How long do you wait for a contractor bid before moving on?

[neowiser]

We need to have a 220V outlet installed in a utility closet so we can switch out our failing old gas water heater for a new electric model. I called an electrician who I had hired years ago for a small project, and have recommended to many people. He answered my call promptly and scheduled a site visit one week out. His apprentice showed up on time, took some pictures, and seemed to think the project would be straightforward.

It's now 10 days later and I've heard nothing from the electrician. I texted after one week and did not receive a reply. What is a reasonable length of time to wait for a bid? If he doesn't want the project for some reason should we expect him to tell us that, or is ghosting customers standard practice?

[MrJayhawk]

We need to have a 220V outlet installed in a utility closet so we can switch out our failing old gas water heater for a new electric model. I called an electrician who I had hired years ago for a small project, and have recommended to many people. He answered my call promptly and scheduled a site visit one week out. His apprentice showed up on time, took some pictures, and seemed to think the project would be straightforward.

It's now 10 days later and I've heard nothing from the electrician. I texted after one week and did not receive a reply. What is a reasonable length of time to wait for a bid? If he doesn't want the project for some reason should we expect him to tell us that, or is ghosting customers standard practice?

I think a week is more than sufficient time for a project of that scale to have a bid generated. To be nice, you might reach out and ask if it slipped thru the cracks, but I would probably be soliciting other bid or bids.

[123]

We need to have a 220V outlet installed in a utility closet so we can switch out our failing old gas water heater for a new electric model...

If you'll be working with a plumber for the electric water heater installation perhaps you can ask them for a referral for an suitable electrician. There may be some electricians that make a specialty of smaller jobs whereas others may limit themselves to larger project$.

[mjg]

I'm not sure why you would switch from gas to electric. You obvious have gas in that room. And gas will cost less per year to operate as well as have a faster recovery time if you ever need a lot of hot water in a short interval.

[slow n steady]

I had a large project a couple years ago and working with contractors was difficult. There's no great answer, because contacting someone else will take more time as well. I would try an email and then move on in a few days.

[enad]

I think a week is enough time. Since you have a working relationship with the contractor give them a phone call as a courtesy so you don't burn any bridges.

Check the code on your vent stack i.e. whether you can leave it in place as long as it's sealed or have to remove it. If you have to remove it it also means repairs to the ceiling/roof or outside wall. Don't forget to properly cap and seal the old gas line.

[neowiser]

I'm not sure why you would switch from gas to electric. You obvious have gas in that room. And gas will cost less per year to operate as well as have a faster recovery time if you ever need a lot of hot water in a short interval.

We’re in California in a region with significant earthquake risk. Most post-earthquake destruction is due to fires, so getting rid of a fuel source seems like a good idea. We’re also considering adding solar, so electric would be cheaper in the long run. California has proposed legislation to ban the installation of gas appliances, though it seems unlikely to succeed anytime soon.

[neowiser]

I think a week is enough time. Since you have a working relationship with the contractor give them a phone call as a courtesy so you don't burn any bridges.

Check the code on your vent stack i.e. whether you can leave it in place as long as it's sealed or have to remove it. If you have to remove it it also means repairs to the ceiling/roof or outside wall. Don't forget to properly cap and seal the old gas line.

Good points, I hadn’t thought about the vent opening. We’re hoping to cap the gas at the street and get rid of the meter, the water heater is our only gas appliance.

[enad]

I think a week is enough time. Since you have a working relationship with the contractor give them a phone call as a courtesy so you don't burn any bridges.

Check the code on your vent stack i.e. whether you can leave it in place as long as it's sealed or have to remove it. If you have to remove it it also means repairs to the ceiling/roof or outside wall. Don't forget to properly cap and seal the old gas line.

Good points, I hadn’t thought about the vent opening. We’re hoping to cap the gas at the street and get rid of the meter, the water heater is our only gas appliance.

Some gas utilities will charge you if the gas is shut off ahead of the meter (i.e. meter removed). Check with your gas utility to make sure.

[Watty]

The electrician could be on vacation or sick or something so do not assume that he is just ignoring you because it is a small job.

[Minderbinder]

I'm not sure why you would switch from gas to electric. You obvious have gas in that room. And gas will cost less per year to operate as well as have a faster recovery time if you ever need a lot of hot water in a short interval.

