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Changing from Electric to Gas Range

marvelousmarvin
12 years ago

I currently have a budget electric range with those electric coils that I'm looking to replace. Its old yet durable, but it doesn't match the dishwasher- the dishwasher is stainless steel while the range is white.

Since, I'm already looking to replace the range, I'm also thinking about changing out the electric range for a gas range. Why get a new electric range when I've never liked the electric range in the first place?

But, does anybody know how much it will cost and how long it will take to do that when the kitchen is hooked up for an electric range? What is the process like?

As much as I'd prefer a gas range over an electric range, if its going to cost a lot of money, then I'd begrudingly stick with an electric range.

Comments (21)

  • marvelousmarvin
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Also, I think the closest gas line might be the gas fireplace in the living room which is one room away from kitchen.

    Or, it might be the water heater which is located one floor below the kitchen.

    I want to get an estimate of the cost before I even pay a plumber to come over. If I find out it'll be too expensive, then there's no point in even calling a plumber over.

  • Circus Peanut
    12 years ago

    Is the basement below the kitchen finished or unfinished? It costs a lot less when it's not -- just a matter of paying for the piping to run it up through the floor to the stove. It cost us around $180 for labor & supplies to do this. It's not very expensive if your house already has gas lines, depending on what your plumber/gas person charges (if it's a plumber, make sure s/he's licensed to work on gas).

  • aprilmack
    12 years ago

    Yes, it was not very expensive at all. I also paid about $180 to have my electric stove switched to gas. It's been lovely. (The gas cooking that is.)

  • brickeyee
    12 years ago

    It is very unlikely you will be able to use any existing gas line.

    They are normally sized for the load they are feeding, and adding another load will not work.

    A new gas line all the way back to the meter is typical.

    CSST may be cheaper to install if it is allowed in your area.

  • dodge59
    12 years ago

    If the gas turns out to be too expensive, look into Induction.
    It has many of the benefits of gas, and surpasses it for some uses---ie---boiling speed, temperature control and speed of temp changes, simmer, and nothing comes close to induction as far as ease of cleaning.

    Gary

  • breezygirl
    12 years ago

    I had my gas line stretched (under the crawl space, no slab) from the laundry room into the kitchen for the gas rangetop and over to the family room for the new gas fireplace. I also had them put a hookup outside on the deck for the BBQ since it was only a few feet more. I don't recall them running a new pipe back to the meter, but I could be mistaken.

    My gas company was much more expensive for the work so I hired my HVAC guys who were already on-site doing other work. Their specialist did the final connection once the reno was done and ready. Can't recall the final bill, but it was less than $300.

    Get a couple quotes. One gas plumber told me he charges more than $100/ foot!!

  • User
    12 years ago

    Look into induction before thinking about changing over to gas. You'll get the instant response time of gas, but with a MUCH easier cleanup! The only down side is that your pans need to be magnet, like your cast iron. However, if the choice were between spending the money on a new gas line or new pots and pans, I'd go new pots and pans and put in induction!

  • angie_diy
    12 years ago

    I put my own in (which is allowed in my jurisdiction). It is not difficult, and I only had to pay for materials, obviously.

  • mtnfever (9b AZ/HZ 11)
    12 years ago

    If you do decide to install the gas line for gas burners, you don't have to go all gas. You could get a dual fuel range where the oven is electric and the burners gas. This may reduce the gas line requirement to some extent. I've read here that an electric oven is better for baking and a gas oven is better for roasting, so maybe you can decide based on what you cook in the oven.

    brickeyee has an excellent suggestion of looking into an induction range too! I was seriously considering that for my previous kitchen but back then --even just 7 years ago-- induction was still quite expensive (to me). Now there're relatively reasonable (again to me) induction ranges available.

    In my current house, I went with gas because we often have power outages and I like being able to use the cooktop.

    The appliances forum would have more info for your investigation. Although it's a dangerous forum--easy to get sucked into wanting a champagne range when you have a beer budget lol!

    HTH

  • mtnfever (9b AZ/HZ 11)
    12 years ago

    oops! It was dodge59 who suggested looking at induction, not brickeyee, sorry!

