Mark Ainley and the GC Realty & Development team have wanted to put this piece together for a long time. Managing 1,400+ units across Chicagoland sits on top of a mountain of real operational data, and appliances are one of the expenses that quietly eats into returns while almost nobody talks about the actual numbers.
Across 425+ episodes of the Straight Up Chicago Investor podcast, a deep dive on appliance costs specifically has never happened. CapEx, maintenance budgets, turnover costs come up constantly. Appliances live in this gray area between “maintenance” and “capital expenditure,” and most investors just lump them in somewhere and hope the number works out.
For investors trying to understand what maintenance actually costs on a rental property, plan long-term capital expenditure reserves, or build a realistic year-to-year operating budget, the data below is a useful benchmark. The GC Realty team pulled every single appliance work order across the portfolio over the last two years. All 1,552 of them. Repairs, replacements, diagnostics, everything.
Key Takeaways for Chicago Real Estate Investors
Across 1,552 appliance work orders over 2024 and 2025, the GC Realty 1,400+ unit portfolio spent $571,666, or roughly $204 per unit per year.
76% of appliance work orders are repairs (averaging $279, median $205), not replacements.
Two out of three appliance work orders (66%) come in under $300. Only 12% exceed $750.
Refrigerators are the #1 work order source at 345 calls (~22% of all appliance activity).
Microwaves have the highest replacement rate (38%). Dryers are the most repairable (82% repair rate).
Appliance work order volume rose 13% from 2024 to 2025. Average cost per work order rose 19% ($334 to $399) in the same period.
The Big Picture: $571,666 Across Two Years
Across 2024 and 2025, the GC Realty portfolio generated 1,552 appliance-related work orders totaling $571,666 in cost. That breaks down to roughly $204 per unit per year in appliance expenses, and about one appliance work order for every two units annually.
That $204 number matters. It’s not a guess from a blog post or a 2018 spreadsheet template. It’s what 1,400+ real units across the Chicagoland area actually cost to maintain on the appliance side.
Metric | 2024-2025 Dataset |
Total appliance work orders | 1,552 |
Total portfolio appliance spend | $571,666 |
Per unit per year average | $204 |
Work order frequency | ~1 per 2 units annually |
Share of work orders that were repairs | 76% |
Share of work orders that were replacements | 24% |
Average repair cost | $279 (median $205) |
Average replacement cost | $646 |
Work orders under $300 | 66% (two out of three) |
Work orders over $750 | 12% |
The part most investors miss: appliance expenses aren’t dominated by big-ticket replacements. They’re driven by a steady stream of moderate repairs that add up over the course of the year. Two-thirds of all appliance activity closes out under $300. Understanding that reshapes how the reserve should actually be structured.
Which Appliances Generate the Most Calls
Not all appliances create the same headaches. Here’s what 1,552 work orders showed about where the calls actually come from.
Rank | Appliance | Work Orders | Share of Calls |
1 | Refrigerators | 345 | ~22% |
2 | Stoves / Ovens / Ranges | 306 | Close second |
3 | Dishwashers | 251 | Third |
Refrigerators take the top spot at 345 work orders, roughly 22% of all appliance calls. Stoves (or ovens, ranges; the terms get used interchangeably in the industry) come in a close second at 306. Dishwashers round out the top three at 251.
Landlord Tip: Refrigerator Failure + Lost Groceries
When a refrigerator goes out and a tenant calls saying they just bought $400 worth of groceries and wants the owner to cover it, don’t panic. That’s exactly what renters insurance is for. Loss of perishable food due to an appliance failure is a standard covered claim on most renters’ policies. Direct the tenant back to their policy and let them file the claim. This is one of many reasons GC Realty requires renters’ insurance on every unit under management. It protects the tenant, and it keeps the owner from eating costs (literally) that were never theirs to cover.
Repair vs. Replace Rates by Appliance
The repair vs. replacement split varies sharply by appliance type.