We’re in California in a region with significant earthquake risk. Most post-earthquake destruction is due to fires, so getting rid of a fuel source seems like a good idea. We’re also considering adding solar, so electric would be cheaper in the long run. California has proposed legislation to ban the installation of gas appliances, though it seems unlikely to succeed anytime soon.

Solar now is on time of use and net metering 3.0 tariffs, very unlikely you're going to save any money on fuel. Solar credits don't work that way. Unless you have an EV and only plan on showering between midnight and 6am.... Then you can pay "only" $0.16/kwh instead of $0.50/kwh.

[CommitmentDevice]

I respect your desire to move from gas to electric. There are lots of good reasons to do so, some of which you listed.

As others have suggested, I'd recommend giving the contractor a call. Contractors in demand have to ration their work hours somehow, and some of them, unfortunately, do so by not responding right away. It isn't professional, but is only somewhat correlated with not ultimately doing the job on time or not doing good work. It is a yellow flag, not a red flag.

[YeahBuddy]

I wait about 4 business days before I reach out as a follow up. If I receive nothing for 2-3 more days, I'm moving on. But during this time I am obtaining quotes from at least two other professionals.

[AllMostThere]

I would continue to reach out to the preferred contractor for follow-up, but as a parallel path, I would also be seeking multiple quotes from other contractors. Your time is just as important as that of the contractor.

[WoostaGal]

The electrician could be on vacation or sick or something so do not assume that he is just ignoring you because it is a small job.

This is true. A contractor I'd been working with to finalize a contract didn't respond back to me for over a week. When he did respond, he apologized and explained that he had been home taking care of his sick wife and two children.

But ... without extenuating circumstances like a family illness, if a contractor does not respond to me in a reasonable amount of time, I assume I will have ongoing issues with that contractor if they are hired, such as scheduling delays and starting the job and leaving it in an unfinished state while s/he goes to work on another project, etc.

[tm3]

If he doesn't want the project for some reason should we expect him to tell us that, or is ghosting customers standard practice?

My experience is that contractors/trades are in high cotton now with plenty of work and plenty of opportunity to charge outrageous prices which mostly get paid, and as a result many of them pick and choose their jobs with courtesy and building a relationship so that jobs still come in when times are lean goes out the window.

Since you know this dude's work is quality I would keep after him and try to get either a verbal "no" or a verbal "yes" (along with a commitment to an install date), while in tandem contacting alternatives. Yours isn't a complex job and there are plenty who can do it.

[RickBoglehead]

One more try, then move on.

In most places, demand exceeds supply. Because of the abundance of work, some contractors are unresponsive. Some don't take difficult jobs, or small jobs.

We spent 2023 to 2024 doing projects. Getting estimates, following up with questions, scheduling jobs. Overall, it sucks.

Replacing deck - same support structure, replace rotted wood, new decking and railing. Got 1/2 dozen estimates. From lowest to highest was a spread of 50%. One company, who also would do non-deck work , we had to wait a month for an estimate. 2 weeks later we had not gotten it, so inquired (all other companies provided written estimate on the spot or within 24 hours). We were told it was 2 month waiting period, "see the footnote on our email for the estimate appt". No footnote.... ""Oops we forgot it". Left lousy Google review. Left highest estimate Google review saying how high they were.

Replacing 2nd story 66" wide x 62" tall windows. Just need installation. One local lumberyard had list of contractors. Most declined to bid. One showed eventually, then ghosted us and lumberyard. Another lumberyard had their own crews. They came, then declined work. Third one came, refused all aspects of job they didn't want to do (rotted trim on other places, etc.), and gave an estimate that was absurdly high. We called and emailed independent contractors, most never replied.

Painters - 2 of 5 never responded. One said house too big... 3 estimates, two within 20% of each other, one 25% of next highest estimate, i.e. so cheap it was scary. Didn't hire him. Another estimator one used to be a contractor. "I tell all my contractor friends that I won't refer business to any of them because they are too unprofessional". Says a lot.

Roofer - top company gave us worst crew. Damage all over. Owner took responsibility, and more than made good and also changed business practices. Referred a dozen people to him, he got another $250k in business.

I could go on. We avoided hiring any contractors from 1980 until 2023. Most are awful business people. 2 years of hell.

