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CostHelper.com > Home & Garden > Replacing a Water Heater
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Replacing a Water Heater Cost |
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How Much Does Replacing a Water Heater Cost? |
 | Low: $350-$1,000 |
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 | Medium: $600-$2,800 |
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 | High: $900-$2,700 |
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| Typical costs: | - Buying a water heater costs $150-$3,500, depending on capacity, energy efficiency and type. Traditional tank systems run about $100-$600 for electric and $250-$1,000 for gas. Tankless types cost $200-$1,200, from a small under-sink unit to one that delivers 5 gallons a minute. Heat pump models are $600-$2,000 or more, and solar water heaters run $1,000-$5,000 (including installation). Weigh the purchase price against the ongoing monthly expenses; the cheapest units are going to be the most expensive ones to use. The U.S. Department of Energy gives detailed descriptions of each type.
- Installation runs about $200-$400 for a traditional tank model depending on size, existing set-up, fit and other factors; installing a tankless water heater can cost two to four times more if the supply lines or venting need resizing or other significant changes are required; heat pump water heaters cost about $300-$700 to install; and solar systems usually have installation included in the purchase price. It costs more to replace an old-style heater with a different system, but can save money in the long run.
What should be included: | - Traditionally, two people need a 30-40 gallon capacity tank; five or more in a household calls for 50-80 gallons. But the first-hour rating (how many gallons it delivers in an hour of use) can be more important than capacity; if you buy a tank that puts out more than you need hourly, you're wasting money heating extra water. The on-demand tankless systems avoid that cost and take up less space, but you might need more than one to shower and run a dishwasher at the same time. A heat pump system requires a lot of open space around it in a room that stays warm.
- Replacing an old water heater with a similar but updated model is relatively straightforward, but be sure to check the dimensions. New more-energy efficient units are often a bit larger, and might not fit the existing space. And be sure you're clear on the space and hook-ups available in your home, as compared to the requirements of a more energy-efficient style of water heater.
- Installing a home water heater is generally considered an intermediate-level skill. Detailed how-to instructions are provided by TheHomeShow.com.
Shopping for replacing a water heater: | |
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Article updated November 2006 |
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What People Are Paying - Recent Comments |
Page 6 of 6 - << Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6
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| Water heater replacement |
| Amount: $865.00 |
| Posted by: David Todd in Vandalia, OH. | Posted: March 16th, 2011 01:03AM |
| Capacity: 40 Gallon | Brand: Bradford White |
| Installer: Big Ed's Plumbing |
| Replaced a 26 year old Kenmore Power Miser 5. Purchased a Bradford White through installer. Had originally purchased a Whirpool from Lowes but returned it after reading horror stories online about them. He had the removal of the old one and installed the new water heater in 2 hours. Also he replaced the main shutoff valve in the house and the shutoff valve for just the water heater. Cost was $745 for water heater and labor. $120 for valve labor and parts. Very happy with work and the water heater. |
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| Water Heater |
| Amount: $1,200.00 |
| Posted by: Lady homeowner in suburb near boston in Boston, MA. | Posted: March 31st, 2011 01:03PM |
| Capacity: 40 | Brand: GE gas - 9 yr warranty |
| Installer: Home Depot |
Here were my quotes for 9yr gas heater (different brands)plus installation:
Sears ~ $850 (including taxes, permit)
Home Depot ~ $950 (NOT including taxes, permit)
Lowes ~ $950 (including taxes, permit)
For a 6yr warranty quote, where plumber was not willing to pull permit.
Private Plumber ~ $1100
Placed order with Sears (~9am)who guaranteed same day installation, but customer service gave a run around. Installer called (~6pm). Next day the installer called after noon and said they never placed my order and didn't have it in stock. Cancelled order.
Was warn out from Sears... Forgot the difference between Home Depot and Lowes, and chose HD because of the brand. Final cost came to $1200 (plus tax $67, permit $65, and two valve replacements to bring up to code $130).
Careful about the extra add ons... city permit cost is actually less, but they added on a fee. You can't apply for your own permit, but you need to book your own appt for an inspection, because you're paying for it. Some companies only charge you, but don't actually pull permits.
