Clayton NC utilities estimate (Garner: new house, neighborhood, buy)

[Blu529]

Hi all:

I'm moving from Garner to Clayton in a few months, about 3,000 sq ft house. Just today, someone mentioned that Clayton's utilities costs are astronomical. I'm writing to see if this person was just being shady/sour grapes, or if I'm really in for a bad time. (I know lots depends on our usage and the energy efficiency of the home, but I'm just looking for your experiences.)

In Garner, we have Duke Energy. Bill is around $170 during the summer months when we use AC. Water is $24. We get robbed on our trash bill. It's $400/year. No sewer, since we have a septic tank.

Thanks for any help you can offer. I'm trying not to panic about my purchase!

[goodbyesnow]

It depends on where in Clayton-in/out of City limits.
2700 sq ft newer home:
Our water is about 125/month for 5 people
I've heard water bill in Flowers Plantation is even more.
Duke energy between 150 (rarely) and upwards of 500 in peak heat/air times.
Trash I think is 17/month added to water bill.

[Blu529]

We're in Clayton city limits (just barely), so I assume that makes things more expensive. Thanks for your feedback!

[goodbyesnow]

Our neighborhood was annexed so we are technically also in city limits, which is why ours are higher for some things.

[static_g]

Flowers Plantation has higher water and sewer bills than you'd have in a city. The provider for the entire development is Aqua, a private company. They charge a flat rate sewer fee for every house, which I believe is about $70 a month. Add your water usage on top of that, and you're looking at at least $100 a month for water and sewer. It's expensive as hell, but given Flowers' location on the outskirts of Clayton, Aqua has the monopoly there.

There's a neighborhood at the edge of Flowers called Taft Woods East. They use Aqua for water, but they have septic for sewer. Their water bill consists of only what they use in water -- for my house, that's be roughly $30 a month.

[Blu529]

We stayed away from Flowers because it didn't suit us for lots of reasons. It looks like we'll have water (and other utilities) through the city of Clayton. With only two of us in the house, we pay very little for water (between $20-24 a month), and it looks like Clayton will be comparable. Whew.

I don't know where the person who told me to "plan to spend thousands in utilities" was coming from, but maybe it was a case of someone trying to pop my bubble. (She doesn't live in Flowers.) Good to know it might not be totally founded. Thanks!

[goodbyesnow]

Thousands/month? I think they were trying to scare you away!

[static_g]

Originally Posted by Blu529

told me to "plan to spend thousands in utilities"

That's ridiculous. Certainly not anywhere in Clayton. Probably not anywhere in the country!

[Blu529]

I thought so, too, but you know how it is when you purchase a new house in a new location. I already feel stressed about what I don't yet know about the house and the place! I'm stressed out enough to want to double check with people who know.

[pkc789]

parts of the city limits buy the power from Duke and "resell" it to you at a higher rate. Some times this happens in once neighborhood and not another that is walking distance away. We live in Flowers and we pay average $175 electric average $30 gas (heat/hot water only) and average $90 water/sewer (Aqua). I can't remember the trash price but it is expensive because Flowers only allows you to use one company so no competition. The off set to the higher trash/water for us is no PMI and no city taxes.