i think prices could vary greatly... you should be able to get that info from the landlord or the gas company (if it's a gas-fired furnace/boiler)... get a yearly average or a max bill before you settle on a place.

probably my first mistake/lesson... moved to a place in chicago, 2 flat, we had both floors, solid masonry, old windows, no insulation, old old boiler, some radiators didn't work... bill for dec-feb was over $500 and i was still sleeping in three sweat suits. (about a month before we moved out a guy took a look at the radiators and said, here's the problem, replaced the valves on all the rads upstairs and viola, heat. except it was may.)

Hmm. My apartment now is a 2br in Boston (~900sf), but heat is included. I think where I lived before, which was two years ago now, we racked up some pretty hefty heating bills in the winter, but there were five us in a 3br triple decker, which meant more heat leaked out I'm guessing than in other building types and there was almost always someone home. My roommates also had a habit of turning the heat up in excess of 70F and not turning it down when they left/at night. I wish I could give you a better number, but I think if you turn it down when you don't need it up and do other things to conserve a bit, it shouldn't be too bad. Where in Boston?

in somerville. on beacon street, about 1/2 mile south of porter square. I'm kind of freaking out because i am going to be paying more rent than i wanted and i'm fretting the heating bill...the place has good windows, it didnt seem drafty at all, carpeting in the bedrooms...i think its insulated.

I'd guess about $60 - $75 a month averaged over the winter. Of course, if the last couple years are any indication, we don't have winter anymore in Boston. It was in the mid 60's almost 70 up through December with only the end of Jan. and Feb. being really cold last year.

When I was in Somerville (Union Square), our two bedroom heating was usually pretty high due to lack of insulation and windows that sealed in our 3rd floor apartment. I think I was personally paying around $50 (totaling at $100) and the highest we ever set our thermostat when we were around was 65.

I agree with postal – call the gas and electric company and they should be able to advise you of the average monthly costs. Beware of apartments with electric base heating elements – they are far and few but they will cost you dearly. In the winter months, I recall paying $135+ a month during the stone ages for a 700 sq. foot place in Southie (old renovated school house with high ceilings). Who knows what the current tentants pay now.

Katze, I'm available for hugging non-stop.
should save more of your quid. ;)

The utility will have a history of the apt, most likely... so give'em a call. I used to be a real estate agent in the summers and you really can't tell. I live in the North End, 2 br, Feb was $300 but our hot water heater exploded... is it a house? bldng? gas/oil/ electric? top floor is warmer...

count on paying more and use what's left for beer.

!

I'd never pass up a hug from Nevermore :)

My experience in Boston was pretty similar to Pixel's. Unlike in Chicago and some other cities, Boston apts typically do NOT include heat; therefore the landlord has zero incentive to a) properly insulate the house b) update the decades-old boiler that is probably SUCKING up gas to barely heat the drafty, did I mention wholly uninsulated house and c) does not insulte the pipes to the radiators oh and d) does not flush the radiator system every once in awhile so gunk builds up and they CLANK REALLY LOUD all winter long while you are trying to sleep and are SERIOUSLY INEFFICIENT while doing so. Also, the thermostat is a crummy cheap wonky model which in my experience was often, due to random 60s house remodelling, actually located in some roommates closed bedroom (and not in the common space) so the temp. was always wonky and knocked off. We kept our place pretty cool (one roommate bought a small space-heater... I do not recommend this as they are a frequent cause of fires) and we had typ. $400 heating bills per month from Dec-March for a 4 bedroom apartment. I know this because I held the gas bill in my name and it was a BITCH to pay the damn thing each month.

We lived over the unheated, damp basement, which i could actually see through floorboard holes at the edges of my room--that should tell you how thin and uninsulated the floors were. If you leaned up against the wall while, say, reading in bed in the wintertime, your back turned into a chunk of ice. No insulation in the ext. walls. Also, I'm pretty much 100% sure there was no insulation between us and the unit above us, so we essentially paid to heat their place, too.

This was, btw, a really nice super awesome apt. in Brookline, not a crummy run-down cambridge flat. So I'd definitely budget $100/month/person for heat and you'll be on the safe side.

I have rented both..usually if it is a larger apartment building with a steam boiler..etc....you will not pay for heat here in Boston.

If you are renting a house or something that has been converted to a condo (separate meter, etc) then you probably will pay for heat.

I own now..and paid about 150/month for the whole 2 bedroom place last winter.

working themostat = you control the heat = you pay
non-working thermostat = you don't control the heat = building pays.

thats what the law is.

if you are from some sunny warm & modern place, I don't reccomend paying your own. If you are from Maine, you can probably judge what's insulated & what's not...