Gas bayonet points: what they are and what they cost

Portable gas heaters need somewhere to plug in, and that somewhere is a bayonet point. It is the small chrome socket, usually low on a wall or set into the floor, that a heater hose clicks into with a push and a twist. If your home has natural gas but no bayonet, adding one is a small, well-defined job.

What a bayonet point actually is

A bayonet fitting is a quick-connect gas outlet with a built-in shut-off. When nothing is plugged in, the valve is closed and the point is sealed. Push the heater hose in and twist, and gas flows only while the connector is locked in place. That design is why bayonets are the accepted way to run portable gas heaters: no tools, no open valve left behind, no guesswork.

What installation costs in Sydney

A new gas point or bayonet typically costs $250 to $550, and the spread comes almost entirely from the pipe run:

• A point tapped off a nearby existing line, on the same side of the wall, sits at the low end
• A run across the house, under the floor or through the roof space, pushes toward the top
• Difficult access, slab floors or pipework upgrades can add to the job, and Terry flags this before starting rather than after

The figure includes the fitting itself, pressure testing the system, and the compliance certificate that must be issued for gas work in NSW.

Where the point should go

Think about where the heater will actually sit through winter. A good position keeps the hose short and out of walkways, keeps the heater clear of curtains and furniture, and suits the room the household really uses. Rooms heated with unflued portable heaters also need adequate fixed ventilation, and NSW rules do not permit unflued heaters in bedrooms or bathrooms, so a living area is almost always the right home for the point. Terry talks the position through on site before drilling anything.

Already have an old bayonet?

A point that has sat unused for years should be leak-tested and have its seals checked before a heater goes back on it. Rubber seals harden with age, and a worn socket can weep gas around the connector. It is a five-minute check that fits neatly into a heater service.

The legal side

Gas pipework is licensed work in NSW, full stop. Installation must comply with AS/NZS 5601, which governs pipe sizing, jointing, testing and appliance connection, and every job must finish with a compliance certificate. Terry is a licensed gas fitter (NSW licence L10959) and has worked on gas since 1986, so a bayonet install is bread-and-butter work: usually one visit, one to two hours.

A note on timing

Every gas fitter in Sydney gets the same rush the first cold week in May. Booking a bayonet install in the warmer months means shorter waits, and it means the heater is ready the first night you actually want it.