How Much Does Gas Line Installation and Maintenance Cost?

If you want to swap over to natural gas to heat your home and run your appliances like a gas fireplace, or if you currently use it, your gas line will have to be functional, and this can lead you to wonder about gas line installation if you need one. Your gas line starts right outside your home at the meter, and it’ll connect to each appliance that runs on gas. Your service line then extends from the meter out to the street, and this allows your gas line to carry natural gas into your home. 

Some of your smaller appliances may share one gas line, but the bigger appliances many need their own. Your gas line installation costs may fluctuate depending on the material, length, and diameter of the line, and the average cost ranges from $500 to $2,000. For a 25-foot gas line installation to a furnace, you’ll expect to pay around $800. For gas line installation for a 10-foot extension of an existing line, your prices can drop to around $200. If you need a new interior line or you need to extend by several hundred feet, your gas line installation costs can climb up to $5,000. 

Ideally, you’ll budget for $15.00 to $25.00 per linear foot for your gas line installation, and this includes materials, piping, and labor. You’ll have to call in a master plumber that will cost between $45.00 and $150 an hour for labor. Replacement and extension costs will fluctuate based on job complexity, location, and the type of pipe you currently have installed. 

Swapping out from electric to natural gas or propane, or adding new appliances to your current lot will require more pipes. Even adding one more appliance to your home could mean that you have to add new pipes to your line if the current ones are too small, and this can increase your gas line installation costs. However, it’s a nice option to run your appliances, home, or water heater. So, this guide will outline all of the big cost factors that come into play with gas line installation to help you create a working budget. 

1 Installing a Gas Line
Installing a gas line can be a huge project to take on, so it’s nice that the utility companies will help with the installation process without charting your anything extra.
CQ032 – 23rd Street – Natural Gas Main Line Installation by MTA Construction & Development Mega Projects / CC BY 2.0

Costs for Different Gas Line Types

Usually, the professional that comes to your home to complete your gas line installation will have a specific type of pipe they recommend. You can also ask for a specific type of pipe, and different pipe materials will cause your gas line installation project to fluctuate. So if everything else is equal, you could lower your project’s cost by going with the more cost-effective option. However, not all pipe materials work well for gas line installation projects, so make sure to get recommendations. 

Black Iron

Black iron was the material of choice for gas line pipes for years, and many contractors still recommend it. This is very durable and heavy, and it does well with different outdoor applications. You don’t want to use it under the ground due to the risk of it corroding over time due to the soil conditions. A gas line installation with this material will cost between $5.00 and $10.00 a linear foot. 

Copper

Copper is illegal to use in several areas, so it’s rarely used in gas line installation projects. Some contractors will also refuse to use it. The reasoning behind this is that copper is a conductor, so it’s not the safest thing to use inside the house with gas. Copper creates sulfites, and they can clog your gas line. Despite all of this, if you choose to use it, it’ll cost between $2.00 and $6.00 a linear foot. 

CSST Piping

Flexible corrugated stainless steel tubing or CSST piping is very popular with contractors. There are several brands available, and each brand has a different price point and attributes. Your contractor could have a preference, and it’s a good material for interior installation projects because it’s faster to install than a traditional pipe. The gas line installation price with this piping is $2.00 to $4.00 a linear foot. 

Galvanized Steel

It’s not as common to use galvanized steel as it is other materials during a gas line installation, but it won’t corrode like iron will. It’s also not as reactive as copper, but the price goes up when you choose this material to $2.00 to $9.00 a linear foot. 

High-Density Polyethylene Piping

This is the gold standard for many contractors when it comes to outdoor pipe materials. It won’t corrode over time, and it’s very resistant to cracks and punctures. You can use it in your backyard, and it works well in several climates. On average, your gas line installation price with this material ranges from $1.00 to $3.00 a linear foot. 

