Estimating gas/electricity/water bills for new house

[CityDweller]

We're (hopefully) moving to a much larger property soon and I'm beginning to worry about how much our bills will go up (after looking up how much the council tax is for the new place - eek). We're moving from a 2-bed flat in a block (so our current outgoings are quite low) to a detached house.

How do I make a reasonable guess at what the gas, electricity and water bills will be in the new place? It's 2200 sq ft, but has a good energy efficiency rating. Or do I get that info as part of the conveyancing process (can't remember - it's been years since we bought our place)

[PigletJohn]

this calculator makes a fair estimate of the amount of heat your house will lose on a cold day (it is to calculate your required boiler size). Perhaps someone who calculates a similar figure will tell you what they spend.

After that, it depends how hot, and for how long, you heat it. Energy from electricity costs three times as much as energy from gas. Cavity wall insulation, and loft insulation, save a lot.

Lighting, TVs, computers etc use hardy any energy (obviously you will be using energy-saving lamps). The biggest cost is from heating the house, and a smaller amount from hot water. A tumble drier or an electric heater will use a lot.

You will need a timer and thermostat on your heating, and your hot pipes and cylinder need to be well insulated.

If you have an open-plan house, or leave the internal doors open, your heat will rush upstairs.

[ChishandFips33]

Can you ask the current owners what their costs are? We did this on one of our viewings

[Ruhrpott]

The person who bought our last house asked to see a copy of our water bill. I think it was because we were metered and they wanted to see what it cost. I'm sure the sellers won't mind showing you a copy of their bills.

[specialsubject]

a lot of this is due to how you live and what your expectations are. If you live in a well-insulated modern house but expect to walk round all winter in t-shirt and shorts and run hot water dozens of times a day, your fuel bills will be a lot more than someone in an older house who wears more clothes and thinks about the washing up. (Real example)

or you can even move into the same house and watch the bill divide by three. (Another real example - no idea what our tenants did with all that energy!)

you can ask the current owners about their bills. When you move in, you can start taking measures to control use, and also look at insulation, boiler efficiency etc.

top tip - don't buy a place which doesn't get much sun and sits in a rain shadow at the bottom of a hill. Seen a few of those...

[specialsubject]

other examples; no stupid flimsy curtains, put up some liners. No open plan; doors keep heat in. No skylights and high ceilings, heat rises.

[CityDweller]

Thanks for the tips. I will ask vendors for the info, but that will take a while to come through via solicitors, etc, and was trying to do a rough budget this weekend.


It's an open plan house, so not much we can do on that front, although there are doors we can shut between different areas. At least it's all on one floor - so not too much heating rising, hopefully. And the boiler/ central heating was re-done recently. The EPC gives it 68%, which in my reckoning is relatively good for a not-new-build house.

[Ruhrpott]

Ours asked for the bills via the estate agent, not the solicitor. Since we didn't mind and understood their concerns over the water meter we obliged and provided them a copy within a day or so.

[specialsubject]

EPC doesn't sound too bad, although they are of limited value. You might also want to see what has been done in the way of loft insulation - if it was a freebie given to a senior citizen it may be a very bad job. (also been there!)

with a new boiler check for the appropriate cert (OFTEC/Gas safe) AND building regs approval lodged with the council.

[CityDweller]

A new boiler needs building regs special?? I had no idea...

[PigletJohn]

the boiler installer will (should) be qualified and do the notification for you.

Same with electricians who are members of a Competent Person scheme.

[specialsubject]

yes, all new heat generating appliances installed in a house need building regs. Woodburners and boilers included.

news to me too until a solicitor wouldn't let us exchange on a house purchase until the building regs cert for the new boiler was received. NOT the same as gas safe.

so check for your own property.