[lthenderson]

I texted after one week and did not receive a reply. What is a reasonable length of time to wait for a bid?

I find many in the trades to detest text messaging. It’s cumbersome to respond to in simple terms. I would call directly. That sort of job should be able to be quoted in a very short time, on site even had the lead contractor been there.

[LikeNumbers]

Call the guy.
Ask if he wants to job. If not, ask for a referral.

[neowiser]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I realized he doesn’t have our email address, so this morning I sent a concise email message and asked for an update. If he doesn’t respond by Friday I’ll look for someone else.

Last year we had an exceptional experience with a painting contractor that set the bar for professionalism. He was extremely busy but gave us a start date 3 months out. It got nudged back a few times due to weather, but he kept us informed along the way. Communication is everything.

[barnaclebob]

We’re in California in a region with significant earthquake risk. Most post-earthquake destruction is due to fires, so getting rid of a fuel source seems like a good idea. We’re also considering adding solar, so electric would be cheaper in the long run. California has proposed legislation to ban the installation of gas appliances, though it seems unlikely to succeed anytime soon.

If you are concerned about fire from a gas leak, you need an earthquake shutoff valve right after the gas meter on your house. They are relatively easy and therefore inexpensive to install, probably under $1k total and may give you an insurance discount or give you more options for companies that will cover you. They are very reliable because its basically a metal ball sitting on a slightly cupped platform. When there is shaking the ball falls off the platform which trips a mechanism and plugs the gas line. They are easy to manually reset too.

https://wholesalewaterheater.com/produc ... zYEALw_wcB

As for you contractor, a lot of them do good work but are bad at business. Start calling others.

[Retired@58]

I would reach out like you are with a follow up, I like calling.

After that,

I will not beg someone to work for me.

It rarely gets better when the job starts.

Best

Retired@58

[Sandtrap]

We need to have a 220V outlet installed in a utility closet so we can switch out our failing old gas water heater for a new electric model. I called an electrician who I had hired years ago for a small project, and have recommended to many people. He answered my call promptly and scheduled a site visit one week out. His apprentice showed up on time, took some pictures, and seemed to think the project would be straightforward.

It's now 10 days later and I've heard nothing from the electrician. I texted after one week and did not receive a reply. What is a reasonable length of time to wait for a bid? If he doesn't want the project for some reason should we expect him to tell us that, or is ghosting customers standard practice?

to op:
1 Do not "chase" a contractor for a bid/estimate, for a site estimate, for a final contract.
a) Price goes up the more you "chase".
2 "Ghosting" is growing more common as it spreads from social media to society in general. It is acceptable to many, but to some, absolutely rude and disrespectful, and cause to "ghost" in return and move on.
3 This contractor's "apprentice" did the site inspection. Why not the electrician?
Not good. Move on.

4 How many contractor's, electricians did you contact for a site inspection in person???
All reputable licensed and insured, and you checked at the city contractors website to verify?

j

[Mullins]

I also look at the quality of the reply. I had a contractor, someone who had done work for me before, come to give me an estimate. Two weeks later, still no estimate. So I texted him. Texts me back saying he couldn't send the estimate because he didn't have my email address to which he would've sent the estimate.

He had my phone number, right?

I moved on after that. I see these as tips of the iceberg. Red flags. Just makes me suspect if I engage further I'll see more and more issues.

[Wwwdotcom]

I don't wait and I assume they are too busy to complete work if they don't respond within 24 hours on a weekday. A lot of sleazy businesses delay responses to see whether they hit the jackpot and win a pushover client that won't hold them accountable for anything. It's very unlikely a slow responder will perform high quality work.. imagine how long they will take to fix a mistake they might of made..

[mchampse]

Don’t take it personally. Most trades have so much work and are so busy that stuff falls through the cracks. Be persistent, but not annoying about it. It’s not going to be easy to find a good electrician willing to take on a small job.

[neowiser]

We’re in California in a region with significant earthquake risk. Most post-earthquake destruction is due to fires, so getting rid of a fuel source seems like a good idea. We’re also considering adding solar, so electric would be cheaper in the long run. California has proposed legislation to ban the installation of gas appliances, though it seems unlikely to succeed anytime soon.

