Home repair in Spokane, WA

Spokane homes at a glance

Median year built

1961

Built before 1960

50%

Built since 2000

16%

Owner-occupied

59%

Median home value

$363,500

Main heat

Gas, 54%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates

What Spokane’s housing means for repairs

Spokane's housing is old for a Western city. About 50% of homes were built before 1960, the median home dates to 1961, and only about 16% were built since 2000. About 64% of homes are single-family detached, and about 59% are owner occupied.

Many houses on the South Hill and in neighborhoods like Logan, Perry and Garland are early 1900s Craftsman and foursquare homes with basements, plaster walls, wood siding and old wiring. About 54% heat with gas, about 42% with electricity, and a small share still uses oil. Older homes often have galvanized plumbing, ungrounded outlets, original windows and lead paint, and many basements leak through old foundations.

Weather that wears on Spokane homes

Spokane has cold, snowy winters and hot, dry summers. Freeze-thaw cycles crack concrete steps and mortar, and heavy snow loads ice dams onto older roofs. The 1996 ice storm and the 2015 windstorm brought down trees and power lines across the city. Summer wildfires in the region can fill the city with smoke, which strains HVAC filters and makes sealing gaps more important. Spring snowmelt pushes water into basements. Summers are dry and sunny, which bakes south-facing paint and caulk, and large old trees on the South Hill drop limbs in heavy snow and wind.

Common repairs in Spokane

• Frozen and burst pipes

  Pipes in exterior walls and crawlspaces of older Spokane homes freeze in cold snaps.

• Old wiring and outlet upgrades

  Knob-and-tube and two-prong outlets are common in Spokane homes from before 1940.

• Ceiling stains and roof leaks

  Ice dams on older Spokane roofs cause leaks near exterior walls.

• Exterior paint and siding repair

  Wood siding on South Hill homes needs scraping, priming and repainting after hard winters.

What these repairs cost

The middle half of Runhome repair estimates nationwide for each kind of job. Your price depends on the scope of the work.

Fix guides for Spokane homeowners

• Ceiling is stained and sagging after a water leak

  Ice dam leaks in Spokane winters often leave stained, sagging ceilings.

• Painted wood is rotten and crumbles when you press it

  Freeze-thaw and snowmelt rot painted wood trim on Spokane's older houses.

• Bricks on the porch steps are loose, missing or crumbling

  Spokane winters loosen mortar and bricks on porch steps.

• Half the house has no power and no breaker is tripped

  Older Spokane services can lose a leg after windstorms, cutting power to half the house.

Seasonal checklist

Fall

Shut off and drain outdoor faucets, and clean gutters before snow arrives.

Winter

Keep heat on in all rooms during cold snaps and open cabinets on exterior walls.

Summer

Stock spare HVAC filters for wildfire smoke and change them more often when the air is bad.

Common questions

How do I prevent frozen pipes in an older Spokane house?

Insulate pipes in crawlspaces and exterior walls, seal drafts near them and keep the heat steady during cold snaps. Disconnect garden hoses in fall. If a pipe freezes, shut off the water before it thaws.

Should I worry about lead paint in my Spokane home?

Homes built before 1978 often have lead paint, and half of Spokane's homes are older than 1960. Repainting or sanding should be done with lead-safe practices. This affects the cost of exterior and trim work.

Is it worth converting an oil furnace in Spokane?

A small share of Spokane homes still heats with oil. Many owners switch to gas or a heat pump when the old furnace or tank fails. The choice depends on gas availability on your street and your ductwork.

Neighborhoods served

• South Hill
• Browne's Addition
• Perry District
• Garland District
• Logan
• Hillyard
• Manito
• Peaceful Valley

Other Washington cities

• Home repair in Bellevue
• Home repair in Seattle
• Home repair in Tacoma
• Home repair in Vancouver