Guides
Straightforward help before you hire: what changes the price, whether a job is worth doing, how to check the person doing it, and what to keep on top of.
Prices are other publishers’ ranges, each named and linked; safety advice comes from public bodies such as the EPA and CPSC, linked on each page. Fixerlane does not set prices. How we research.
Homeowner guides
Cleaning
- Is air duct cleaning worth it?
When air duct cleaning is worth paying for, when it is not, what a proper job includes, what it costs, and how to spot a duct cleaning scam.
- Move-out cleaning checklist
A room-by-room move-out cleaning checklist for renters and sellers, what landlords look for, protecting your deposit, and what a professional clean costs.
Plumbing and water
- How often should you pump a septic tank?
EPA’s guidance on septic pumping and inspection intervals, what decides your schedule, warning signs, what pumping costs and how to hire a pumper.
- Do you need a water softener?
How to tell whether your water is hard enough to need a softener, how to test it, which type to buy, and what published sources say installation costs.
- Whole-house water filter or water softener?
Filters and softeners solve different problems. What each removes, which certification to look for, when you need both, and how to decide from a water test.
- Sewer camera inspection: when to get one and what you get
What a sewer scope shows, when it is worth paying for, what to ask for, how to read the findings, and what published sources say it costs.
Pests
- Bed bug treatment: DIY or professional?
What you can safely do yourself about bed bugs, what EPA says works and what does not, when to call a pro, and what professional treatment costs.
Hiring
- How to check a contractor’s license and insurance
A step-by-step check before you hire: looking up a license with your state, confirming insurance with the insurer, and what a written contract should say.
Cost guides by trade
Every trade has a guide to what moves the price; the specific jobs below also have published price ranges.