Gas Line Installation Price Breakdown

Once you pick out the piping, you’ll want to know what each price point is in the gas line installation process. The length of the line, location, and appliance will impact your costs. A plumber can run a gas line to your appliance from your meter, but a utility company will have to install the line from your home to the street. Each professional has a different hourly rate, and they’ll have to coordinate with one another during the gas line installation process to finish as quickly as possible. 

New Gas Line Installation Cost

Your new gas line installation cost will vary depending on how much gas your new kitchen appliances need. A hot water heater won’t need as much gas as a furnace to run correctly, so the cost for every linear foot goes up. The material will also impact your cost, and you can expect to spend between $15.00 and $25.00 for a new gas line installation on average. 

Cost to Extend Your Current Gas Line 

Maybe you already have a gas line running to your home but you want to install a new appliance that runs on gas. If so, you could extend the current line. This gas line installation project is smaller than putting in a whole new line, and the pipe may be smaller or less expensive because most appliances don’t need a lot of gas. You’ll pay between $10.00 and $20.00 per linear foot to extend an existing line. 

Installing an Underground Gas Line

You may need to run a new line to your new hot tub enclosure or fire pit, and this can increase your gas line installation cost. You might have to abide by strict regulations that make the project more complex, and this will increase your costs. You’ll also have to pay for an inspection, and you’ll have to perform trenching to open the ground for your gas line installation. You’ll pay between $4.00 and $12.00 a linear foot for this process. 

You’ll also have to add the cost to install the actual line itself, and this falls between $20.00 and $25.00 a linear foot. There are landscaping costs to consider afterward to make your yard look pretty again too. All in all, this pushes your gas line installation sts upwards of $25.00 to $30.00 a linear foot. 

Moving a Gas Line Costs

If you do a renovation or add a new extension, you may find yourself moving appliances. This can result in you having to move your current gas line. If the line is old, this could mean replacing it with a new one. However, it usually means that you’ll have to pay a professional to disassemble and move the line. On average, this cost ranges from $15.00 to $25.00 a linear foot. 

Cost to Replace a Gas Line

If the line is in poor condition, leaking, old, or if you’re going to move the appliance, it can be smart to replace the line with a new one. For $25.00 to $35.00 a linear foot, you could cover the cost for the old line removal and the gas line installation of the new one. 

Price to Run Your Gas Line From Your House to the Street

The line that takes gas from the main service line and brings it to your house is the gas service line. Your utility company will take care of this gas line installation instead of a plumber. If your gas meter is located 100 linear feet or less from the street, you won’t pay anything. You will have to fix your landscaping once the utility company digs it up though. If the line extends past 100 linear feet, you’ll have to pay the difference for your gas line installation. When you include the inspections and trenching, this can cost between $35.00 and $60.00 a linear foot. 

2 Replacing a Gas Line
Inspections are huge parts of the installation process for any utility line to help keep everyone safe. The inspectors will come out and mark the utility lines on the ground before any digging starts.
Caution buried gas line by Venturist / CC BY 2.0

Prices to Hook a Gas Line up to Different Appliances

There are several factors that will influence your gas line installation prices for different appliances. The location, the amount of BTUs needed, the access point, materials, and how far it is from the meter all factor in. There is a lot of overlap between prices for these reasons. If you have to run dual lines, you could even have different gas line installation costs for them. 