If you are concerned about fire from a gas leak, you need an earthquake shutoff valve right after the gas meter on your house. They are relatively easy and therefore inexpensive to install, probably under $1k total and may give you an insurance discount or give you more options for companies that will cover you. They are very reliable because its basically a metal ball sitting on a slightly cupped platform. When there is shaking the ball falls off the platform which trips a mechanism and plugs the gas line. They are easy to manually reset too.

https://wholesalewaterheater.com/produc ... zYEALw_wcB

As for you contractor, a lot of them do good work but are bad at business. Start calling others.

The gas shut-off valve will be a good compromise if the 220V outlet is not feasible. I searched our utility and their website had an extensive section on the requirements for the valves. Interestingly, the utility installed them upon request (for a fee) up until 2002, then stopped. I can't find information on why they discontinued the program.

This weekend I will start searching for other contractors. I always check their license with the state board and look for reviews on various social media platforms. Many contractors now have Instagram accounts where they feature their work, it can be helpful to understand their skill set.

[mjg]

I'm not sure why you would switch from gas to electric. You obvious have gas in that room. And gas will cost less per year to operate as well as have a faster recovery time if you ever need a lot of hot water in a short interval.

We’re in California in a region with significant earthquake risk. Most post-earthquake destruction is due to fires, so getting rid of a fuel source seems like a good idea. We’re also considering adding solar, so electric would be cheaper in the long run. California has proposed legislation to ban the installation of gas appliances, though it seems unlikely to succeed anytime soon.

FYI, I live in San Diego County, have solar (had it on this house and a previous house, NEM 2 rules). Have two tankless propane water tanks and propane 8 burner stove, two propane furnaces, and a propane dryer. House built in 2019, wood frame construction, no earthquake insurance (deductibles are 20% of a 1.5M home insurance policy, and damage per contractor of this well built house to the seismic requirements of the building code are not going to be 300K or more).

By all means, do what you think is best.

But I offer you the following info on the cost of an electric water heater, and your mentioned earthquake risk.

I looked at 50 gallon "high efficiency" electric tank water heaters at Lowes website. The yellow energy guide sticker said expect about 3400 kWh per year. I then looked at the electric tankless water heaters - they don't even give an energy sticker. But using Grok and asking it to take a household of 4 to estimate hours of water use in a year and then gave it a German Stiebel Eltron Tempra 24 kW 4.68 GPM model, it estimates 2400 kWh use in a year.

You said you are in an earthquake risk area of CA, so you electric utility is probable SDGE, SoCal Edison, or PG&E. The average kWh pricing (it varies by TOD) is currently around $0.42, so you would be looking at $1,000 to $1400 per year to run your electric water heater.

You mentioned possible future solar. As noted by others, with NEM 3 now in effect, unless you can use the electricity at the time of generation (and thus avoid paying for those kWh), the economics are terrible for the export of excess to the grid. Yes, you can add battery storage, but they store 6 to 12 kWh per battery and the are thousands of dollars per battery - all to store 12 kWh x $0.42 of energy.

Solar payback is not there anymore.

As to earthquakes, from a Grok query of "in CA, what's the likelihood of a wood construction house built in the last 15 years having a gas pipe break in an earthquake and burn the house down", the response was:

1. Context: Wood Construction and Modern Building Codes
Prevalence: Over 90% of new homes in California built since 2010 are wood-framed, per the National Association of Home Builders. Wood is favored for its flexibility in earthquakes, cost-effectiveness, and availability, despite fire risks.

Building Codes: Houses built in the last 15 years fall under California’s modern seismic standards, primarily the California Building Code (CBC), updated triennially (e.g., 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2022 editions). These codes, based on the International Building Code (IBC), include strict requirements for seismic resilience, gas line safety, and fire resistance:
Seismic Design: Structures must withstand lateral forces (e.g., 0.15g-0.3g depending on location), with wood framing reinforced by shear walls, anchor bolts, and hold-downs.

Gas Piping: Post-1994 Northridge earthquake, codes mandate flexible gas lines (e.g., corrugated stainless steel tubing, CSST), shutoff valves (automatic or manual), and secure anchoring to minimize breaks.

Fire Safety: Since 2008, California’s Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) codes require fire-resistant materials (e.g., Class A roofing, tempered glass) in high-risk zones, though not all areas are WUI-designated.

