Which utilities can I legally require the tenant to pay?

I'm looking for a guideline on what it would cost for utility hook up for an ADU

I’m researching alternative industrial uses where access to substations, fiber routes, and zoning flexibility are key constraints.Curious what others have seen in terms of:- Counties most open to non-traditional industrial uses- Typical setbacks or zoning hurdles- Utility engagement at early land-evaluation stageNot looking to pitch anything, just trying to understand how others approach feasibility.

I've purchased a number of homes with utilities off.

Quick BackgroundMy spouse and I are 100% disabled veterans in Northern Virginia (close to major employment companies/contractors/tech hubs, Reston Town Center, Metro).We both work in tech, but my spouse will stop working soon(burnout).Goal is early retirement + passive income, not building a huge portfolio, which seems difficult in this HCOLAWe’re not handy, but spouse is considering leaving Tech and going to school full time for carpentry utilizing Post 911 benefitsHave around 150-200k in liquid capital We realize that when one spouse leaves tech, the ability to really pay down a mortgage will be greatly reducedCurrent Property (Owned Free & Clear)Estimated value from Zillow: ~$776,300 (does not include massive kitchen renovation)4 bed / 3 bathEstimated rent: ~$3,500/mo (without renovation included)Scenario 1 (Leaning this way)Use a VA loan to buy a smaller primary residence locally (0% down).

It is connected to the duplex, hence wide the previous owner or the current owner for now agreed to pay for the utilities.

I would be happy to explain the program and how it works and how you can utilize it for a specific Denver property or in another city too. 

That’s where most first-time developers get surprised - not because the deal was “bad,” but because approvals, utilities, environmental issues, or municipal politics stretched timelines and burned capital.In Upstate NY especially, relationships with zoning officials, planning boards, engineers, and utility providers matter as much as capital.

The problem is I usually end up forgetting to send important documentation until the last minute (like sending new tenants a list of what utilities to turn on, or a move-out checklist) and often end up having to manually print out a lot of paperwork and bring it along with me to appointments.

That means thinking through rents, expenses, management approach, utilities, and where value can realistically be created, which you can’t really do without underwriting.For quick triage, I’ll do something similar to what you outlined: sanity-check rent per unit, assume conservative expenses, and see if the price even makes sense relative to the market.