Buying a home comes with a lot of associated costs. This can include your major loans and bills such as a mortgage, property taxes, and title costs. It can also include smaller recurring payments, such as your utility bills.
What are some of the utilities can you expect when owning a home? How much do you have to pay for utilities when owning a home in Utah? Let’s take a look at what utilities are and what average costs you can come to expect.
Utilities 101
In the United States, utilities refer to energy, gas, water and other services that help keep your home in functional living conditions.
Utilities in a house typically include:
- Electricity
- Natural gas
- Internet and cable TV
- Telephone services
- Water
- Trash and recycling
In some locations, you may pay additional utilities. The opposite is also true: Some establishments may offer circumstances where part or all of the utilities are included in the overall cost of the home. However, in most cases, when you are buying a home in Utah, you will likely pay monthly expenses for all utilities.
Average Utility Costs
One upside to utilities is it’s ultimately up to you to choose what utilities your situation calls for, and which companies from which to buy your utilities. This can have a big influence on your monthly costs.
For example, there are many different cable and Internet packages offered by different service providers in your area. You can speak with them individually to figure out what package and price would work best for you.
What about Utah? Since that is where you will be buying your new home, it’s important to narrow down average utility costs so you can start budgeting for your future. Numbeo ran the numbers and determined that average monthly utilities in Utah can range between $136 and $200. Again, this is dependent upon the area in which you live, the utilities you choose, and the size of your home.
Let’s break down each utility to figure out your best options for setting them up in an affordable way.
How to Set Up Utilities in Your New Utah Home
Now that you understand what exactly utilities are, how can you set them up in your new home? There are a couple of very important steps you should take BEFORE the day you actually move in.
This is because you want to have your utilities turned on and ready for you by the time you are actually living there. You wouldn’t want to go for a few days or nights without water and electricity, right?
Step 1. Finding Service Providers
How can you get gas, electricity, water, and cable set up in your home? It may seem like a daunting task and one that’s a little time-consuming, but it isn’t too difficult.
The first thing you need to do is to find service providers in your local area that can provide these utilities to your home.
The American Coalition of Competitive Energy Suppliers is a great place to start! You can also ask your agent who they would recommend.
Step 2. Schedule a Set-Up Time
Once you’ve found and spoken with your preferred service providers, you will be asked to schedule a time to turn on the services to your home.
Sometimes, this can be done remotely, but in most cases, a representative will need to come to your house to make sure everything is set up and ready to go.
If you are getting TV and Internet services, the service provider will come to your house and set everything up for you.
Step 3. Transfer Services
If you already have an account with specific service providers, and you want to stay with them, you can call and simply have your services transferred to your new address.
That way, you can stick with someone you already know, with price points that you are already familiar with and prepared for.
Preparing to Receive Your Utility Bills
After everything is set up and turned on, you can start enjoying all the basic conveniences of your new home! It is essential for people to have ready access to water, electricity, and trash pickups.
Once you have the basics out of the way, you’ll begin to receive monthly bills for the utilities provided. Keep in mind that the first month of utilities may be higher if setup fees have been applied to your first bill.
Make sure that you always pay your monthly bills on time, as this will not only leave you in good standing with the service providers, but it will also help you maintain a good credit score.
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Enjoy Utilities in Your New Utah Home!
Setting up utilities when buying a home in Utah can seem like an overwhelming task on top of everything else on your to-do list, but it really takes no time at all.
It helps you get set up with the essentials you need to live comfortably in your home, and it’s important that you get this taken care of before your move-in date.
That way, you won’t feel as intimidated by the concept of paying for utilities. Once it’s all set up and done, all you need to do is budget for your monthly bills, and the rest will come naturally!
Contact Jackie Ruden Realty Team
Give us a call today at to set up a time to discuss your current and future real estate goals in regards to buying a home or buying a property in trust. We look forward to working with you to make your goals a reality.
