Gas Appliances for a New Home: What You Can Run on Gas
1 September 2026Blog6 min
What appliances can run on natural gas in a new home?
Most new home plans lean electric by default, and natural gas often doesn't come up until the layouts are close to final. Thinking about your appliance and energy options early can help ensure your home is designed to accommodate the choices that best suit your household's needs.
Natural gas covers more than heating and hot water. Cooktops, outdoor entertaining, and a few other appliance categories can connect to natural gas too, depending on what's available in your area. This guide runs through what you can put on gas in a new build, category by category, and what each one means for your plans.
Australian Gas Networks (AGN) is the distributor that delivers gas to the property. AGN doesn't sell appliances or retail gas plans, so nothing here is a pitch for a specific product. It's here to help you weigh up the options before the design stage closes off.
- Cooking: Gas cooktops are one of several cooking appliance options that may be available in a new home.
- Outdoor living: Fixed gas points support BBQs, heaters, fire pits, pools and spas, if they're planned early.
- Planning window: Gas infrastructure is typically easier and less expensive to include when it's designed into the build from the start. Retrofitting later is still possible, it just takes more work.
- Compliance: AGN is a gas distributor only. All installation must go through a licensed gasfitter.
Gas cooktops and ovens
Cooking is the most common way new-build buyers add natural gas beyond heating and hot water, but it’s often not considered until kitchen design decisions have already been made.
According to NSW's energy efficiency guidance, induction cooktops use less energy than gas cooktops. Energy use and running cost aren't quite the same thing though, and energy.gov.au notes that cooking accounts for a small percentage of household energy costs, so the difference between cooktop types affects your bills far less than heating, cooling or hot water does. For many households the decision comes down to a combination of cooking preferences, household needs and energy considerations: gas provides instant, visual control and an open flame, while induction heats the pan directly and the cooktop surface generally remains cooler.
Here's how the two options compare across the factors that matter most at the design stage:
| Factor | Gas | Induction |
| Heat control | Instant, visual adjustment via flame size | Precise electronic control, faster response than an electric coil |
| Cooking style | Open flame allows wok cooking and charring, a point of difference for many cooking styles | Even heat across the base of the pan, though open-flame charring isn't possible |
| Cookware | Works with any cookware, including round-based woks | Needs flat-based cookware with a magnetic (ferrous) base |
| Energy efficiency | Some heat escapes around the pan during cooking | Less heat escapes into the kitchen, which can be more comfortable in summer |
| Cooktop surface | Stays hot near the flame during and after use, so care is needed around burn risk | The cooktop surface generally remains cooler because heat is transferred through the cookware, which may reduce burn risk |
| Power outage |
Some models may allow manual ignition via a pilot light or spark igniter. Always check the manufacturer's instructions first to ensure safe operation.
|
Needs mains power to operate at all |
| Cleaning | Grates and burner caps lift off but need regular cleaning | Flat glass surface wipes down easily, though it can show scratches |
| Build requirements | Needs a gas point plumbed to the cooktop location | Needs a dedicated electrical circuit , usually hard-wired by a licensed electrician |
Neither cooktop type comes with a blanket rangehood requirement in a home kitchen, although ventilation requirements can vary between homes and jurisdictions. Check what requirements apply to your build with your builder, designer or licensed tradesperson.
The most suitable option will depend on factors such as cooking preferences, household requirements, energy availability and installation considerations. Natural gas offers instant flame control, an open flame for cooking techniques such as wok cooking and flexibility in cookware choice. Induction generally uses less energy and provides a cooking surface that remains cooler than a gas cooktop, which may appeal to some households, including those with rooftop solar.
If you're finalising kitchen plans, discuss appliance requirements with your builder or licensed tradesperson to ensure any necessary gas or electrical infrastructure is considered during the design process.
Natural gas hot water systems
Hot water is the most familiar gas appliance category, and most new builds already plan for it by default. Storage and continuous flow systems are both available, with continuous flow systems common in newer builds because they take up less space and deliver hot water on demand rather than storing it.
Choosing between gas, solar, and electric hot water is a broader topic than this guide can cover in detail. Our dedicated guide to choosing the right hot water system walks through that comparison in full, including what to consider based on your household size and location.
Natural gas heating
Ducted gas heating and gas space heaters are among the most common gas appliance categories in Australian homes, and are often straightforward to plan for because the installation requirements are familiar to most trades.