Yes, the add ons were a rip off... It only took them about 45min to install. Lowes probably would have been a better choice. Best would be if you knew a good plumber... |
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| Cost of Replacing Gas Water Heater - Montgomery Co. PA |
| Amount: $1,408.00 |
| Posted by: ZMeeker in Lansdale, PA. | Posted: May 25th, 2011 01:05PM |
| Capacity: 40 | Brand: Bradford White |
| Installer: Moyer Indoor/Outdoor |
| Cost more than I expected. But I did check around and found similar pricing elsewhere. Called Friday and scheduled for Monday done in 3 hours. Price was quoted and agreed upon before work started. Options like purchase heater at Loews and they install where discussed. Plumber said code requires installation of expansion tank which increased the cost. Valve added on output side (not sure why), new stove pipe to chimney added, 4 cement bricks for platform added all no extra cost listed. Explained starting procedure. Cleaned up. Took old heater away. Satisfied. |
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| Replaced water heater |
| Amount: $560.00 |
| Posted by: a user in SLC, UT. | Posted: June 30th, 2011 03:06PM |
| Capacity: 40 | Brand: |
| Installer: Local handy man |
| replaced old 30 gallon to new 40 gallon...some adaption/customization required, replaced also shut off valve that was stuck open (so had to shut off water to whole unit during down time)Parts ~400..3-4 installation |
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| Did I just get ripped off? |
| Amount: $510.00 |
| Posted by: paddypoz in Corona, CA. | Posted: July 6th, 2011 04:07PM |
| Capacity: 40 gallons | Brand: Bradford White |
| Installer: Local plumber |
| Used our home warranty plan to replace leaky water heater originally installed in 1988. The model is U140T6FRN-394 which costs between $750 - $1100. But we were billed for $510.00 in Service Fees (60), Ventilation (80), Earthquake Straps (90), Gas cock (90) and Haulaway (90). Didn't know what else to do, so I agreed to pay. I think I got ripped off.... |
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| Water Heater Replacement |
| Amount: $1,225.00 |
| Posted by: CarefulSome in Cedar Park, TX. | Posted: July 14th, 2011 05:07PM |
| Capacity: 50 Gallon | Brand: Rheem |
| Installer: NYC Plumbing |
| I don't see anything about two story attic installs. I got an extended warranty on the tank (putting in an extra rod to attract calcium). Stainless steel fittings. Ball valves instead of faucets. No holes in the wall nor attic. No carpet pulls or strips ripped out on stair case. An extra person hired to do all of this because of the little space to move it. In my ignorance I am happy. This guy came on a rec so I didn't check prices. Totally on trust. |
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| Do Not Buy Whirlpool |
| Amount: $350.00 |
| Posted by: hot water heater blues in Oklahoma City, OK. | Posted: August 3rd, 2011 07:08AM |
| Capacity: 40 gal | Brand: Whirlpool |
| Purchased a Whirlpool hot water heater 5 years ago. Just after warranty ran out...hot water heater went out....no warning...cold water. Called them...they said they were no longer making that hot water heater. They sent out upgrade parts kit which they said would fix the problem. Checked with contractor who said he has installed several of these upgrade kits and they do not work. People are then out the cost of paying someone to install these kits and are then having to end up getting a new hot water heater anyway and then having to pay installation for it. There are numerous class action lawsuits going on against them and problems noted also for GE hot water heaters. Of course in the class action lawsuits, the only ones who win are the attorneys. The consumer ends up with nothing...Why isn't the government doing something about this problem? These hot water heaters are defective and have even been noted to catch people's homes on fire. |
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| Solar Water Heater |
| Amount: $0.00 |
| Posted by: Eljay in Palm Coast, FL. | Posted: August 20th, 2011 02:08PM |
| If you are considering one, look at your Electrical Company. Many are offering $1000 rebates for the purchase of one. The rules are very specific, so look before you buy. |
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| Water Heater Replacement |
| Amount: $845.00 |
| Posted by: Homeowner in NC in Wilmington, NC. | Posted: August 23rd, 2011 05:08PM |
| Capacity: 50 Gallons | Brand: A.O.Smith |
| Installer: Local Plumbers |
Our water heater died last week and because we're in the dead heat of summer, I wasn't in too much a hurry to replace our water heater without calling a couple of places. I searched the internet for an average or median price for the cost of replacing and installing a new water heater and found this site. The first quote I got was the plumber that I signed for the job and his was the lowest of all the five places I called.
We got a 6 year warranty for the heater and a one year warranty for parts. I was hoping to find a lower price but $800-1200 seemed to be the average price in this area. They had 2 guys come in and do the installation in our two story home in the attic. It has been blistering hot this summer, so I did not envy them having to do all that work during the hottest part of the day.