Appliance | Repair Rate | Replacement Rate |
Dryer | 82% (most repairable) | 18% |
Dishwasher | 78% | 22% |
Microwave | 62% | 38% (highest replacement rate) |
Dryers are the most repairable appliance in the dataset at an 82% repair rate. Dishwashers are close behind at 78%. Microwaves tell the opposite story: 38% of microwave work orders end in a full replacement, the highest replacement rate of any appliance. That makes sense when the math gets applied. Microwaves are tough to repair. Unless the issue is something simple like a handle where the part is easy to order, there’s really no point sinking money into a microwave repair. A retailer like ABT Electronics in Glenview can install a brand-new over-the-range microwave for around $425 all in. So when the repair bill on a 7- or 8-year-old microwave comes back at $250+, the math doesn’t work. Replace it and move on.
For the full framework on when a repair makes financial sense versus when to just replace, GC Realty published a companion walk-through on when Chicago investors should repair vs. replace appliances.
How Long Should Rental Appliances Actually Last?
Before getting into replacement costs, it’s worth understanding what kind of lifespan to realistically expect from each appliance. Most of the lifespan data online is based on owner-occupied homes, where people tend to take better care of their equipment. Rental properties are a different animal. Multiple tenants cycle through, usage is heavier, and nobody is cleaning condenser coils or descaling the dishwasher twice a year.
The headline points from the GC Realty data:
Gas stoves are the most durable appliance in a rental unit by a wide margin. The burners are simple, reliable, and don’t have a ton of electronics to fail.
Electric ranges have more components and tend to die sooner than gas.
Refrigerators can technically go 15 years with good maintenance, but in a rental where tenants stuff the fridge, never check door seals, and the condenser coils haven’t been touched since install, 7 to 12 years is the realistic planning window.
Dishwashers and microwaves have the shortest useful lifespans, which lines up with the high replacement volume seen in the data.
The big takeaway: an investor holding a property for 10+ years should plan on replacing most major appliances at least once during ownership. That’s not a maybe. That’s the math.
Where to Go Deeper on Chicago Rental Maintenance Budgeting
Appliances are one slice of the broader maintenance and operations picture. For investors who want to build out a full rental property cost framework, these verified GC Realty resources pair directly with this analysis:
• When Should You Repair vs. Replace Appliances? walks through the decision framework for every major appliance category.
• How Long Chicago Rental Maintenance Should Take benchmarks completion times across 13 trade categories, including appliance repair.
• House Maintenance for Chicago Landlords covers the preventive inspection approach that keeps emergency appliance calls lower.
Investors who want GC Realty & Development handling appliance maintenance, vendor dispatch, and budgeting across a Chicagoland portfolio can start with a free rental analysis from the team.
What It Actually Costs to Replace Each Appliance
This is the table every investor wants but rarely gets with real numbers behind it.
Appliance | Avg Replacement Cost |
Washer | $775 |
Dryer | $766 |
Refrigerator | $745 |
Dishwasher | $476 |
Washers and dryers lead the replacement cost list, both averaging over $760. One important caveat on those numbers: the GC Realty data doesn’t break down between stackable one-piece units and traditional side-by-side washers and dryers, and that distinction matters a lot.
Stackable units are generally more expensive to purchase and can be more of a hassle to service because a technician often has to unstack or work in tighter spaces. Side-by-side setups give the advantage of replacing just one unit if it fails instead of dealing with the whole stack. If a property has the space for side by side, that’s almost always the better play from a long-term cost and serviceability standpoint. The $775 average washer replacement and $766 average dryer replacement in the data are blended numbers across both configurations.
Refrigerators aren’t far behind at $745. But dishwashers are worth a second look. The replacement cost is only $476 on average, which matters when an owner is deciding whether to repair a 10-year-old unit or just pull the trigger on a new one.
Year Over Year: Appliance Costs Are Moving Up
The 2024 vs 2025 comparison reveals something every Chicago investor using older budget assumptions needs to see.
Metric | 2024 | 2025 | Change |
Appliance Work Orders | 730 | 822 | +13% |
Avg Cost Per Work Order | $334 | $399 | +19% |
Volume climbed 13% from 730 work orders in 2024 to 822 in 2025. The bigger story, though, is the average cost per work order: $334 in 2024 up to $399 in 2025, a 19% jump in a single year.
Part of that is parts pricing. Part of it is labor. But the takeaway is straightforward: an investor still operating on a 2022 budget for appliance expenses is underestimating by a meaningful margin. These costs move, and underwriting needs to move with them.