  • Dryer – Your dryer will use more gas at one time, but it runs less frequently than other appliances. You’ll need a slightly thicker pipe, and this makes your costs go to $10.00 to $20.00 a linear foot. 
  • Fire Pit – If you have a gas line, it makes your fire pit safer to run. Depending on the size, they use varying amounts of gas, and this will dictate your gas line installation cost. The gas line goes below ground, and your costs range between $15.00 to $25.00 a linear foot. 
    • Fireplace – Fireplaces have varying BTU ranges but need a consistent gas supply. Per linear foot, your costs will start at $10.00 and go up to around $25.00 for the installation project. 
    • Garage – If you build a garage, it’s common to keep appliances in there. The garage won’t impact your gas line installation cost, but the appliances you keep in there will. This means your costs per linear foot will fluctuate between $10.00 and $25.00 a linear foot. 
  • Generator – You’ll have to contract with a plumber to help install your generator. It can be below or above-ground, and the generator will dictate this. You’ll also need specific materials that drive your project costs up to $20.00 to $25.00 a linear foot. 
  • Grill – If you frequently grill out, it’s safer to have a gas line than to purchase and store gas cylinders. You will have to bury this line, so project costs will range from $15.00 to $20.00 a linear foot. 
  • Pool Heater – It’s more complicated to run a gas line to your pool heater, so this can increase your gas line installation costs. You need to go underneath your pool’s deck, and the pool’s location will increase the costs to between $20.00 and $25.00 a linear foot. 
  • Stove – Running a line to your gas stove is one of the easier projects to take on, and it’s one of the most cost-effective because it has a smaller diameter, has an easy access point, and it’s easy to hook up. It costs between $10.00 and $15.00 a linear foot. 
  • Water Heater – Finally, water heaters use a consistent but small amount of gas to run. They’ll need a slightly larger line, but they won’t need the largest size. Your gas line installation cost for this project ranges from $10.00 to $18.00 a linear foot. 

Run a Gas Line to the House – Stages and Cost Factors

When you take on your gas line from your home, there are several stages and components involved that will impact your gas line installation costs. Each component has a price attached to it, and anything under 100 linear feet from the street is the utility company’s responsibility to work with. Anything from the meter to your home is your responsibility to cover with a plumber. It’s essential that you coordinate both to make your gas line installation project go smoothly. 

Price to Run a Line to Your Home

The utility company will cover the cost of running the line from the gas main out in the street to your home. As long as the distance stays at or under 100 linear feet, you won’t pay anything. If your home is over 100 linear feet from the street, you’ll pay the difference at a rate of $35.00 to $60.00 a linear foot. 

Hook the Gas Line to the Main Line Cost

The utility company is also responsible for the main hookup of your gas line to the man line. Usually, you won’t pay anything to do this. However, some companies can charge up to $400 for this service, so it’s a good idea to call your utility company and see if they have fees. This $400 fee usually includes an inspection to ensure everything is safe. 

Meter Installation Price

The utility company will work to install the meter too. This can cost nothing to you. However, they can charge labor costs to install your meter, and you could find yourself with a $600 bill for this service. Ask the utility company before they perform the installation. 

Cost to Run Lines Through Your House

You plumber will take over from this point, and they’re responsible for anything that runs from your meter to your appliances inside your home like your dryer in your laundry room or the stove in your kitchen. The plumber is also responsible for the lines that run to outdoor appliances through your yard. Your gas line installation line cost falls between $15.00 and $25.00 a linear foot. 

Appliance Hook Up Costs

The plumber will also take the time to connect your appliances, and the cost will depend on which appliances need a line. Some are easier to install with easy access points like a stove, and others are in more challenging spaces. You’ll pay between $40.00 and $100 per appliance to hook them to your gas line. 

Installing Shut Off Valve Prices

With any gas line installation project, safety valves are critical. You’ll have one main shutoff valve at the very least that switches the gas off to every part of your home. If you detect a leak or smell gas, you’ll want to switch it off. It’s a good idea to give each major appliance its own valve, like your hot water heater or furnace. Every valve will cost between $40.00 and $100. 

3 Capped Gas Line
It’s a good idea to cap off any gas lines when you switch out your appliances to help save money if you ever put another appliance back in the same spot. A plumber can help you with this process.
Placement of a gas line by LISgirl / CC BY 2.0

Price to Repair a Gas Line

If your gas line starts having issues, is older, or is corroding, it’ll get to a point where it needs repairs instead of paying for a whole new gas line installation. This is usually much cheaper to repair by removing the damaged portion at $6.00 to $7.00 a linear foot. You’ll install a new line at a rate of $10.00 to $25.00 a linear foot, depending on the size and location. The repair cost is usually lower than a whole new line installation because you concentrate on a small section instead of the whole thing. 

