Upwards of $1000 utility bill on 1800 sq ft rehab?

[Tae C.]

Hello all,

I’ve been involved in my first two flips the last few months. I just received my utility bill for one of my properties, and it was $928. The house is around 1800 sq ft, still down to the studs. The only thing other than the usual tools that are using power right now is the furnace. I was shocked at the bill, and the utility company said they suspect the furnace has been run very hot and often to create this kind of number. I am doing this remotely (so yes, two no-no’s for a first time flipper - doing two at a time, doing both remotely - it’s been quite the learning experience).  Can someone tell me if this is to be expected during a rehab once winter hits, or am I right to be a bit shocked at this number?

[Paul Bowers]

That seems shockingly high but if your workers have it set at 70* and there is no insulation in the house there is a good chance the furnace is running 24/7.  Maybe you should consider one of the thermostats that you can monitor via an app on your phone or at least have a programmable one installed so you know its getting turned down when nobody is at the property.