Originally Posted By: larry818
a part of the house is deductible

And not only is part of the house deductible, but a proportion of any repair/upgrade made to the house is also deductible. Last year, I wrote off ~10% of the cost of re-painting my kitchen, living room, dining room, and nursery. I also wrote off ~10% of the cost of a new toilet seat, and the water and electrical bills. It was fantastic.