What are the Average Utility Bill Costs for a Small 2 or 3 bedroom Home

[theinsuranceman2000]

My home is about 1000 Sqft. I had all of the walls insulated and the crawll space insulated. There is also insulation in the attic knee walls and between the Rafters. Good insulation and good windows are key. Plug and caulk every hole and crack. My worst gas bill this winter in Indianapolis was about $130 for the month and I like keeping my house temperature a toasty 70-72 when I am there. But because I live alone I have my programmable thermostat set lower when I am not there and heat up the home just before returning. Electric bills are usually about $50. Turn off them lights, and try not to heat by electricity, it is not efficient heat. I thought my bills were bad before reading some of these postings. Making your house air tight from drafts and cold through insulation, caulking and good windows and doors helps alot, believe me ! TW.

[lurtsman]

Originally Posted by xz2y

You should ask to see the electric bill. That should be standard for anyone renting and not having a separate electric meter. Your electric, if divided with the landlord, should be based on square footage, and should have been agreed upon when you signed your lease.

Is there some law that forces it to be based on square footage? I can guarantee you that square feet does not determine power usage, or other utility usage. If someone rents one bedroom in a 4 bed room house but still showers daily and blow dries there hair, they are going to be using a significant portion of the electricity. Do they have a fridge in their area? Don't get me wrong, if I was a renter I'd love to pay only a small fraction of the costs I created, but I'm aware that it's very silly to do it that way. It should have been stated in the lease.

Note, it sounded to me like the renter was renting a part of a large property, rather than an individual unit within an apartment complex. If it is the latter, then I understand that SQ feet is a fairly standard way for landlords to avoid the work of figuring it out, though electric metering is a very effective way of reducing overall costs to the landlord by reducing utility waste.

BTW, for comparison, my winter utility bills (water,gas,electric) are around 250 on average for a 2500 sq ft house. However, I don't live anywhere near Detroit, and utilities are less expensive out here. I don't suppose OP has considered relocating?

[Cellsandy]

When I lived in a tiny 800 Sq ft house in Madison hts, I paid $300 a month to heat and cool it. I moved to a 2000 Sq ft house in the Pointes and I pay $150. It's all depending on the quality of the house

[JulianaMoon]

Do you have to pay "availability fees" is Detroit? Just to have water, I pay 9.50 a month. Just to have gas, 6.00, Just to have electric 15.68, and Just to have sewer, 17.00. I'm paying to have water come in, and water to go out, even if I don't have anything on, my bills are going to be $48.18 plus tax. I live in a rural town in Tennessee, and the utilities are privately owned. It is BS!!!!

[ThePage]

The only thing I can say here is people should take MichCon gas to court for ripping off workers and businesses.
This company is putting too many people out of business in Michigan with all these high bills.