Gas vs electric heating

[Chetan Naik]

Hi everyone, I am a first time developer building a 12 unit apt complex, a mix of 1 and 2 bedroom apartments in Northeast ranging from 678 to 960 sq feet. My builder thinks the units are small and electric heating should not be an issue. I plan to submerged all the apartments and let the tenants pay for the utilities. Is this a good idea or should I press for gas heating? Thanks in advance and merry Christmas to all!

[Michaela G.]

I think it depends on the income class that you're targeting. Those units are small, so, it would probably not be middle class families, but maybe singles, with good income, depending on your rents. 

I work in low-income areas in Atlanta and they all want all-electric. If I have gas heating, they will not turn it on and will use electric heaters. Then the gas company will take the gas meter away and for the next tenant you'll have to spend a lot of money to get permit and pressure test and get a new gas heater, that the tenant won't use. 

I will no longer install gas heaters now. They don't care that gas is cheaper. And with small electric heaters you'll end up with broken pipes and tenants don't have the money to fix.