Straight talk from our Wisconsin Master Tradesman about the true total cost of water heater installations and water heater replacements.
Clients constantly ask us how much a water heater will cost them. We know the internet is full-to-bursting with articles on this topic, but ours is better-and the information here is specific to our lovely state of Wisconsin.
Back in 2003, the hardworking gentlemen at Team Austin installed 40-gallon water heaters out the door for just $617; and 50-gallon water heaters for $722 flat. It’s hard to believe that was 20 years ago! The market has changed so much since then.
Today, installing a residential water heater can cost roughly $1,800 at the low end and $8,000 at the high end.
We know, we know: a range that broad doesn’t tell you nearly enough to make a decision. Just sit tight while we peel back the price onion and uncover all the hidden layers that can turn a budget of $1,800 into a total investment of $8,000. And no, you don’t have to invest $8,000 in a hot water heater!
What factors determine the true total cost of a water heater replacement?
Before any work begins, we provide our clients with a precise and transparent total cost of their water heater replacement. Although we don’t sell all of the different installation components individually, this guide offers an itemized breakdown of the main cost factors of a water heater replacement service so that customers know what they’re paying for.
Here are the 3 major items that combine to total the cost to install a replacement water heater.
- Equipment & Materials. Overall, it’s largely within your control to decide what equipment you want to pay for and what you don’t. However, the degree to which we must adapt our installation to your current system will always play a role in determining what parts you need. For example, “like-for-like” replacements don’t require as many modifications as, say, converting to a completely different type of water heater. Understandably, installation and material costs can vary pretty significantly between such different situations.
- Permits & Installation. Permits are not the most expensive contributing factor-usually not even by a long shot-but it is a necessary cost. Team Austin obtains permission from the relevant local governing institutions before we install or upgrade your water heater. This also covers the cost of a post-install inspection to ensure that we’ve been code-compliant and thorough about your safety. This is the work required to take the new water heater and adapt it into your existing plumbing system and a lot of the behind the scenes cost components that contribute to the water heater installation.
- Accessories. Some things are just nice to have. Some examples of completely optional accessories you can purchase with your new water heater are: water heater drain pans, emergency shut off valves, water leak detectors, recirculation pumps, tank capacity boosters, water heater expansion tanks, and extended warranties.
Now, it’s time for the nitty-gritty! Let’s look a little closer at each of these categories.
Potential Cost of Equipment and Materials: ~$950-$3,700
This is the lion’s share of the material costs with respect to the appliance itself (as opposed to installation-specific costs). The price can be lower or higher based on:
- The kind of water heater you select to replace your old one
- The efficiency rating of the replacement heater
- The fuel source required to power it
(Check out our guide, Water Heaters 101, for a complete write-up of the different types of water heaters available.)
Specific Equipment Costs:~$700-$3,200
Team Austin is not a retailer, so we do not sell equipment separately from our installation services. However, as a purchaser and installer of water heaters, our due diligence involves understanding of the market in which we participate. The following estimates are based on more than eight decades of experience and research.
- Standard gas WH equipment: $700-$1,400
- Standard electric WH equipment: $700-$1,500
- Heat-pump (hybrid) WH equipment: $2,000-$3,200
- Power vented gas WH equipment: $1,400-$2,000
- Tankless gas WH equipment: $1,800-$2,500
Potential Required Installation Materials: ~$150-$500
Even the most basic installation or replacement takes certain fittings and materials to make it happen. Because water heaters don’t come with these materials automatically, and because the prices of high-quality materials have gone up substantially over time, these overhead costs are also factored into your quote.
What are some common examples of material needs prior to installation?
These often include:
- Hot/cold water shut-off valves
- Dielectric unions, which connect the copper water piping to the heater
- Electrical fittings
- Gas pipe fittings
- Incoming gas shut-off valve
- Flue and vent pipe fittings
- Relief valve tubing
Relocation, a change in fuel type, and upgrades in venting can be some of the costliest aspects of replacement. These factors alone can account for roughly $500 in material cost, sometimes more.