They were also in charge of the removal and it was done in maybe a couple of hours. Based on some of the prices I've seen posted, I think we got a decent deal. |
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| Lots of yous getting RIPPED right off !! |
| Amount: $500.00 |
| Posted by: Canada Dave in Calgary, Other. | Posted: August 26th, 2011 07:08AM |
| Capacity: 40 | Brand: Rheem |
| Installer: Buddy and Me |
| Hey are there a lot of suckers on here. The reason I paid 500 is we did it ourselves. To have that model installed most all (except for the rip off artists) charge 750-800, installed. I'm from Canada and we should be paying more than the USA. To the master plumbers who are backing the 1500 and 1600 dollar installs, take a hike scammers! I'm happy with out install and looks prof. Find a reputable company to do the work and SHOP around ! |
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| Water heater replacement |
| Amount: $2,500.00 |
| Posted by: Mark Hogan in New Brunswick, NJ. | Posted: August 31st, 2011 04:08PM |
| Capacity: 40 Gallon | Brand: A.O. Smith |
| Installer: Self then Plumber |
| tried installing myself. Almost Every joint leaked. Called plumber. plumber had to charge triple to salvage the heater and remove what i tried to install. plus i was going to install the heater using the wrong size smoke pipe which would envelope my home with carbon monoxide, creating a fatal situation. Leave it to the pros. |
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| Water heater replacement |
| Amount: $1,800.00 |
| Posted by: montgobell in Belle Meade, NJ. | Posted: September 12th, 2011 08:09AM |
| Capacity: 75G | Brand: |
| Installer: jersey plumbers |
| i replaced a water heater. include labor and equipment it cost me $1800. |
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| Local Plumber + GE 6 YRS LoNox |
| Amount: $875.00 |
| Posted by: Bobb in Hayward, . | Posted: September 17th, 2011 09:09PM |
| Capacity: 40 | Brand: GE |
| Installer: Local Plumber |
Heater aprox $500 (inc tax) + 385 install.
Consulted with 8 local plumbers, 3 of which actually showed up + Home Depot install service. Plumbers quoted $1,050 to 1,400. HD, with an initial phone quote of $979, went up to $1,450 after the guy showed up with the heater, which I promptly sent him away. Their HDQ called me 15 minutes later to offer a one time deal, which I promptly rejected, I didn't care what it was, I just don't like playing games, but if you do, try them out see if they blink. I had no good vibes from the install guy anyways. HD may force an inspection fee on you so you must ask. HD also surcharges you if the guy has to climb more than 14 steps. The plumber I finally picked was someone who was installing a heater at my neighbor 6 month ago, and his immediate quote of $875 after actually looking at the job (2nd floor, tight closet) earned him a quick "lets do it." Took him just over an hour. |
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| Water heater replacement Quotes |
| Amount: $1,500.00 |
| Posted by: Carlos in Queens, . | Posted: September 20th, 2011 09:09AM |
| Capacity: 40 Gall | Brand: AO Smith/12YR/Gas |
| Installer: Local Plumber |
This is the quote i'm getting in Queens NY from two local Plumbers for AOSmith XCV-40. Seems high, as 4 years ago I had a 40 Gal/12YR American WH brand installed by keyspand for 729, including removal. I will get a few more quotes and compare.
Is this a high price? |
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| Water heater replacement |
| Amount: $849.00 |
| Posted by: JC in Union City, CA in Union City, CA. | Posted: October 1st, 2011 10:10PM |
| Capacity: 40 gal | Brand: Bradford White |
| Installer: Tom Krauss |
18 year old AOSmith started leaking. Called several plumbers from yellow pages and got phone
estimates from 800 to 1400 (learned 2 lessons: don't bother with the first few companies listed in the yellow pages and don't bother with companies that hire receptionists to give estimates, in both cases the estimates will be higher). Also called HD and got phone estimates of $809/919/989 for GE water heaters with warranties of 6/9/12 years. But a technician from Fast Water company would have to come by to give me the final quote. I could smell a scam already and didn't bother having them come out. Went online and put in a request for estimates with Service Master. Three companies were recommended: (1) Better Water Heaters, (2) Juan's Plumbing Services, and (3) On Demand Water Heaters. The first one, BWH, is rated the highest and also had very high ratings on yelp. Got an estimate for $800. When the plumber came, he changed the estimate to 1025 because the hot/cold water lines had to be replumbed, and the gas and T&P lines needed replumbing as well. This was flabbergasting (you always need those lines replumbed when changing water heaters). So, I turned the guy away. The owner of BHW called me back right away and said that his technician's quote was very fair, but I didn't buy it. Finally went back to Action Plumbing Service that I used 8 years ago for my rental.
Tom Krauss is honest and very experienced. But I started shopping around because his quote of $849 was much higher than his $550 quote back in 2003.
