3 reasons why there is no gas cooking in new construction

If you have toured many new construction condominium sites lately in Washington DC, you will see a growing trend of only electric ranges at these projects. So a common question arises, “why is there no gas cooking in new construction projects?”

Here are the 3 reasons as follows:

#1: Cost

Cost is the ultimate driver of any major decision in life. This is no different. It costs the developer more money to install gas ranges in every unit versus an electric range. The developer will have to pay for permits, installation and inspection of gas lines to each unit, etc. Another development cost is in construction delays which can be associated with dealing with another utility company such as Washington Gas.

#2: Lack of Space

In order for a developer to maximize their return on their investment, it is essential to maximize their use of every square footage in the project. Gas lines require a large space in the building reserved for housing of the gas meters which can be considered an inefficient use of space.

#3: High Demand  

There has been a high demand for new construction condominiums in Washington DC for over the past 2 years with an influx of 100,000 new residents per year into the District. The condominium supply shortage  has caused a frenzy of home buyers to overlook such features like gas versus electric cooking when the faced with the exciting prospect of a new modern-style design and finishes. Even though, a gas cooking range is usually part of the initial home buying criteria it tends not to be a dealbreaker. Developers have made that calculation and know home buyers will still purchase the unit because they want to live in Washington DC.