Maintenance and Renovation Costs for Swiss Homeowners
How much to budget each year, what is tax-deductible and how condominium funds work.
5 min read · Mortgage & Property
Owning a home means paying for upkeep. Budget for it from the first year.
Rules of thumb
A common planning figure is 1 % of the property value per year, for example CHF 9,000 for a CHF 900,000 home. Older buildings need more. Large items such as roofs, facades, heating and windows are expensive and arrive in cycles of 20–40 years.
- Monthly interestCHF 960 · 39 %
- Monthly amortizationCHF 750 · 30 %
- Monthly maintenance (1 % p.a.)CHF 750 · 30 %
Example with default values. Open the calculator →
Condominium owners
In condominium ownership (Stockwerkeigentum), the owners' association collects contributions into a renewal fund. Ask for the fund balance, the minutes of recent meetings and planned renovations before buying. A low fund and high expected costs can lead to big special levies.
Tax treatment
- Value-preserving maintenance and repairs are normally deductible, either as actual costs or as a flat rate.
- Value-adding improvements (an extension, for example) are not deductible.
- Energy-saving measures are often deductible, but the rules may change with the Eigenmietwert reform.
Budget and bundle
Spread large renovations over several years where tax rules allow, and keep a separate renovation account. Get at least three quotes for major works.
See how upkeep changes your monthly cost with the mortgage cost calculator.