The following expenditures should be considered in determining the adjusted basis of a personal residence. OBSERVATION:  You should keep records showing how much you spent  on any improvements to your personal residence no matter how long you may have to retain these records.  If your home is sold, the home's adjusted basis must be considered in determining any gain.   Additional acreage Humidistat  Additions, rooms Inside walls:  Air cleaner, electronic ° altering and plastering Air conditioning ° wall tiles Alarm system ° wood paneling Aluminum siding Insulation Attic fan Intercommunication system Attic, convert to living space Kitchen Awnings Lamp post Barbecue grill Landscaping Baseboard heating Laundry equipment Basement, convert to living space Lawn sprinkler system Basketball goalpost Leaders Bathroom, additional Lightening rods Bathtub Linen chute Bathtub sliding door Linoleum Beams, decorative Locks, door Bird bath Mailbox Blocks, patio Medicine cabinet Boiler Mirrors Bookcases Outdoor lighting Breezeway Outlets, electrical Built-in appliances Ovens Built-in furniture Paneling Burglar alarm system Partitions Cabana Pathways Cabinets Patio Call bells Plants, bulbs and seeds Carpeting Play yard Caulking Plumbing Ceilings, acoustical Porch Chimes, door Pumps Chimney Racks, garage Circuit breakers Radiator covers Circulating system Radiators and valves Closets Railings Clothes dryer Range hood Cold water pipe Range, gas or electric Concrete walks Refrigerator Cooling equipment Retaining walls Copper tubing Roofing Cornice Room dividers Counter tops Satellite dish Cupboards Screen doors Curtains Screens Deck Security system Dehumidifier Septic system Dishwasher Sewer assessment Doors Sewers Dormers Shades Drain boards Shed Drain pipes Shelves, built-in Drainage system Shower controls Drapes Shower doors Driveway, paving or  blacktopping Showers Dry wells Shrubs Dryer Shutters Ducts Sidewalks Electric heat Siding Electrical outlets Sinks Electrical wiring Skylights Electricity, increasing service Smoke detectors Electronic air filter Soft water system Exhaust fan Solar heating unit Exterior lighting Solar room Fencing Space heater Fertilizers and conditioners Stairs Filtration system Steam room Fire alarm system Steps Fireplace Storm doors Fireplace mantel Storm windows Fixtures, lighting Sump pump Fixtures, plumbing Supply cabinets Flagstone walks Survey, property Flashing Swimming pool Flooring, wood, tile, etc. Switch plates Food freezer Telephone outlets Furnace filter system Termite proofing Furnace, replacement Terraces Fuse boxes Thermostat Garage Tiles Garage door Toilets Garbage disposal system Topsoil Garden and grounds Towel racks Gates Trees Glass enclosure Trellis Grading Tub enclosure Grass seed Tubs Grease traps TV antenna Greenhouse Vacuuming system Grills, air ducts Vanity Gutters Venetian blinds Hamper Vent pipe Hardware, fixtures and   locks: Ventilator ° cabinets and closets Walks ° curtains and draperies Wall coverings ° doors Washing machine ° lighting fixtures Water purifying system ° windows Water supply system Heat ducts Waterproofing Heat pumps Weather stripping Heating system Well Hedges Whirlpool Hot tub Window replacement Hot water heater Window seats Hot water pipe Wiring system House numbers Wood paneling Humidifier, furnace Work shed     While you own your home, various events may take place that can change the original basis of your home.  These events can increase or decrease your original basis.  The result is called adjusted basis. Improvements.  An improvement materially adds to the value of your home, considerably prolongs its useful life, or adapts it to new uses.  You must add the cost of any improvements to the basis of your home.  You cannot deduct these costs. Amount added to basis.  The amount you add to your basis for improvements is your actual cost.  This includes all costs for material and labor, except your own labor, and all expenses related to the improvement.  For example, if you had your lot surveyed to put up a fence, the cost of the survey is a part of the cost of the fence.  You also must add to your basis state and local assessments for improvements such as streets and sidewalks if they increase the value of the property. Repairs versus improvements.  A repair keeps your home in an ordinary, efficient operating condition.  It does not add to the value of your home or prolong its life.  Repairs include repainting your home inside or outside, fixing your gutters or floors, fixing leaks and plastering, and replacing broken window panes.  You cannot deduct repair costs and generally cannot add them to the basis of your home. Record keeping.  Keeping full and accurate records is vital to properly report your income and expenses, to support your deductions and credits, and to know the basis or adjusted basis of your home.  These records include your purchase contract and settlement papers if you bought the property, or other objective evidence if you acquired by gift, inheritance, or similar means.  You should keep any receipts, canceled checks, and similar evidence for improvements or other additions to the basis.  In addition, you should keep track of any decreases to the basis.