Ducted systems heat the whole home and can be zoned by room. Energy.gov.au notes that zoning only the rooms you need can reduce energy use compared with heating the entire home at once. Space heaters may suit smaller areas or homes without ducted heating. Running costs vary depending on factors such as system size, climate, household usage patterns and zoning, so any cost estimate should be treated as indicative only.
Gas heater installation and servicing must be carried out by a licensed gasfitter. This is a legal requirement, not a recommendation, and applies whether the heater is ducted or a standalone space heater. See our natural gas heater buying guide for more information about heating options and sizing considerations.
Outdoor gas appliances
Outdoor areas may also accommodate natural gas appliances where a gas connection is available and appropriate infrastructure has been included in the design.
Gas outdoor heaters, BBQs and outdoor kitchens on a fixed gas point, and gas fire are all options that may be suitable for a new build. Pool and spa heating systems may also be available in gas-powered models. A fixed point typically needs pipework to be installed before the concrete goes down, whereas a portable LPG BBQ does not require any built-in infrastructure.
Connecting a BBQ to mains gas means you won't need to replace LPG cylinders, or risk running out mid-cook with guests waiting. It's generally easiest to include while plans are still being developed, before the slab is poured.
Other natural gas appliance options
A few less common gas appliance categories are considering, even if they won't apply suit every build. Natural gas fireplaces are available in some areas as both a heat source and a design feature, and little else matches the glow of a real flame for making a living area feel warm and inviting on a cold night. Gas clothes dryers are another option, though they less common in Australian homes than gas cooktops or heaters. AGN's guide to outdoor and other gas appliances sets out the full range, including pool and spa heating and laundry.
Availability depends on your location and what's feasible for your build, so treat this as a starting point for discussion with your builder, designer or licensed gasfitter rather than a guarantee every option will be available.
Planning natural gas appliances into a new build
Appliance selections are often easier to accommodate when considered during the early design stages of a build. Deciding early lets your builder or designer to incorporate any required infrastructure into the plans, rather than relying on a retrofit that can be more disruptive and more costly to get right later.
All gas appliance installation work must be carried out by a licensed gasfitter. This is a legal requirement. A qualified professional should also be consulted at the design stage to confirm what's feasible for your specific build and location, since availability, installation requirements and connection arrangements canvary.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. It can be more disruptive and costly than planning for gas from the start, since retrofitting usually means reopening walls or slabs to run pipework that could have been included in the original plans. Talk to a licensed gasfitter about what's feasible in your home.
Availability depends on your specific location and the appliance type, since not every category is offered everywhere across AGN's SA, QLD, NSW and NT network areas. Check with a licensed gasfitter or with AGN directly for what's available at your address.
Connection requirements, eligibility criteria and approvals may differ between jurisdictions. Check current requirements that apply at your address before making decisions.
The bottom line
The appliances you can run on gas go well past the heating and hot water most buyers already plan for. Cooking, outdoor entertaining, and a handful of less common categories are all genuine options, especially when the pipework is designed in before the slab goes down.
That's the window that matters here: not whether gas or electric is the better choice on paper, but whether you've raised gas as an option before your plans are locked in. If you're still deciding, talk to a licensed gasfitter or your builder now, while it's still a line on a drawing rather than a retrofit. AGN's find a gasfitter tool is a straightforward place to start that conversation.
Compliance disclaimer
Australian Gas Networks (AGN) is a gas distributor. AGN does not sell gas plans, appliances, or installation services, and this guide does not recommend any specific product or brand.
Costs and running-cost factors mentioned in this article are general and will vary by system, household, and location; AGN does not set or publish fixed pricing for gas appliances or installation.
All gas appliance installation and servicing must be carried out by a licensed gasfitter, as required by law.
This article is general information only and doesn't take into account your personal circumstances. It isn't a substitute for advice from a licensed gasfitter, builder, or other qualified professional.
Gas connection rules, fees, availability and eligibility vary by jurisdiction and may change over time. Check the requirements applicable to your address before making appliance decisions.
If you ever smell gas, turn off the appliance at the source, open windows and doors to ventilate the area, leave the property. If you smell gas or are concerned about gas appliance safety, immediately call: Gas Leaks and Emergency services on 1800 GAS LEAK (1800 427 532)
All information provided in this article was correct at the time of publishing (September 2026)
References
- Induction cooktops, energy.nsw.gov.au, for the relative energy use of induction and gas cooktops
- Heating and cooling, energy.gov.au, for ducted gas heating zoning and servicing
- Appliances, energy.gov.au, for cooking as a share of household energy costs
Want to know more? Give us a call on 1300 001 001 or click here to learn more about our gas network and connection process, including current eligibility, fees and restrictions in your area.
