, tax or financial advice. Read your own policy, and check with your insurer, a tax professional or your lender.
Calculators
Calculators give estimates based on what you enter and on the figures and assumptions they show. They are not quotes, guarantees, or design, sizing, code or safety sign-offs. They print numbers only, so read the notes on the page around them.
How our content is made
Every page is fact-checked against its sources before it is published. Pages appear under the CostPlain name. Our editorial policy explains the process.
Advertising and independence
CostPlain is funded by display advertising. Advertisers have no say over what we publish, and an ad on a page is not an endorsement. We use no affiliate links, accept no paid placements, sell no leads and make no contractor referrals. Names of companies, products, publishers and agencies are used only to identify them, and we are not affiliated with them.
External links
We link to sources and other websites so you can check what we say. We do not control those sites and are not responsible for their content.
Questions and corrections
If you think something is wrong, email contact@costplain.com with the page address and a source, and we will look at it. See also our corrections page and terms of use.