Utilities in S.Florida (apartment complex, rent, house)

[alexa529]

Could anyone give me an estimate of utility costs for a one bed/one bath apt in southern florida? I'm looking at a 750 sq. ft. apt. where nothing is included so I was wondering what water/sewer/garbage/AC/electric/gas would add to the rent? Thanks!

[Jon F Moss]

water/trash may be included depending on where you rent. An apartment complex will likely make you pay for everything whereas if you rent from a private owner they'll be picking up the tab (but you'll ultimately be paying for it through the rent)

As recently as a couple of years ago, we were paying $20/month for valet trash and about the same for water/sewer per month. Electricity will vary according to how often you have the A/C running. Cut back in the winter months and your bill could be $40-50/month. One cool winter I had a $24 bill! The summer months will run you double or more depending on usage.

Not many apartments have gas hookup that's just more you pay in electric.

FPL (local power company) has a program where you can have your bill averaged out and you pay the same amount every month. Personally, I'd rather pay for actual usage rather than paying an average.

[MananaLand]

For that size apartment you'll run about $60 to $100 per month for electric, depending upon the efficiency of your ac unit, and how cool and how often you run it, and other activities that use electric. But your ac will be about 95% of your electric costs. FPL had a 20% increase last year due to the hurricanes.

[CiXeL]

buy flourescent bulbs. you will save a TON.
if you can raise your tolerance for heat and keep the house at 77 F like we do you will save a ton as well.

[bonks427]

oh wow! that's really cheap! up here in philly we payed almost $300 a month for electric when i lived in my apartment. and the heat was already included in our rent! we didn't have A/C and we tried to keep lights off whenever possible.

[Chelito23]

I paid water in a one bredroom and it cost $15 a month. HOWEVER, my sister lived in a complex where the whole complex received one bill and then divided it amongst the tennants. That means, you pay for what your neighbors use. And guess what, if you neighbors are moving out and bitter and leave the water running, for days, the bill skyrockets and there are months that her water bill would be near $100. It was the strangest system I ever heard of, and of course they didn't tell her it worked that way.

Garbage removal and sewar...mmmm that was included for me, but I can't imagine more than $30.

FPL estimates on here seem low to me...most people will leave the AC on from April through November, so I can't imagine a $60 bill. I would say closer to $100 and above, with all of the FPL increases and special assesment fees, not to mention if you actually like to come home to a comfortably cool house. Don't be fooled, just because it is a one bedroom, it doesn't mean much. There are very few trees to throw shade on walls or roofs, there is pavement for parking everywhere, the windows hear don't keep the heat out...and cement walls obviously retain the heat thus never letting the buildings cool off.

I agree with the advice about using fans and keeping the thermostat up or off when not at home.

[Jon F Moss]

[quote=Chelito23;534135]I paid water in a one bredroom and it cost $15 a month. HOWEVER, my sister lived in a complex where the whole complex received one bill and then divided it amongst the tennants. That means, you pay for what your neighbors use. And guess what, if you neighbors are moving out and bitter and leave the water running, for days, the bill skyrockets and there are months that her water bill would be near $100. It was the strangest system I ever heard of, and of course they didn't tell her it worked that way.
QUOTE]

my last apartment experience was like your sisters in that you divide the water/sewer bill with everyone in the building. They did however calculate it based on what size place you had. We had a 3 bedroom, and as a result were paying more than someone with a 1 or 2 bedroom place.