converting electric cooktop to gas cooktop (Little Elm: house, construction, live in)

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by Katana49

If they have a house built in the last 20 years of average size, I've got a really good idea what size meter they have. You don't, apparently.

All of that is irrelevant. No one uses all of that at the same time.

You clearly don't have a typical house, either, and you know it, so stop posting like your house needs are the same as most other people. A 172k BTU stove top is basically restaurant grade, which is more than double what a standard sized 5 burner cooktop would be. The fact you don't know that is proof you have no idea what you're talking about. The OP clearly stated they are looking for a 30" 4-5 burner cooktop, that will probably have a MAX of 70k BTU. Maybe you should try reading the first post.

Now if you're done humble bragging about all the irrelevant crap in your house perhaps the thread can continue.

Call a plumber or Atmos and ask how meters are sized. Do it right now and report back.

It does not matter if no one uses all of their gas appliances at the same time. That's how meters are sized. I'm eating lunch with my best friend who is a plumber, I knew it anyway, but that's straight from his lips. In fact the preferred method is add up the total potential use and then add a little fudge factor for future changes and short term low volume situation into the meter.

1. I'm assuming the OP does not want to burn his house down.

2. It's horrifying and ridiculous that you'd hop on here half-cocked about a topic that is ultimately about safety.

3. Except for our stove which is very large there is nothing usual about our house in terms of gas usage. Lots of people have much bigger heaters for more square footage, bigger pool heaters, very gas hungry tankless water heaters etc.

[Threestep2]

Originally Posted by Trustworth

Hello,

I want to get my electric cooktop converted to gas cooktop. I do have a gasline in my house. It needs to be pulled to the kitchen (around 12-15 ft distance) & then get the connection done. I need following help in this regard please :
1) How much should it cost me?
2) Any good, reliable, reasonable Plumber reccomondations in Plano area?
3) Any reccomondations on good Gas coocktop, which brand is good? their prices ? I am looking for 30" 4or5 burners.
4) What should i look for while buying it?
5) Anybody has any experience with glass top gas cooktop? good or bad?
6) Also need to get water filter installed under kitchen sink. Any recommondations on it?

Thanks in advance!

1) Permit, line, cook top. Is your budget between 35k and up?
2) Start with your local gas provider. They often have recommendations.
3) There are several appliance stores in the DFW market. Visit several of them. Not knowing your house, cooking needs it is impossible to make educated suggestions.
4) Cleaning, maintenance, additional features. I can turn a burner cover to safely seat a wok.
5) What is a glass top gas cook top?
6) Go to Lowe's or HD.

[ThomasCrown]

Originally Posted by EDS_

3. Except for our stove which is very large there is nothing usual about our house in terms of gas usage. Lots of people have much bigger heaters for more square footage, bigger pool heaters, very gas hungry tankless water heaters etc.

I think you're neglecting a very important detail... If a home already has a pool heater, big heaters for large square footage homes, etc... then the gas meter has already been sized for those items. My own pool heater is 333k BTU.

When we had it installed, the gas company said we could add it to our existing meter, no need for a separate sub meter either.

I highly doubt any home built to code today could not absorb the additional gas requirements to add a typical gas cooktop without having to upgrade the meter. Most small cooktops are less than 60k BTU. You also have to consider that the average non custom home built today is mass produced... and it was probably an option to have a gas cooktop, or an electric one. However, the gas meter is probably going to be the same for all homes in the neighborhood, whether they have a gas or electric cooktop, or if they are 3k sq ft or 4k sq ft.

[ThomasCrown]

Originally Posted by Threestep

1) Permit, line, cook top. Is your budget between 35k and up?

It does not cost anywhere in the realm of $35k to switch to a gas cooktop.

[Threestep2]

Originally Posted by ThomasCrown

It does not cost anywhere in the realm of $35k to switch to a gas cooktop.

Typing with two furry assistants. Thank you for catching that - make it 3-5k up.

If gas is in the house the stove top may have a hook up. Pull out everything and check the wall. Can you contact the original builder or is it an older house?

Ours was a "do not look at because there is no gas". SO pulled the stove out - voila!

[bpollen]

I plan on converting electric cooktop to a gas cooktop, if I can't find a house w/a gas range already (which looks doubtful).