2. Earthquake Frequency and Severity in California
Risk: California has a 99.7% chance of a magnitude 6.7+ earthquake within 30 years (USGS), with faults like the San Andreas, Hayward, and San Jacinto posing threats. A house built since 2010 has likely not yet faced a severe quake (e.g., >6.0) near its location, as significant events like Ridgecrest (2019, M7.1) were localized.

Damage Potential: Modern wood homes are designed to flex, not collapse, in quakes up to ~M7.5, per CBC standards. The 2019 Ridgecrest quake showed minimal structural damage to post-2000 wood homes, even near the epicenter, suggesting resilience.

3. Likelihood of Gas Pipe Break
Historical Data: The 1994 Northridge earthquake (M6.7) caused ~1,500 gas leaks, with 114 fires linked to gas (out of 66,000 damaged buildings), per the California Earthquake Authority (CEA). Pre-1994 homes had rigid steel pipes prone to snapping; post-1994 shifts to flexible piping reduced this risk significantly.

Modern Standards: For homes built since 2010:
Flexible gas lines (CSST or polyethylene) bend rather than break.

Automatic seismic shutoff valves (required in some jurisdictions like Los Angeles since the 1990s) cut gas flow at ~0.25g shaking.

Manual shutoffs are standard statewide, reducing post-quake leaks if used.

Estimate: Studies (e.g., FEMA P-58) suggest a 0.1%-1% chance of gas line failure per home in a moderate quake (M6.0-M7.0) under modern codes, dropping to <0.1% with shutoffs. In a severe quake (M7.5+), this might rise to 1%-5%, depending on proximity to the fault and soil conditions (e.g., liquefaction zones increase risk).

4. Likelihood of Fire from a Gas Break
Ignition: A gas leak needs an ignition source (e.g., sparks from electrical faults, pilot lights, or post-quake human error like lighting a match). Northridge data showed ~7.6% of gas leaks (114/1,500) ignited, but modern homes have fewer open flames (e.g., electric appliances dominate new builds).

Containment: Fire sprinklers (mandatory in new CA homes since 2011 under CBC Title 24) and fire-resistant materials (e.g., drywall, stucco exteriors) limit spread. WUI zones add further protection (e.g., ember-resistant vents).

Estimate: If a gas pipe breaks, the chance of ignition is ~5%-10%, reduced further by sprinklers and shutoffs to <5%.

5. Likelihood of House Burning Down
Fire Spread: A gas-fed fire must overcome modern firebreaks (e.g., sprinklers, noncombustible roofing) to destroy a home. Wood framing is treated with fire retardants, and post-2008 codes require 1-hour fire-rated assemblies in many areas.

Response: Urban areas have rapid fire department response (e.g., 5-10 minutes), cutting total loss risk. Rural areas, however, face delays, increasing vulnerability.

Estimate: If a fire starts, the chance of total loss is ~10%-20% in urban settings, higher (30%-50%) in rural WUI zones without sprinklers or quick response.

6. Combined Probability
For a wood-construction house built since 2010 in California:
Gas Pipe Break: 0.1%-5% per significant quake (M6.0-M7.5), depending on intensity and location.

Fire Ignition: 5% of breaks ignite (0.005%-0.25% of total homes).

Burn Down: 10%-20% of ignited fires destroy the home (0.0005%-0.05% of total homes per quake).

Annual Risk: With a ~2%-3% annual chance of a damaging quake (USGS), the yearly likelihood is roughly 0.00001%-0.0015% (1 in 10 million to 1 in 66,000).

Variables and Regional Differences
Location: Near-fault homes (e.g., Bay Area’s Hayward Fault) face higher shaking intensity than inland areas (e.g., Central Valley). Liquefaction zones (e.g., parts of LA Basin) amplify pipe stress.

Quake Size: A rare M8.0 (e.g., 1857 San Andreas) could exceed design thresholds, raising risks to 10%-20% for pipe breaks near the rupture.

WUI Areas: Homes in wildfire-prone zones (e.g., Malibu) have higher fire-spread risk if gas ignites, though codes mitigate this.

Conclusion
For a wood-construction house built in California since 2010, the likelihood of a gas pipe breaking in an earthquake and causing a fire that burns the house down is very low—on the order of 1 in 100,000 to 1 in 1 million annually, assuming typical urban conditions and code compliance. Modern seismic and fire safety standards (flexible piping, shutoffs, sprinklers) drastically reduce this risk compared to older homes. However, in a rare, extreme quake (M7.5+), near-fault rural homes without sprinklers could see risks climb to 1%-5% per event. Your specific risk depends on your proximity to faults and local enforcement of codes—e.g., LA mandates shutoffs, but rural counties might not.

