What is the difference between CapEx and repairs?

Repairs keep the property in its current condition, fixing a broken window pane, patching a leak, servicing a furnace, and are deducted in the year paid. CapEx replaces or upgrades whole components (new roof, new HVAC, remodeled kitchen), creating value that lasts years, and is depreciated over the item’s recovery period instead of deducted at once. The IRS provides safe harbors that let small landlords expense some borderline items.

How much should I set aside for CapEx?

Build it from components: list each big-ticket item, estimate replacement cost and remaining life, and sum the per-year figures, typically $1,800 to $3,600 per year ($150 to $300 per month) for a single-family rental. Shortcut methods like "10% of rent" work as rough screens, but component math is what protects you on older properties where several systems are near end of life at once.

Real Estate Investing Glossary

Capital Expenditures (CapEx)

Last reviewed 2026-07-15

CapEx is spending on big-ticket items that extend a property’s life, roofs, HVAC, water heaters, renovations, budgeted via monthly reserves.

What are capital expenditures?

Capital expenditures (CapEx) are large, infrequent outlays that improve a property or extend its useful life, as opposed to routine repairs. Replacing a roof, HVAC system, water heater, flooring, or siding is CapEx; fixing a leaky faucet or patching drywall is a repair. The tax code enforces the distinction too: repairs are deducted in the year paid, while capital improvements are depreciated over multiple years.

CapEx is the silent killer of naive cash-flow projections. A property "cash flowing" $250 per month can be wiped out by an $8,000 roof, a $6,500 HVAC replacement, and a $1,400 water heater arriving within a few years of each other. Experienced investors convert lumpy CapEx into a smooth monthly reserve by listing each major component, its replacement cost, and its remaining life, then saving the sum monthly.

Typical single-family reserves run $150 to $300 per month depending on the property’s age, size, and condition. Older properties with original systems need aggressive reserves or an upfront renovation budget; new construction can reserve less for the first decade. When buying, the inspection report is effectively a CapEx forecast, price offers accordingly.

Worked example

A rental’s roof ($9,000, 10 years left), HVAC ($7,000, 8 years), water heater ($1,500, 5 years), and flooring/appliances ($6,000, 10 years) imply annualized costs of $900 + $875 + $300 + $600 = $2,675, so about $223 per month should be reserved for CapEx before calling any remainder true cash flow.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between CapEx and repairs?: Repairs keep the property in its current condition, fixing a broken window pane, patching a leak, servicing a furnace, and are deducted in the year paid. CapEx replaces or upgrades whole components (new roof, new HVAC, remodeled kitchen), creating value that lasts years, and is depreciated over the item’s recovery period instead of deducted at once. The IRS provides safe harbors that let small landlords expense some borderline items.
How much should I set aside for CapEx?: Build it from components: list each big-ticket item, estimate replacement cost and remaining life, and sum the per-year figures, typically $1,800 to $3,600 per year ($150 to $300 per month) for a single-family rental. Shortcut methods like "10% of rent" work as rough screens, but component math is what protects you on older properties where several systems are near end of life at once.

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