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September 17, 2009
Utilities Bill
A friend of mine is moving out of her apartment. It's a pretty big 1BR apartment with backyard access. The rent is 1100 (heat, gas, electric not included). How much should I expect to pay for each? (obviously its going to depend on my usage) But whats reasonable for a 1 BR so I can consider for my budget.
Comments
Interpolating from my 4-story house:
electric 80-120/month year round avg. (assuming not electric dryer or range)depending on lights & a/c.
Is heat gas? Then 80/month avg. (30 summer, up to 250 jan/feb)
If heat is electric, don't rent it.
PS Why not just ask your friend?
Posted by: cmu at September 16, 2009 9:11 PM
We asked her but she says her AC is on 24/7, and heat is cranked. Very wasteful. So i wanted to see general usage. Im actually pretty energy conscience (as i work in IT for utility companies and stress efficiency).
Posted by: guikazoid at September 16, 2009 9:14 PM
How do my figures compare with hers?
Posted by: cmu at September 16, 2009 9:22 PM
She says she pays 150 for water.... about 100 for electricity
What do you pay for water?
Posted by: guikazoid at September 16, 2009 9:41 PM
Water? I thought by law the landlord had to pay the water bill. You're friend pays the water bill as well? Is it a standalone unit, not part of a larger building?
Posted by: christopher at September 16, 2009 10:46 PM
150 A MONTH for water, for a 1-bedroom apartment?? Something is seriously wrong with that.
Posted by: Back40 at September 17, 2009 8:38 AM
Back40-i know stuff isnt making sense. im going to speak with the landlord today..
Posted by: guikazoid at September 17, 2009 8:49 AM
Water bill is ridiculous; I pay less than that for 2 apts. Also landlord must provide water.
Electricity is tricky; it's a ground floor, yes? So some may keep 10 100w bulbs on whenever they're home (and maybe keep the TV on for their dog when they leave). I use CFL's and religiously turn off lights when I leave a room (and switch off power strips) so my non-summer bill for 3 floors is $85.
Posted by: cmu at September 17, 2009 9:00 AM
so the landlord HAS TO provide the water? Even if its 3 family private home?
Posted by: guikazoid at September 17, 2009 9:35 AM
we just got our electric bill from august, with the AC used about half the month, duplex, 2 bedroom. it was only about 120. i was kind of SHOCKED actually.
*rob*
Posted by: Butterfly at September 17, 2009 9:49 AM
I have 2 identical apartments - large w/ 2bedrooms, w/d, dw. In one the tenant's bills last year were around $150 for elec & gas but in the other they were closer to $325. It really is so dependent on use.
Posted by: Arkady at September 17, 2009 9:51 AM
For electric I just paid $165 for August where we used the two window air conditioners a lot in our big 1 bedroom (3rd fl. brownstone building with unshaded southern exposure).
When we aren't using air conditioners, the bill runs about $60-75 a month. Over a year we probably average out to $100/mo.
Cooking gas runs us about $10-$15 a month.
We don't pay heat.
I asked a similar question recently and got some good answers here:
http://www.brownstoner.com/forum/archives/2009/08/heathw_costs_in.php
Posted by: northsloperenter at September 17, 2009 10:08 AM
The landlord has to provide cold water, but the tenant can pay for the gas to heat it. However, it would have to be on a separate meter, which not many places have. Is this a big apartment building or a multi-family house? I would be careful there -- if it's a two-family house, for example, he may just have the tenant paying to heat the whole building's hot water, in exchange for a cheap rent. Definitely look closely into this.
Posted by: babs at September 17, 2009 10:11 AM
Oh man... I feel better about my electric usage now! I have been averaging about $50 this summer (with one A/C in my bedroom for the night and one fan in my living room)
I guess I'm a miser... even though it seems I leave my lights on all over by accident. I live in, without getting complicated, a 4-room 1-bed.
(I have 2 other rooms, but I don't count them... or really use them... for various reasons)
Posted by: tybur6 at September 17, 2009 10:14 AM
wow- NSRenter...you're never going to win any 'Green' awards.
Posted by: Petebklyn at September 17, 2009 10:17 AM
150 for water? That sounds fishy.
Posted by: dirty_hipster at September 17, 2009 10:28 AM
For my rental apartment:
Gas heat/hot water - $30/month for warm months, $150/month for the three or four coldest winter months (with temp set around 72 degrees, lower at night). Should average roughly $90/month.
Electricity - $85/month. But of course this will depend on usage.
I (landlord) pay the water bill. It's been about $140 each quarter for my three family house.
Posted by: newhomer at September 17, 2009 10:28 AM
"wow- NSRenter...you're never going to win any 'Green' awards."
lol -- I certainly wasn't trying to last month.
We were home a lot during those 2 weeks where it was 95 degrees with 99% humidity every day, so the ACs were running nearly 24/7 in a 1000 sq. ft. apt.
It would have helped if the landlord let me paint the south side of his brownstone white, but it didn't occur to me to ask until it was really too late.
Posted by: northsloperenter at September 17, 2009 10:43 AM
nsloperent, don't let the "green" nazis dissaude you into doing whatever the *f* you want. let them go choke on rooftop leaded urban tomatos.
*rob*
Posted by: Butterfly at September 17, 2009 12:52 PM
Rob, global warming's gonna cook you first.
Posted by: cmu at September 17, 2009 3:43 PM
Water bills have gone wayyyy up recently, so only recent bills are relevant there...
Posted by: Isty at September 17, 2009 4:01 PM
yeah, water bill is way up. Stealth Bloomberg tax on middleclass.
Posted by: Petebklyn at September 17, 2009 4:36 PM
checked out the place myself today, spoke with landlord, and (gf's) friend in more detail. she pays like 60 a month for heat/water (budget billing) and like 100 a month for electricity. not bad.
Posted by: guikazoid at September 17, 2009 10:56 PM
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