Factors That Impact Your Gas Line Repair or Installation Costs

For larger jobs, there are other considerations to keep in mind. This includes digging trenches for these outdoor gas lines, and it also ensures the contractor acquires all of the necessary permits needed by the county and city authorities. They include: 

  • Complex Installations – A more complex installation can increase the time it takes to thread, cut, and install your gas line. This will add more labor hours to your final bill. 
  • Concrete Work – If you need concrete work, you’ll pay up to $75.00 a cubic yard. 
  • Landscaping Prices – The type of landscape you have will dictate your landscaping costs, and it can run from $300 to $10,000. Running a gas line under your custom stone patio will cost much more than laying sod back over the area. 
  • Permits – You’ll have to have a permit that will cost between $100 to $300 to take on this project. 
  • Trenching Costs – Any gas lines that run under the ground will require trenching, and this costs between $4.00 and $12.00 per foot. 

Cost to Improve Your Gas Line

There are several things you can do to enhance or improve your gas line. Since most of these things are optional, they may not impact your gas line installation costs if you choose not to do them. 

Caps

If you want to disconnect an appliance from your gas line, you’ll cap the line for potential use to save money instead of removing it. Depending on the material you use and the location of the line, this process can cost between $75.00 to $150 a cap. 

Gas Stove Installation

If you’re going to make the switch to gas appliances for the first time, you want to add a gas stove. Depending on the model, it carries an installation cost that runs between $600 and $1,000. This includes the appliance and labor. 

Inspections

During the gas line installation, it’s common to have an inspection performed by a professional. You also want to schedule annual inspections to ensure your gas line installation is holding up and working in peak form. The inspections can cost between $50.00 and $75.00 

Landscaping

If you want to install your service in your yard to a grill, firepit, or hot tub, you’ll incur landscaping costs because they dig up your yard. Even if you have low-maintenance landscaping and you want to hire someone to come in and help you, it’ll cost between $50.00 and $100 an hour. What you have done is the biggest cost factor. 

Pressure Test

If there is a leak in your gas line, the pressure could drop low enough to prevent it from doing its job. You can have a pressure test to confirm the presence of leaks, and it costs between $75.00 and $100. 

Sediment Trap

Although it’s not common for a gas line to clog, it can happen. You can reduce these chances by having a sediment trap installed in the line when you have it installed or during your annual inspections. They cost between $100 and $150 each. 

Where to Find Gas Line Installers Near You

Finding a few companies to install your gas lines is important because you want to get the best price without sacrificing quality. You can use the following resource to help you find local companies below: 

Frequently Asked Questions

4 Gas Line FAQs
Getting a set of questions together to ask your local companies can help ensure that you get true estimates that you can compare against one another later one before you make your final choice.
Clean, new gas line by Andrew Nicholson / CC BY-NC 2.0

1. How much does it cost to switch from an electric to gas stove?

It’s not possible to convert your electric stove to a gas stove, so you’ll need to install both a new stove and gas lines. The gas lines will cost between $10.00 and $15.00 a linear foot, and the stove installation will run you between $600 to $1,000. 

2. What should you do for maintenance on your gas line?

There isn’t much you have to do to maintain your gas line. You should make a point to schedule annual inspections of it to catch any leaks or corrosion before it turns into a huge problem. 

3. What does it cost to run a gas line to the house from the tank?

If you want to run a gas line from a propane tank to your house, some utility companies will do it at no extra cost. You can run it yourself too, but the cost range will start at $15.00 and $25.00 a foot. 

4. Can you install a gas line yourself?

No. Since there is such a high risk involved with this project, you should never attempt to install a gas line yourself. Instead, you should call in a local professional to complete this project for you. 

Bottom Line

Your gas line installation cost and maintenance will depend on a variety of factors, but it’s easy to get an estimate that allows you to budget for this project well in time to prevent an emergency. Use this guide to outline your cost factors and see which ones apply to you. 

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