  • calimama
    12 years ago

    Just did this 2 weeks ago! I have always had gas ranges and for the last 6 years have been trying to work with electric. We have a full basement and the gas line had to be run across the entire basement. Since they were here we had the plumbers also run a line to the outside deck to hook the BBQ to natural gas (conversion kit was extra) and a stub to our future fire pit. All that was around $400. Love, love LOVE my new gas range... Now we are cooking with gas!

  • SparklingWater
    12 years ago

    We moved from electric cooktop to gas cooktop too a decade ago. We had gas just below in an cement gas furnace room, as well as a gas range so one of those got tapped. Cost: $200.

    Check your city code: emergency turn off valves may be required, as well as specific code diameter of gas pipe (half inch for us I think). Investigate your range purchase specs for what diameter gas pipe hook up is required and match that. I've seen one require 3/4" gas pipe. This may save you aggravation and money later on.

    Know where your house gas turn off valve is (black or blue is common) to turn off, as well as your out side gas meter location for access, and put your gas company's number in your cell phone or other in case of emergency as your gas company must have people immediately responsive to their gas customers.

    A cooktop with drawers underneath allows the emergency shut off valve to be prominent in blue or blue towards the rear of the draw ensemble. Easily accessed. A range is a different story: 400 pounds of range defies emergency pull out alone. Some run an emergency valve to the cabinet above; others run the line out one of the side of the range. If code doesn't require this, some may just rely on shutting the main gas valve off down below. Painting this valve blue or black, and water red and showing family members their location may truly be of benefit to all. I've used my red one once and glad I knew where it was. For gas cooking though, you have less time, and I'm planning the shut off valve near the range.

    I love to cook on a gas cooktop. I bet I'd like induction too. Lucky we have these choices and regular supply of both gas and electricity.

  • JXBrown (Sunset 24, N San Diego County)
    12 years ago

    We're looking at house for retirement now. Every time I see a gas cooktop I wonder about the cost of running an electric line so that I can change to induction. I love my induction cooktop!

  • marvelousmarvin
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Got a plumber to come by to give me a estimate, and his estimate was a lot more than I hoped, or even expected. $1800 just for the plumbing, and more money for the dry walling.

    Its for a townhouse, and I've seen quite a few other homes in the same complex that had converted to gas so I was hoping it wouldn't be that bad.

    So, gas is off the table. And, induction really isn't an option either. Right now, I'm using it for a rental, and I just think induction wouldn't be a good option.

    Induction ranges are more expensive, at a price I'd never recapture. More importantly, I think induction would spook off applicants when they found out they'd need to get certain pots and pans to cook on an induction range.

  • breezygirl
    12 years ago

    Wow. That's very high. Can you get a couple more estimates before you dismiss the idea? As I mentioned earlier, I paid less than $300 and was quoted by one fireplace guy at a much, much higher rate.

  • suzeo99
    12 years ago

    We just did this. We went straight down into the kind of finished laundry/utility room. He had to undo all the existing pipes down there to add new line. It cost $400. When the inspector came out the next day he sat there calculating everything we had hooked up to gas and said we came really close to needing a larger supply line. Who knows how much it would have cost if that was the case. We have gas furnace, water heater, and fireplace in the house and now gas range.

  • User
    12 years ago

    The quote is perhaps more expensive because this is a multi family dwelling rather than a single family home, but it it MUCH more expensive than I would even expect given that factor. Perhaps the gas line is undersized or especially difficult to access? Did he make any comments verbally or indicate this in his written quote? Get more quotes.

  • marvelousmarvin
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    If I get more quotes, do I just get it from plumbers and possibly the gas company?

    I talked to Home Depot and Lowe's, and the price they threw out was less than the plumber but certainly too expensive for me to consider changing it up.

    If it was only going to cost a few hundred dollars, I'd go with gas range. But, gas is so serious, I'd also be paranoid about somebody cutting corners if they told me they could do it for only a few hundred after the estimate I got from the first plumber.

  • RockingRepublic
    9 years ago

    To add a gas dryer connection/line in ATL, it costs $395 to fish the lines through the walls, normally connected via your furnace, any extra feet it is $10/ft.

  • Winston Simon
    3 years ago

    Is it necessary to change the electrical wiring to the stove's outlet when switching from electric to gas? Electric ranges run on 220 V and I imagine most gas ranges plug into regular 110V outlets. Are there adaptors?