All-electric vs gas: how to set up a new home
Connect gas or go all-electric? How the two options compare for cooking, hot water, heating and your energy rating in SA and Victoria.
One of the bigger decisions on a new build is whether to connect gas or build an all-electric home. The ground has shifted here. Efficient electric appliances like induction cooktops and heat pump hot water are now excellent, Victoria has moved to all-electric for many new homes through its planning rules, and going electric pairs neatly with solar. Here is how the two approaches compare so you can set the home up the way you want to live.
| All-electric | With gas | |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking | Induction, fast, precise and easy to clean | Gas cooktop, the traditional flame many cooks prefer |
| Hot water | Heat pump, very efficient | Instantaneous gas, proven and quick to recover |
| Heating | Reverse-cycle, also cools in summer | Gas ducted or space heating |
| Works with solar | Yes, run appliances off your own power | Partly, gas sits outside your solar |
| Connection | One service to the home | Two services and gas supply charges |
| Rules in VIC | Aligns with Victoria’s all-electric direction for many new homes | Increasingly restricted for new builds in VIC |
Why all-electric is on the rise
Electric appliances have caught up and then some. Induction cooktops are fast and precise, heat pump hot water is very efficient, and reverse-cycle air conditioning heats in winter and cools in summer from one system. Crucially, an all-electric home runs on the solar you generate, which is the cheapest energy you will ever use. Victoria has also moved its planning rules toward all-electric for many new homes.
Where gas still has fans
The main holdout is the kitchen, where plenty of cooks simply prefer a gas flame, and some owners like the fast recovery of instantaneous gas hot water. If you want gas, it is worth knowing it adds a second service with its own supply charges, sits outside your solar, and works against your Whole-of-Home energy score. In Victoria it is also increasingly restricted on new builds, so check the current rules for your project.
All-electric
- Pairs perfectly with solar and a battery
- Induction and heat pump appliances are efficient and modern
- One service, no gas supply charge
- Aligns with where new-build rules are heading
- Some cooks prefer a gas flame
- Relies on a well-sized solar and electrical setup to shine
- Heat pump hot water needs a sensible location for the unit
With gas
- Gas cooktop flame many cooks love
- Fast hot water recovery
- Familiar for heating
- A second service with ongoing supply charges
- Sits outside your solar generation
- Increasingly restricted for new homes in Victoria
- Works against the Whole-of-Home energy score
All-electric is the forward-looking default, it pairs with solar, uses efficient modern appliances, and lines up with where new-build rules are heading, especially in Victoria. Gas mainly appeals for the cooktop flame and fast hot water. If you love cooking on gas, look at induction before you decide, because many converts do not look back.
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Match me with 3 buildersCommon questions
Is an all-electric home better than gas?
For most new builds, all-electric is the stronger setup: it pairs with solar, uses efficient induction and heat pump appliances, avoids a second service charge and lines up with where the rules are heading. Gas mainly holds appeal for cooks who prefer a flame.
Can I still have gas in a new home in Victoria?
Victoria has moved its planning rules toward all-electric for many new homes, so gas is increasingly restricted on new builds. Always check the current requirements for your specific project and council before planning around gas.
Is induction as good as gas for cooking?
Many cooks find induction faster, more precise and easier to clean than gas, and it keeps the kitchen cooler. If you love gas, it is well worth trying induction before deciding, as a lot of people prefer it once they switch.
Does going all-electric help my energy rating?
Generally yes. Efficient electric appliances paired with solar improve your Whole-of-Home score, while gas sits outside your solar and tends to work against it. Your assessor can show the difference for your design.