Short Answer
The cost of adding a gas line for one indoor appliance averages about $560 to $600 nationally, with most jobs between roughly $270 and $940. In Houston, Repipe Solutions quotes a new range, dryer or cooktop line at $400 to $1,200, permit and pressure test included. Generator and buried yard lines cost more.
Gas line installation cost comes down to three things: how far the pipe has to travel, how big it has to be, and what it has to go through to get there. A short branch to a range in the next room is a small job. A buried run across the yard to a standby generator is a different project. Below are national cost figures, our Houston pricing as a licensed plumbing company, and what to expect for permits, testing and meter capacity.
Gas Line Installation Cost: National Averages
The major cost guides agree on the middle but not the high end, because each counts different kinds of jobs.
| Source | Typical range | Average |
|---|---|---|
| HomeAdvisor | $271 to $936 | $598 |
| Bob Vila | $120 to $1,350 | $558 |
| Thumbtack | $268 to $841 | $470 |
| Fixr | $500 to $2,000 | $800 (25 foot furnace line) |
Thumbtack splits its data in a useful way: hooking a new appliance to a line that is already there runs $243 to $823 nationally, while supplying a new gas line runs $431 to $1,609. The difference is whether new pipe has to be run at all.
In Houston, our posted price to run a new line to a range, dryer or cooktop is $400 to $1,200 installed. The full price list, including outdoor and generator lines, is on our gas line repair and installation page.
Residential Gas Line Installation Cost per Foot
Most plumbers think about a new run in linear feet. HomeAdvisor puts a new gas line at $15 to $30 per foot installed, and Fixr lists $15 to $25 per foot for a new installation and $10 to $20 per foot to extend an existing line. Our Houston range for new line, installed, is $15 to $30 per foot.
The pipe material changes that number. Fixr’s installed per foot figures for the three materials most used today:
| Material | Where it is used | Installed cost per foot (Fixr) |
|---|---|---|
| Polyethylene (PE / HDPE) | Buried yard runs | $10 to $15 |
| CSST | Attics, walls, tight spaces | $11 to $20 |
| Black iron | Exposed runs, larger feeds | $15 to $30 |
Material is usually decided by the route, not by price. Plastic pipe is for underground only, and CSST has to be bonded. Our gas pipe materials guide covers the pros and cons of each.
Underground runs add digging. Fixr puts trenching at $4 to $12 per foot and an installed underground line at $25 to $30 per foot once landscaping repair is included. HomeAdvisor warns that landscape repair after trenching can run $300 to $10,000, depending on what the trench crosses.
Cost to Run a Gas Line by Appliance
The appliance matters because it sets the pipe size and usually the route. These national figures come from Fixr (per foot) and Thumbtack (whole job).
| Appliance | Per foot (Fixr) | Whole job (Thumbtack) |
|---|---|---|
| Stove or oven | $10 to $15 | $376 to $1,278 |
| Clothes dryer | $10 to $20 | $318 to $1,081 |
| Water heater | $10 to $18 | $357 to $1,215 |
| Fireplace | $10 to $20 | $357 to $1,215 |
| Grill | $15 to $20 | $303 to $1,030 |
| Fire pit | $15 to $25 | $382 to $1,299 |
| Pool heater | $20 to $25 | Not listed |
| Standby generator | $20 to $25 | Not listed |
Cost to run a gas line for a stove
A range is usually the simplest run in the house. HomeAdvisor says most kitchen stove lines need 20 to 30 feet of half inch or three quarter inch pipe and average about $600, though a hard layout can more than double that. The code allows the shutoff valve for a range or dryer to sit behind the appliance, as long as it is in the same room and within 6 feet, per Section G2420.5.1 of the Texas edition of the IRC.
Water heaters and tankless units
A standard tank water heater does not draw much more than a range. A tankless unit is different. HomeAdvisor notes that high BTU tankless models sometimes need three quarter inch or 1 inch pipe, and a line that was fine for an old tank heater may be too small.
Outdoor kitchens, grills, fire pits and pool heaters
These are buried runs, so trenching and yard repair drive the price. The fuel gas code requires underground piping at least 12 inches below grade, or 8 inches for an individual line to a grill or similar outdoor appliance in a spot not exposed to damage (Section G2415.12). Plastic pipe also needs a tracer wire buried with it so it can be found later (Section G2415.17.3). For an outdoor kitchen or fire pit, our Houston range is $700 to $2,500.
Standby generators
A whole home generator typically draws more gas than anything else on the property, so it often needs its own larger line and sometimes a bigger meter. Our Houston price for a trenched, sized and permitted generator line is $1,200 to $3,500. Since September 1, 2025, Texas law (Senate Bill 1252) stops cities from regulating the installation or inspection of a residential backup energy system of up to 50 kilowatts, but the City of Houston’s guideline for residential backup systems says a plumbing permit and a passing city inspection are still required for the gas piping, and the city will not release gas service to CenterPoint Energy without that inspection.