Lesson 3: the highest-rated company soon believes they can charge a lot more because they are the highest rated or maybe they paid a lot to Service Master or yelp to get the very high ratings. |
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| Water Heater replacement |
| Amount: $842.00 |
| Posted by: TS in mission viejo, CA. | Posted: October 3rd, 2011 08:10PM |
| Capacity: 40 gal gas | Brand: Bradford White |
| Installer: Orange Coast Plumbing |
| Got tired of replacing Rheem every 9 years which was the reason for the switch to BW. Quotes were all over the place some as high as $1,300. Orange Coast Plumbing were fair, honest and very responsive, work was completed in 2 hours. Hopefully this U.S. made unit will last longer. |
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| broken water heater-gas |
| Amount: $2,200.00 |
| Posted by: bildig in milwaukee, WI. | Posted: November 5th, 2011 10:11AM |
| Capacity: 50g | Brand: bradford |
| Installer: Blau |
| leaking heater- friday am-called Blau- upfront quote $2200 plus-replaced the same day-I was out of town- I think my wife signed overcharged quote -seems like the highest price on this site.11 yr warranty |
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| water heater replacement |
| Amount: $755.00 |
| Posted by: hurricane in texarkana, AR. | Posted: November 6th, 2011 12:11PM |
| Capacity: 30 g | Brand: whirlpool |
| Installer: a-1 plumbing |
| a bit steep but, you pay for what you don't know. |
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| Gas water heater |
| Amount: $200.00 |
| Posted by: Nawar in Baltimore, MD. | Posted: November 15th, 2011 10:11AM |
| Capacity: 60 | Brand: GE |
| Installer: unknown yet |
| My 15 year old gas water heater busted a month ago. I\'ve been shopping around for a new one. HD quoted me $982 installed with permit, labor and the tank. A plumber was willing to install the unit and realign the water pipes all for 600. had not permit to do it. i.e. total cost would be 800. \r\nShould a non-licensed plumber be allowed to install a gas water tan heater? what are the consequences? |
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| Gas Water Heater Replacement |
| Amount: $1,100.00 |
| Posted by: Sanders in NJ in Willingboro, NJ. | Posted: November 18th, 2011 09:11AM |
| Capacity: 40 | Brand: A.O. Smith |
| Installer: Contractor thru PSEG |
Obtained quotes from HomeDepot, Lowes and Sears. Cost ranged from $1100-$2000 which included installation. Yes you can buy water heater for $350, but you will have additional cost for installation, delivery,disposal and permit.
Through my PSEG worry free contract the price range was $900-$1300. Includes permit/installation/removal of old water heater. If you call before 1 pm they can replace same day. |
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| New water heater |
| Amount: $1,300.00 |
| Posted by: CG214 in Dallas, TX. | Posted: December 15th, 2011 12:12PM |
| Capacity: 500 | Brand: Rheem |
| Installer: Flow Plumbin |
| Flooding from water heater, so I had my mom call Home Depot to fix/replace it, but they told her they don\\\'t do that kind of work! Don\\\'t understand when they have a huge splash on their website with a 1-800 #.\\r\\n\\r\\nLeak has been going on for a long time until finally it started pouring out from the attic through the pipe that it made the pipe fall off, so I knew it had to be replaced. Flow Plumbing had done work for me before, so they got the job once home depot was a no go. Repair men showed up and said they would get the new heater I wanted, install it, and remove the old one for flat fee of $1300 (new 50 gallon Rheem versus old one was 40 gallon). He said it\\\'s usually $1800 but because I already had the pan, pipe and stuff, he took that pricing off the bill. whoa! Since I live out of state and my elderly mother lives in my house, I had to just go with it. My stepfather\\\'s friend said he\\\'d do it for alot cheaper but I wasn\\\'t sure if he was licensed and could guarantee work. The Flow plumbing repairman explained that the city permit people would come by, and they showed up the next morning to inspect the work. So I feel better, but I am wondering about overpaying for labor. |
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| Replaced Natural Gas Hot Water Heater |
| Amount: $450.00 |
| Posted by: VegasSmitty in Las Vegas, NV. | Posted: December 17th, 2011 06:12PM |
| Capacity: 50 gal | Brand: GE |
| Installer: Me |
| How hard is it to replace 2 water pipes and a gas line. Why would you need a permit for a replacement, sonds like some of you are getting ripped off. HWH was $400, Parts kit was $50. Took me 2 hours, and thats with a lunch break. |
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| Replacing gas water heater |
| Amount: $900.00 |
| Posted by: a user in Fremont, CA. | Posted: December 27th, 2011 12:12AM |
| Capacity: 40 gal | Brand: Bradford |
| Installer: Plumbing Connection Inc |
| Gas water tank was found leaking in the garage the day after Christmas. Called Plumbing Connection (had good ratings on Google) in the morning and someone was able to come early afternoon. Able to get $50 off the bill w/ online coupon. Replaced unit and took away the old WH in the same same day. Everything went pretty smoothly. |
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