If you are heading into an apartment hunt or you just bought a house, it is important to organize and get all your utilities and necessities fixed and installed before the moving day.
This would be easier for you and whoever is moving with you, as after the effort of moving you won’t have to spend your days without heat, electricity, cooling or the WiFi.
There will obviously be a process through which you would have to go, especially if it is your first move. You would have to go through a whole process of determining how to set up the utilities before you get to the new house.
However, it isn’t easy to do this, as one always needs a guide, especially the first-time movers.
The utilities you need
Here are a few utilities you would need in order to move into your house, and they would need to be set up beforehand.
However, it mainly depends on the area you live in as well as the term of your lease, which will determine if you will be paying for all the utilities or just a few.
Electricity
Electricity is the first thing that should essentially come into your mind when you think about the setup in your house before moving. Having electricity is important.
Natural gas
There is a good chance that you might need gas before moving into the house, as it would be needed for drying clothes, heating the buildings and water, as well as cooking.Â
These are essential things that one can’t wait for; hence, natural gas should be installed quickly.
The rest of the important utilities you need to install are the following
•    Water sewer
•    The trash and recycling pickups as well
•    The cable
•    The internet
•    Home security (non-essential)
Moreover, make sure you check the terms and lease agreements in case you are renting the house or apartment.
The contracts will state what you will be responsible for installing, and if you see something being read as heating on that, there is a good chance that the heat is going to be covered under the electricity or the gas bill.
However, this does depend on the type of heat that your apartment has as well. More queries should be asked from your landlord, especially if you are willing to install and set up important things before moving in. Read more if you want to know how to set up your gas and important other utilities before moving.
The process of setting up utilities
 It is important to know that you would be required to set up each utility individually. It is advised, and in some cases, required, that you install and set up your utilities at least three weeks before you move.
There are some steps that you need to take to set up the utility, but it is good to know that some utilities can be wiggled in order to adjust the other ones.
It is always better to give your utility provider notice for a good amount of time so that they can set up everything properly and manually.
Make sure you determine your providers three to four weeks before your moving day. This is an important part of setting up the utilities.
You might not want to use your current provider, and it might not be the best option, as every area has its own provider depending on the quality and signals of the area.
Hence, it is better to do your research, ask the previous residents or the neighbors about the providers they used, and make sure to check up on their offers.Â
You can compare the different suppliers with each other to determine which one is the best for your house or apartment.
In case you are moving into the house or apartment you have purchased, make sure you check the website for the city and county as well. That will give you a list of providers and suppliers in that area.
However, if you are renting, make sure you take a look at the lease or even ask the landlord about the suppliers that are available in the area.
Contacting the utility companies
This is the step you would need to take before your move, in which you would need to contact the available suppliers and providers which are available in the area.
Once you jot down the potential suppliers and providers in your area, make sure you decide on the one which suits your area the best.
However, make sure you don’t take up a lot of time in deciding, as contacting the utility companies is a crucial step in itself as well. You need to contact the supplier at least 2 weeks before your move so that you can get everything set up beforehand and be comfortable after the first day of your move.
Transferring the utilities
In case you are transferring the utilities, it would mean you are doing that for a certain utility, and you don’t have to change the provider.
This might be the case, especially if your new house is in the same area as the previous house or your previous supplier or provider has extended their businesses over to new areas.
Even though it is best to shop around, if you decide to transfer, then you have to contact the company and let them know about the situation beforehand. You can tell them the exact date of the move, and they can come and install or set up everything.
Canceling the utilities
This is done in case you want to cancel the services of your provider or supplier in the previous house. You can contact the provider of this utility and let them know that you are moving and would like to shut down the services.
Setting up new services
In this case, you would have to visit websites or directly contact the utility service provider and ask them about their offers and plans.
This needs to be done a few weeks before your move so that you have everything set by the time you move.
Conclusion
Conclusively, you can always set up your electricity and gas before moving into a certain place. However, if you are renting the place, it would depend on the lease terms and contract as well.
If you are looking to transfer the utility and services to another place instead of looking for a new supplier, then make sure you contact the company and inform them beforehand.
However, if you are moving and looking for new suppliers, it is best to at least shop around and then decide on the supplier and offers 2 weeks earlier.
