Is Submetering Expensive?
Last reviewed September 2026NES Editorial, checked by the Billing & Compliance team
What submetering actually costs, and why most owners earn it back in 12 to 18 months.
How much does submetering cost and is it worth it?
Submetering has three costs: installation, equipment, and the monthly billing fee. Install cost depends mostly on how easy it is to reach each unit's water line. If a water heater has to be moved, that unit costs more than one with easy access. Equipment cost depends on the meter and repeater brand you choose. The monthly billing fee depends on the service level and support you want. None of these are trivial, but they are usually recovered fast. Once water cost passes through to residents, use typically drops 15 to 30 percent and most owners recover the cost in 12 to 18 months. With NES the meters are nonproprietary, so you own them and they come with a warranty. The total billed to residents never exceeds your master-meter cost, so submetering recovers expense rather than creating new profit on top of it.
The three costs to weigh
- Installation: driven by access to each unit's line. Easy access is cheaper; moving a water heater costs more. NES can install, or your own plumbing team can.
- Equipment: pick an established meter and repeater brand with proven durability. With NES you own the nonproprietary meters and they carry a warranty.
- Monthly billing: compare service levels and support before you choose. Cheaper is not always cheaper once resident calls land on your office.
Why the math works
The cost looks like an expense until you see what it recovers. Residents who pay for their own water use 15 to 30 percent less, and you stop absorbing utility spend that used to come out of operating income. Add MyReads daily leak detection catching problems early, and most owners recover everything in 12 to 18 months.
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