[mrsbetsy]

Time to move on. They aren't interested in your project.

We just retired but we would sometimes ghost people who were expecting something for nothing or we are just so busy it wasn't worth fooling with them. OR we'd charge a 10 - 20 % PITA fee if the job was in the area of another job and wouldn't require a ton of follow up.

Time to move on...

[neowiser]

Historical Data: The 1994 Northridge earthquake (M6.7) caused ~1,500 gas leaks, with 114 fires linked to gas (out of 66,000 damaged buildings), per the California Earthquake Authority (CEA). Pre-1994 homes had rigid steel pipes prone to snapping; post-1994 shifts to flexible piping reduced this risk significantly.

Thank you for all that data. Unfortunately, our house was build in the 60's and doesn't have any of the advantageous safety features that mitigate earthquake damage. However, assuming many Northridge buildings were also older, the fire risk due to gas leak was still quite low- less than 0.2% . A seismic shut-off would probably reduce that further. We have an efficient heat pump for HVAC, so solar never pencils out as a money saver. During the recent extreme wind events some people lost power for weeks. Those with solar + battery fared very well, as did those who had generators already in place.

[RickBoglehead]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I realized he doesn’t have our email address, so this morning I sent a concise email message and asked for an update. If he doesn’t respond by Friday I’ll look for someone else.

Last year we had an exceptional experience with a painting contractor that set the bar for professionalism. He was extremely busy but gave us a start date 3 months out. It got nudged back a few times due to weather, but he kept us informed along the way. Communication is everything.

Yes, it is. And the vast majority of contractors either don't understand that, or don't care.

That's why communication from the customer is so important. If they don't respond, communicate that via a social media review so that they know you know they are awful at it.

[michaeljc70]

A week. If they haven't responded 1) they are too busy to promptly do your job 2) they are unable to manage the business side of their business well (which contractors/tradespeople are known for) 3) they aren't interested in the job due to the size/logistics/complexity/profit.

I would give more time for something that is a much bigger project.

[michaeljc70]

A week. If they haven't responded 1) they are too busy to promptly do your job 2) they are unable to manage the business side of their business well (which contractors/tradespeople are known for) 3) they aren't interested in the job due to the size/logistics/complexity/profit.

I would give more time for something that is a much bigger project.

[carolinaman]

We need to have a 220V outlet installed in a utility closet so we can switch out our failing old gas water heater for a new electric model. I called an electrician who I had hired years ago for a small project, and have recommended to many people. He answered my call promptly and scheduled a site visit one week out. His apprentice showed up on time, took some pictures, and seemed to think the project would be straightforward.

It's now 10 days later and I've heard nothing from the electrician. I texted after one week and did not receive a reply. What is a reasonable length of time to wait for a bid? If he doesn't want the project for some reason should we expect him to tell us that, or is ghosting customers standard practice?

Is this just for the electrical outlet or is it to replace the water heater as well. I am guessing the water heater replacement would require a plumber unless you are DIY. Plumbers in our area are hard to get to respond to calls, much more so that other contractors. I agree with others to contact the electrical contractor as a courtesy.

[neowiser]

A little amusing update: I sent an email to the electrician and got no response. I decided it was time to get a second estimate, so I made a post anonymously on the local neighborhood Facebook group asking for recommendations. Several women recommended their husbands, and the third reply was from the guy I contacted saying “We can help with that!”. I couldn’t resist replying to him that the only reason I was asking for recommendations was that he never provided a bid and did not return phone calls, texts, or emails after 2 weeks. He responded with “deep apologies” and said he was behind in his office work. One hour later the bid arrived by email but I don’t intend to follow up with him.

I decided to call the plumbing company to ask for a recommendation. He was happy to recommend someone who visited the same day and asked it it was okay if he sent the bid on Monday because he would be out of town on the weekend. This was was much more knowledgeable and we look forward to working with him.

[morgen]

FWIW, removing gas lines may affect resale of your home. I personally seek out gas and would pass on a house without it. I know it depends on your neighborhood but its something to look into.