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In your mind or experience, how much should it cost to have a standard (tank) gas water heater installed? How much have you paid?

In 1995, I paid $150 to have one installed in Atlanta.  I have read a few DIY boards where they say it should take a home owner 2 or 3 hours to do the job themselves, which I won't do, and that $300 is too much to pay for professional installation.  However, the few plumbers & handymen companies I've called in the Chicago area are quoting me from $900 to $2500.  They use water heaters that are difficult to price check because these you can't get places like Home Depot or Lowes.  Doing some digging, I have found some information on them, and they cost between $200 and $300.  Which means the installation charges are $600 to $2200 -- for something that should take less than 3 hours of work!

 Is it unreasonable for me to think it should cost the price of a water heater (plus markup, I suppose) and 3 hours of install time?  300 + 50 + 3*125 = $725  seems to be a reasonable maximum.

 

imo, I would want a licensed/insured professional to install a GAS water heater in my home, working with gas is dangerous even for professionals. So when comparing prices, keep in mind who is licensed/insured , and who is not a professional. Usually the lower prices "too good to be true", are not licensed/insured, and these are the people you cannot compare with the licensed/insured professional.

 As for Handymen companies, if they are not licensed to perform plumbing/gas work, they should not be in your home giving you an estimate.

 As for Plumbers using products you cannot find, well that's usually something that can be explained easily. Why should a Plumber warranty a product that was made inferior by a "home store" or DIY store? Thats why plumbers use products from supply houses, they are better quality, and the contractor will warranty his own equipment. Try buying a water heater, and having it installed by a licensed pro. They will not warranty the heater, and if something goes wrong with it, you will be charged to fix/replace it even under a year.

 AS for a price Gas water heater have now gone up, figure a 50 gallon i've heard installed in Ny for $980.00-$1180, but this only if for a true professional installation.

Typical cost here in the Philly area for a 40 gallon gas water heater installation is between $600-800.  Don't forget that they also take away the old one in many cases and that can also be a hassle (and possibly an additional expense) if you had to handle it yourself.

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Sherlock Homes Inspections
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I just had a new 40 gallon gas water heater intsalled yesterday at my home in Kansas City.  The plumber gave me an option of having him get the water heater at a price of $350 or said I could get one myself at Home Depot and he would pick it up and install it for me.  I chose to purchase one from him, because he told me that his was a higher quality and would last longer (I think the brand he installed was "State").  Besides, when I looked the water heaters up at Home Depot they were not that much cheaper anyway and the plumber told me that there was even some sort of pending lawsuit against GE water heaters and I didn't want to get into that....

 It took the plumber 2.5 hours to install it at a cost of $65 per hour--so my total cost for the heater and labor with tax was about $550.00.  He also hauled away the old heater.

 I know that things like this are usually much cheaper here in the midwest than in other places, but that may give someone an idea!

 Hope that helps!

Sophie, what you paid sound very reasonable.  You have the price of the heater, labor, replacement of some plumbing at the heater since it may be corroded and re-plumbing to fit the layout of the new heater's pipes, but the basic hook up is there to start with. Your plumber is not reinventing the wheel and barring the unforseen, max of 3 hours labor. Unhook old heater, remove from premises, new heater in, it's hookup, dispose of old heater - - not necessarily in that order.I would do it myself because it is not brain surgery but the HARD part is getting rid of the old one, which by the time it croaks weighs about eight times what it did new [massive lime buildup inside over the years]. Some of the above posters are really paying a lot unless there is something I can't see, like they live on the 10th floor with no freight elevator or bought a very expensive, large heater.

Sherlock Homes:

Typical cost here in the Philly area for a 40 gallon gas water heater installation is between $600-800.  Don't forget that they also take away the old one in many cases and that can also be a hassle (and possibly an additional expense) if you had to handle it yourself.

I live in Arizona and the overall cost is less but there is a lot more to than just the installation. You might be able to do it yourself but what will you do with the old one?

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Sherlock Homes:

Typical cost here in the Philly area for a 40 gallon gas water heater installation is between $600-800.  Don't forget that they also take away the old one in many cases and that can also be a hassle (and possibly an additional expense) if you had to handle it yourself.

I live in Arizona and the overall cost is less but there is a lot more to than just the installation. You might be able to do it yourself but what will you do with the old one?

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Tucson House Cleaning
Cleaning Service Website
Office Cleaning
Small Business SEO

How much does an average water heater installation cost?Current one was installed 1992 when the house was built, it's never been changed. 40 gal. Natural Gas, second floor in a closet in the bathroom, easily accessible. It is not faulty yet, but I don't want any accidents. Thanks

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Your 16-17 year old water heater is well beyond the typical life span here in the Philly area. Gas water heaters here typically last about 12 years (plus or minus 2).  I have seen very very few 15+ year old water heaters still in operation, but not many.

I think what has been established on this thread is that the cost of replacement depends on your area of the country.  The original poster was getting quotes in excess of $1000, while here around Philly $600-800 is the norm (I have had dozens of clients need this and seen several quotes in this range to verify it), while others in the midwest and elsewhere come in lower than that.

It is a very common task, and I would receommend you call a few plumbers for a ballpark estimate over the phone (many won't do this, but some will).

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Sherlock Homes Inspections
www.SherlockHI.com

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Before reading your article I don't have any idea about this . Thank's for giving  me knowledge about a new thing.

 

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