Industry Insights

New Home Utilities Checklist: What to Set Up & When (2026)

Posted by

Christopher Burg

September 9, 2026

On July 27, 2026

Updated on September 9, 2026

Set up your new home utilities before closing day: electricity, gas, water, internet, and trash — all in your name. Start about two weeks out, and schedule electricity and internet first since they take the longest. Unlike renting, a new home means every utility account is yours to open, so confirm what’s already active and what you’re starting from scratch.

TL;DR — your new home utilities checklist

Put every service in your name: electricity, gas, water/sewer/trash, internet.
Start electricity and internet ~2 weeks before closing or move-in.
In deregulated states you choose your electricity and gas supplier — compare first.
For new construction, confirm the utilities are established at the address before you can connect.

New home utilities checklist — set up electricity and internet before you get the keys — Your new home utilities checklist, in the order to set them up.

Table of Contents

What utilities do you need for a new home?

Buying a home means taking over every utility yourself — there’s no landlord covering water or trash. Your new home utilities checklist has five essentials plus optional add-ons, and the key is getting each into your name effective on your closing or move-in date so nothing lapses between owners.

Utility	Who handles it	When to start
Electricity	You — shop the supplier in deregulated states	~2 weeks before closing
Natural gas	You — supplier may be a choice	~2 weeks before
Water / sewer / trash	You — set up with the city or utility district	1 week before
Internet	You — book install early; availability is address-specific	2 weeks before
Home security (optional)	You	Move-in week

When to set up utilities for a new home

Aim for about two weeks before closing. That gives providers time to schedule the transfer of service into your name and to book any internet install, which can require a technician. Coordinate the start date with your closing date: you want power and water on when you take possession, but not paying before the home is yours.

Closing-day tip: Utilities usually switch to the buyer on the closing date, not before. Confirm the seller keeps service on through closing so the home isn’t dark during your final walkthrough, then have your accounts start the same day.

How to set up electricity and gas for your new home

In a deregulated state — Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, New Jersey, New York and others — you choose the supplier for both electricity and often gas, while the local utility still delivers the energy and handles outages. That makes a new home purchase the ideal moment to lock a competitive fixed rate rather than default to a standard offer.

Compare plans with our guide to comparing energy plans, and use the average electric bill by state and home size to budget for a larger space than a rental.

Setting up internet at a new home

Internet availability is specific to the exact address, and a new home — especially new construction — may have different providers than you’re used to. Check serviceability early and book the install, because appointment lead times are the most common reason a new homeowner spends the first week without a connection.

Compare options with our best internet providers comparison, see what’s available in your area, and confirm coverage on the FCC National Broadband Map.

New construction: establishing utilities from scratch

A brand-new build sometimes has no active utility accounts yet, so you may need to establish service rather than transfer it — including a meter set for electricity or gas and a service drop for internet. Ask your builder which utilities are already connected and which you must initiate, and start early, because establishing new service takes longer than moving an existing account.

Where new home utilities fit in your move

Getting your new home utilities on is one part of a bigger relocation. For the move itself — packing, the truck, and full-service versus DIY — professional movers publish detailed guides. College HUNKS’ full-service moving guide and U-Haul’s moving tips are both good starting points for the physical move.

What those guides don’t do is set up your new home utilities or help you shop a rate. Every one of them tells you to “contact your utility providers” and stops there. That is the gap this page fills: it turns the vague “set up your new home utilities” line into a real, compared, ready-to-order plan for electricity and internet — the part the moving guides skip entirely.

New home utilities for new construction vs. resale

The new home utilities process differs a little by home type. On a resale, the seller’s accounts close and yours open on the closing date, so it’s mostly a matter of timing the switch. On new construction, some new home utilities may not exist yet — you might need a meter set for electricity or gas and a fresh service drop for internet — so start earlier and confirm with your builder which services are already established. Either way, putting every one of your new home utilities in your name before you take the keys is what keeps the first night from being a dark one.

How much do new home utilities cost?

Owning means budgeting every line yourself. For a typical single-family home, expect electricity around $110–$180 a month, natural gas $40–$100 in winter, water, sewer and trash $50–$100, and internet $40–$80 — more than an apartment because the space is larger. Building your new home utilities into the monthly budget alongside the mortgage keeps the first billing cycle from surprising you, and the deregulated lines are where shopping a rate pays off most.

The move itself has strong free help: beyond College HUNKS and U-Haul, PODS’ moving blog and Bellhop’s moving resources cover packing and logistics thoroughly. What none of them cost out or set up is the utility side. That is the helpful hand-off this page is built for — the movers handle the truck, and here you turn “set up your new home utilities” into a compared, ready-to-order plan for electricity and internet, with the rates in front of you.

Set Up Your New Home — Electricity & Internet

Compare electricity plans if your new home is in a deregulated state, and find the internet providers that reach the address — free, with no markup.

Compare electricity rates →Compare internet plans →

Frequently asked questions

What utilities do I need to set up for a new home?

Electricity, natural gas, water/sewer/trash, and internet, plus optional home security. As a homeowner, all of them go in your name.

When should I set up utilities for a new house?

About two weeks before closing. Start electricity and internet first because they take the longest to activate.

Do utilities transfer automatically when you buy a house?

No. The seller’s accounts close and you open your own, effective on the closing date. Contact each provider ahead of time.

Can I choose my electricity provider for a new home?

Yes, if the home is in a deregulated state. You pick the supplier while the local utility delivers the power.

What utilities do I set up first for a new home?

Electricity and internet. Internet in particular can require a scheduled install, so book it as early as possible.

How do I set up utilities for new construction?

You may need to establish service from scratch, including meter sets. Ask the builder what’s connected and start early, since new service takes longer.

Who sets up water for a new home?

You do, through the city or local water district serving the address. In some areas water and trash are billed together by the municipality.

Is there a deposit for new home utilities?

Electricity or gas suppliers may ask for one without local history, though many offer no-deposit plans. Municipal water sometimes requires a small deposit.