Utility Cost in Havasu

[cg818]

Hey guys,

I'm running financial calcs to see if I can afford something in havasu for a 2nd home. Any rough estimates of utilitiy costs monthly? No pool, 2 bedroom, probbaly won't be running the air unless we are there. Not sure, all new to me.

Any advice is appreciated, trying to figure out a rough budget for utilities figuring we will be there once a month.

 

[Boat 405]

$100 a month water/sewer/trash, $50 - $200 winter/summer a month in electricity, internet $80 a month

 

[badgas]

These were my bills for 2021

Suddenlink is our Internet, We only have electrical ( no gas) that is Unisource. We did not spend a lot of time there in the summer so maybe bump up that electric bill up to what my July number was.

House is a 3/2 built in 2005 no pool (yet)

hope this helps

 

[cg818]

View attachment 1086881

These were my bills for 2021

Suddenlink is our Internet, We only have electrical ( no gas) that is Unisource. We did not spend a lot of time there in the summer so maybe bump up that electric bill up to what my July number was.

House is a 3/2 built in 2005 no pool (yet)

hope this helps

Badass, this helps a lot, thank you

 

[X Hoser]

It’s been a while since we had a place there but I recall something about the sewer bill being calculated off of water usage. (3 month period, Nov, Dec and Jan if I remember correctly?) Many people had the landscaping serviced from a separate meter so it was not included in the calcs. Not sure if they still doit that way?

 

[Havasu blue label]

Home 500 per month with pool condo 225

 

[X Hoser]

Also…..keep your AC on when not there. We kept ours at 85 degrees. It’s the contents, (walls, floors, furniture, carpet, etc.) that take the most time to cool down. Get a smart thermostat so you can lower the AC when you leave home enroute to the house. Nice and cool when you get there.

 

[DLC]

It’s been a while since we had a place there but I recall something about the sewer bill being calculated off of water usage. (3 month period, Nov, Dec and Jan if I remember correctly?) Many people had the landscaping serviced from a separate meter so it was not included in the calcs. Not sure if they still doit that way?

They average Jan Feb and March and that sets your sewer fee for the rest of the year.
I typically turn my irrigation off or cut it way back during January/ February…. this can be dicey if you have established plants and then add some new ones
pool homes typically have a sep water meter and the run irrigation off that line also

the minimum water bill is like $65 +/- month.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

They average Jan Feb and March and that sets your sewer fee for the rest of the year.
I typically turn my irrigation off or cut it way back during January/ February…. this can be dicey if you have established plants and then add some new ones
pool homes typically have a sep water meter and the run irrigation off that line also

the minimum water bill is like $65 +/- month.

That minimum water bill price went up last year to about $80.

 

[DLC]

Also…..keep your AC on when not there. We kept ours at 85 degrees. It’s the contents, (walls, floors, furniture, carpet, etc.) that take the most time to cool down. Get a smart thermostat so you can lower the AC when you leave home enroute to the house. Nice and cool when you get there.

I’ve heard that newer homes need to be kept cooler and owners are instructed to keep the inside temp like 85-90 so the cabinets , doors, trim and and wood products don’t dry out and crack / warp - That’s what my neighbor said and he has a fairly new home and isn’t there full time.

we keep ours at 90 when not there and typically crank it down the night before we head out, our thinking is the AC will work over night when it’s a little cooler.

 

[DLC]

That minimum water bill price went up last year to about $80.

I usually just write a check for $1,000 and let it widdle down during the year ! I haven’t looked at a water bill in a while.

good to know it went up!

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

I’ve heard that newer homes need to be kept cooler and owners are instructed to keep the inside temp like 85-90 so the cabinets , doors, trim and and wood products don’t dry out and crack / warp - That’s what my neighbor said and he has a fairly new home and isn’t there full time.

we keep ours at 90 when not there and typically crank it down the night before we head out, our thinking is the AC will work over night when it’s a little cooler.

I keep mine at 90 and then turn the AC on at midnight for 2 hours to get it to 87.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

I usually just write a check for $1,000 and let it widdle down during the year ! I haven’t looked at a water bill in a while.

good to know it went up!

Yea there was a rate increase.

 

[DLC]

Yea there was a rate increase.

The water bill is one of the cheapest bills out there! In Escondido ( San Diego ) I can easily have a $300 water bill W/ pool and landscaping and we are on septic so no sewer fee

 

[EarpRider]

Better decide fast, interest rates on second homes are going up in April.
I'm a full-timer and my electrical bill in the summer is easily over $300, but I also have two splits in my garage.

 

[Havasu blue label]

It will be tough the guys that are under construction

 

[2Driver]

I know there are other thoughts on this but we’ve had 3 river homes, 2 of them second homes at Parker dam and we never left the AC on when we left. AC, water heater and water all off.

We never had an issue with anything. We made sure the fridge and freezer were filled with nonperisbles and used gallon water jugs in any void space in the fridge to keep it at max efficiency.