What Drives the Cost of Adding a Gas Line
- Total gas demand. Code requires pipe sized for the total connected load of every appliance on the system, assuming all of them run at full capacity at once (Sections G2413.1 and G2413.2). Add a big appliance to an older system and the trunk line, not just the new branch, may need upsizing.
- Length and route. An open attic is cheaper to work through than finished walls or a slab, which add patching cost.
- Number of appliances. Fixr puts one appliance plus a water heater at $1,250 to $1,600, and five appliances plus a water heater at $1,650 to $3,500.
- Meter capacity. If the meter cannot supply the new total load, the utility has to upgrade it. More on that below.
- Age of the existing pipe. Tying new pipe into a corroded old system is not a good plan. Our guide on how long gas lines last explains what to look for.
Gas Line Permits and Pressure Testing in Houston
New gas piping in Houston is permitted and inspected work. The Houston Permitting Center’s gas permit page says a plumbing permit is required for the point of connection to a fuel gas appliance, that the permit must be pulled by a master plumber registered with the city, and that inspection is required. The posted minimum permit fee is under $100, plus an administrative fee, and the permit is valid for 180 days. For comparison, HomeAdvisor’s national range for gas line permits is $100 to $300.
The inspection includes a pressure test. Houston inspects under its own Houston Plumbing Code, and the model fuel gas rules in the Texas edition of the IRC show what a test involves:
- New piping must be visually inspected and pressure tested before it is put into service (G2417.1).
- The test pressure must be at least 1.5 times the maximum working pressure and never less than 3 psig (G2417.4.1).
- The test must last at least 10 minutes (G2417.4.2).
- Any pressure drop on the gauge is treated as a leak unless another cause can be shown (G2417.5).
Once the piping passes, the city releases the gas service and CenterPoint can turn it on. On our jobs, the city permit and the witnessed pressure test are part of the price we quote, not extra line items added at the end.
Natural Gas Line Installation Cost From the Street to the House
If your home has no gas at all, the job has two halves. CenterPoint owns the street main, the pipe running from it to your home, plus the meter. Everything after the meter belongs to the homeowner and is installed by a licensed plumber.
Fixr reports that, nationally, many utilities run the service line at no charge when the meter is within about 100 feet of the street, and that a meter itself runs $250 to $425 where the utility charges for it. We did not find a published CenterPoint price for a new residential service line, so ask CenterPoint directly before you budget for that part.
For homes that already have gas, the question is the meter. CenterPoint’s meter upgrade page says adding a generator, outdoor kitchen, tankless water heater, heated pool or fireplace may require a larger meter. Projects with a total load over 550 cubic feet per hour need a formal review, and the homeowner hires the plumber to prepare the site at their own expense. Our posted range for coordinating a gas meter move or upsize in Houston is $500 to $1,500.
Can You Install a Gas Line Yourself?
Not in Houston. The city only issues gas permits to registered master plumbers, and in Texas gas piping is plumbing work under the state plumbing license. Bob Vila also calls gas line installation a job for a licensed plumber, not a DIY project.
If you smell gas at any point, do not flip switches or use a phone inside. Get everyone out, then call CenterPoint at 888-876-5786 or 911 from a safe distance. Our guide on what a gas leak smells like covers the warning signs.
When to Call a Plumber
- You are adding a gas range, dryer, water heater, fireplace, grill, pool heater or generator.
- You are switching from a tank to a tankless water heater.
- Existing gas appliances lose flame or perform poorly when several run at once.
- Your home has old gas piping and you want it checked before new pipe is tied in.
If you are pricing work on a line you already have rather than a new run, see our post on gas line repair vs replacement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a new appliance tap into my existing gas line?
Often, yes, if the existing pipe and meter can carry the combined load. Code sizes gas piping for every connected appliance running at once, so a plumber should check the numbers before adding a branch.
Is CSST cheaper to install than black iron?
Usually. Fixr puts installed CSST at $11 to $20 per foot and black iron at $15 to $30, mostly because flexible tubing needs fewer joints and less labor. The right choice still depends on the route.
Does a new gas line have to be pressure tested?
Yes. New piping is tested at no less than 1.5 times working pressure, with a 3 psig minimum, for at least 10 minutes before gas is turned on.
Will I need a bigger gas meter for a generator or tankless heater?
Possibly. CenterPoint lists generators and tankless water heaters among the appliances that can trigger a meter upgrade. Larger loads over 550 cubic feet per hour go through a formal review.
How long does it take to add a gas line?
Fixr estimates 30 minutes to 2 hours per appliance hookup on a simple job. Buried lines take longer. In Houston, the city lists one business day to process the permit, and gas stays off until the inspection passes.
Need a Gas Line Installed in Houston?
Repipe Solutions runs new gas lines for ranges, dryers, water heaters, outdoor kitchens and generators across Greater Houston. Assessments are free with no trip charge, and every quote includes the permit and pressure test. See our gas line repair and installation services in Houston or contact Repipe Solutions to schedule a visit.
Featured photo: “Gas stove burner” by themusicianlab via Openverse, licensed under CC BY 2.0, converted to WebP.