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When you own a fixer-upper home like our family does, home repairs and routine maintenance checks can take a big chunk out of the budget. One of the ways we keep repair costs down is by doing much of the work ourselves. For maintenance checks and repairs that are outside of our comfort level, however, we always call the same old companies for expert help.

The disadvantage of using the same companies year after year for HVAC checks, sprinkler blowouts, electrical work, and more is that you have no way of knowing if the work you are paying for is much of a bargain. After a summer of getting battered with one home repair problem after another, we thought maybe it was time to do a little comparison shopping.

HVAC maintenance checks.

We should all have our HVAC systems checked twice a year to keep our furnaces and AC units functioning properly. Our old HVAC company was charging us $90 per visit; we switched to a locally owned company to save us $30 a year.

Fireplace insert and install.

Our fireplace was condemned last month which meant dropping a liner down the chimney and switching to a fireplace insert if we wanted to continue using it as a source of heat. The first place that worked up a quote for a new liner and insert wanted $3,750 for the job. A second, locally owned fireplace center priced the same unit with liner and install at $3,100, for a savings of $650.

A paint job.

While my husband and I usually tackle painting chores on our own, neither of us felt comfortable painting our two-story barn this summer with its 35-foot vertical faces. We got three bids ranging from $2,800 to $750 — and went with the low bidder since, hey, it’s just a barn after all. The job wasn’t perfect but given the savings, we didn’t mind.

Searched out a better price on pest control.

When one of my rentals was attacked by odoriferous house ants this summer, I had no choice but to call in the pros to eradicate this pesky critter. The first company — a well known pest control franchise — wanted $275 for the job. After placing a few more calls, I found a small one-man business who took care of the ants (including three followup treatments) for $135.

These are just a few examples of some of these savings we found by making a few phone calls. With so many of us watching our cash flow these days, comparison shopping home repairs is an easy way to get more for our money.