I read up on this some, and decided on a budget of about $3,000 for such conversion, incl the cost of the cooktop, IF there's a nearby gas line, such as the water heater. In my reading, I never saw a reference to needing a new meter, but maybe that's something I should research.

The cost of cooktops runs the gamut. I would get a very basic one. I don't like the small simmer burners and such.

As for houses having a lot of gas things running simultaneously, I lived in my last house for over 20 years. It had gas heat (not used much in Dallas), gas water heater, and a gas stove. That's all. Only the water heater was used extensively. It was a rare occurrence for all three to be going at the same time.

If your house is older, as mine was (1950s house), it was probably built with gas lines already for a gas stove, as mine was. Whether that line would need to be replaced is another matter. Many flippers close the gas stove lines and install electric appliances because it costs less.

My preference is a house already w/a gas range, but it opens my options a lot if I consider the conversion. I just add the $3k estimate to my house budget. I would only do it if there's a gas line already near the kitchen, though. If it turns out to be a little more than $3k, I'd take the extra off my budget for something else, or I wouldn't do it. My brother thinks it would cost less, though, if there's a nearby gas line. He says he's familiar with the process, and it's not too complicated.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by ThomasCrown

I think you're neglecting a very important detail... If a home already has a pool heater, big heaters for large square footage homes, etc... then the gas meter has already been sized for those items. My own pool heater is 333k BTU.

When we had it installed, the gas company said we could add it to our existing meter, no need for a separate sub meter either.

I highly doubt any home built to code today could not absorb the additional gas requirements to add a typical gas cooktop without having to upgrade the meter. Most small cooktops are less than 60k BTU. You also have to consider that the average non custom home built today is mass produced... and it was probably an option to have a gas cooktop, or an electric one. However, the gas meter is probably going to be the same for all homes in the neighborhood, whether they have a gas or electric cooktop, or if they are 3k sq ft or 4k sq ft.

You're probably right.
My point was the OP may need a new meter. It's not a big deal......if needed the plumber will call the provider and they will upgrade the meter probably for free. It takes an installer maybe 10 minutes in most cases.

[Threestep2]

Originally Posted by bpollen

I plan on converting electric cooktop to a gas cooktop, if I can't find a house w/a gas range already (which looks doubtful).

I read up on this some, and decided on a budget of about $3,000 for such conversion, incl the cost of the cooktop, IF there's a nearby gas line, such as the water heater. In my reading, I never saw a reference to needing a new meter, but maybe that's something I should research.

The cost of cooktops runs the gamut. I would get a very basic one. I don't like the small simmer burners and such.

As for houses having a lot of gas things running simultaneously, I lived in my last house for over 20 years. It had gas heat (not used much in Dallas), gas water heater, and a gas stove. That's all. Only the water heater was used extensively. It was a rare occurrence for all three to be going at the same time.

If your house is older, as mine was (1950s house), it was probably built with gas lines already for a gas stove, as mine was. Whether that line would need to be replaced is another matter. Many flippers close the gas stove lines and install electric appliances because it costs less.

My preference is a house already w/a gas range, but it opens my options a lot if I consider the conversion. I just add the $3k estimate to my house budget. I would only do it if there's a gas line already near the kitchen, though. If it turns out to be a little more than $3k, I'd take the extra off my budget for something else, or I wouldn't do it. My brother thinks it would cost less, though, if there's a nearby gas line. He says he's familiar with the process, and it's not too complicated.

12 years ago I paid 1k for about 15 feet to connect an existing line to the oven in Alabama. No drywall ...

Take your biggest pot/pan to showrooms with you. Put it on the cook top. Surprise!

[Grainraiser]

I would be surprised if a new meter is needed. My house was built by Highland Homes and they added a gas stub for my stove and dryer at construction. The cost of adding a line really depends on what type foundation you have. With a pier and beam they can run the line underneath the home. With a slab foundation they will have to jack hammer out a trench which is more expensive. A gas stove starts at $400 and goes up from their depending on the features you want.

[KerrTown]

I'm thinking about switching to gas when my electric cooktop finally goes caput. It's hard to find a gas wall oven since I only saw electrics at Home Depot. The only gas ovens I saw are gas ranges. I could cut out a space in my countertop and custom cabinets, but I don't like the dirt and grime that eventually builds up on the sides of the range from my experiences in my previous house.

Hell, I'm trying to switch all the appliances that I can to gas. Next up is the dryer when it goes caput.