Three Concrete Takeaways for Chicago Investors
1. Budget $200 to $250 Per Unit Per Year for Appliances
Most investors either don’t budget for appliances at all or bury the line item inside a vague “maintenance” category. The data says $204 per unit per year is the baseline across a diversified Chicagoland portfolio.
For investors buying older properties or Class C/D stock, push that number closer to $250. Those units carry the highest average costs in the GC Realty dataset: $408 per work order for Class C properties compared to $358 for Class A/B.
2. Know the Lifespan of What’s Already in the Unit
When a property seller says the appliances are “in good shape,” that doesn’t mean much. Ask how old they are. A 12-year-old refrigerator that works fine today is probably 12 to 18 months from a $745 replacement. A gas stove from 2015 probably has another decade in it. Understanding where each appliance sits in its lifecycle lets an owner plan ahead instead of reacting to emergencies.
Landlord Tip: Decode Appliance Manufacture Dates in 30 Seconds
Not sure how old the appliances are in a unit? Go to homespy.io and punch in the brand and serial number. The tool decodes the manufacture date in about 30 seconds. The serial number is usually on a sticker inside the door, on the back of the unit, or under a removable panel. Far better than guessing, and it’s a great tool to use during a property walkthrough before buying.
3. A Good Repair Vendor Saves More Than a Replacement Budget
76% of all appliance work orders are repairs, not replacements. Two thirds of those repairs come in under $300. The quality and responsiveness of an appliance repair vendor has a bigger impact on the bottom line than how much has been set aside for new appliances.
A vendor who diagnoses accurately on the first visit and fixes things right saves owners callbacks, tenant frustration, and the premature replacements that happen when landlords get tired of dealing with recurring issues on the same unit.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chicago Rental Appliance Costs
How much should a Chicago landlord budget per unit for appliances?
Roughly $204 per unit per year is the baseline across a 1,400+ unit Chicagoland portfolio tracked over 2024 and 2025. For older properties or Class C/D stock, push that closer to $250 since those units carried higher average work order costs ($408 per work order for Class C vs $358 for Class A/B).
Which appliance generates the most repair calls?
Refrigerators, at 345 work orders across the 1,552-call dataset, about 22% of all appliance activity. Stoves/ovens/ranges were second at 306, and dishwashers third at 251.
Are most appliance work orders expensive?
No. 66% of appliance work orders came in under $300, and only 12% exceeded $750. Budget planning should assume a steady stream of moderate repairs rather than a handful of large replacements.
Should a landlord repair or replace an old microwave?
Replace. Microwaves have the highest replacement rate of any appliance in the dataset (38%), and a new over-the-range microwave installed runs around $425. Sinking $250+ into repairing a 7- or 8-year-old microwave rarely makes financial sense.
How fast are appliance costs actually rising?
Fast enough that 2022 budget assumptions are obsolete. The average cost per appliance work order in the GC Realty portfolio jumped from $334 in 2024 to $399 in 2025, a 19% year-over-year increase. Volume rose 13% in the same period.
How long should appliances last in a rental property?
Shorter than owner-occupied benchmarks. Refrigerators in rentals realistically run 7 to 12 years rather than the 15-year figure you’ll see online. Gas stoves are the most durable; dishwashers and microwaves are the shortest-lived. An investor holding for 10+ years should plan on replacing most major appliances at least once during ownership.
Do renters insurance policies cover spoiled food when a fridge fails?
Yes. Loss of perishable food due to an appliance failure is a standard covered claim on most renters’ policies. That’s one of many reasons GC Realty requires renters’ insurance on every unit under management.
Appliance Costs Are Knowable, Not Guessable
The “maintenance” line item on most Chicago rental P&Ls is where real operational data gets lost. Appliances alone produced $571,666 in cost across 1,552 work orders in the GC Realty portfolio over two years, and that level of spend deserves a real benchmark rather than a hopeful estimate. The investors who plan best don’t get surprised. They run the numbers, budget accordingly, and use vendor relationships to keep the unit-level cost from running away.
Investors who want GC Realty & Development running the appliance vendor network, work order tracking, and repair-vs-replace decisions across a Chicagoland portfolio can call the office at 630-587-7400 or start with a free rental analysis to see what the numbers look like on a specific property.