Permits and Installation: ~$800-$2,125
For reasons of compatibility, your existing water heater, home plumbing system, gas or electrical system, and exhaust all play a role in determining the price of replacement. In addition to the examples mentioned earlier in this article, this also includes infrastructural considerations like the shape of your flue piping, the desired location of your new heater (if changed), and any venting, intake, or drains that need to be installed.
In short, the more dramatic the change, the more complex the installation must be-and therefore the greater impact it will have on your total cost.
Potential Installation Costs for a Water Heater: ~$800-$2,000
Ultimately, our job is to adhere to legal codes while adapting your replacement water heater to your home systems. Examples of normal installation items that are included in your quote:
- Delivery of the new appliance
- Floor protection materials (drop cloths or other methods)
- Removal, haulaway, and disposal of your old heater by a secondary support technician
- Connecting the new water heater to your existing hot/cold water piping
- Connecting the new water heater to your electrical or gas system
- Connecting the new water heater to your current venting or exhaust system
- Installation of any accessories purchased
- Completion of any necessary plumbing code updates
- Customer training and install overview
- Warranty registration and post-installation followup
Water Heater Permit Costs- $125
In most of the Southeastern Wisconsin communities we serve, permits are required even to perform a like-for-like replacement. This assures our customers that their new water heater was installed to code and to the highest standards of craftsmanship, because the local building inspector will be back to confirm that everything is perfect.
The permit itself almost never exceeds $125 in price. However, there are rare cases in which a building inspector requests additional modifications to the existing gas, electrical, or plumbing system upon inspection, which may incur additional costs not predicted before the initial replacement.
Potential Cost of Water Heater Accessories:~$100-$2,000
We and many of our customers consider this the fun part of the process. Here, our goal is tailoring to your personal wants and needs, which means finding solutions that don’t leave you beholden to your current plumbing, gas, or electrical systems.
For example, if you find yourself running out of hot water before you’re done using it, but your system won’t support a larger water tank, we have accessories that can boost tank capacity. There are also add-ons that can help prevent flood damage, like leak alarms.
Most Commonly Purchased Accessories for New Water Heaters
These include:
- Instant hot water heater pumps, also known as recirculation pumps. These are one of the more expensive examples, and they can take a toll on your heater over time, but some customers find them necessary to their daily work.
- Emergency drain pans. If your water heater were ever to spring a leak, having invested in a drain pan would prevent that leak from turning into a house flood. The biggest factor in this accessory’s cost will be the location of the drain. Ultimately, a water heater drain pan can add as little as $100 or as much as $400 to your total, but it’s easy to see why they’re so popular despite that.
- Emergency shut-off systems. These wonders of modern technology can detect problems with your water heater before you notice them, because that might be too late! To protect your home and safety, this accessory shuts off the appliance altogether the moment something starts to go wrong. A state-of-the-art system like this can be well worth the cost, but if you’re intent on equipping yourself with one, be prepared to budget between $900 and $1,400 for it.
- Extended warranties. The difference between a water heater with a six-year warranty and one with a 10-year warranty is a simple matter of purchasing an extended warranty directly from the manufacturer. The choice to extend the warranty of your new heater by an additional four years from 6 to 10 years could add around $300 to the total cost of replacement, but could save you thousands in the long run.
- Expansion Tanks. These extend the life of the water heater by mitigating the stress of constant expansion and contraction in response to significant temperature changes. An expansion tank can add $500-$700 to the water heater replacement cost, but it is designed to add years of use to your residential water heater.
Additional Considerations in the Cost of Water Heater Replacements
Easier Said Than Done
We make water heater replacement look easy, but it’s not. Our team members are just extremely competent at their jobs. When you hire Austin Plumbing, Heating & Air for professional water heater replacement services, the entire process really will appear awe-inspiringly simple-but make no mistake: there is a lot going on behind the scenes!
Staying in Business
Margins and markups are never randomly decided. The most operationally-efficient of plumbers still strive for a net profit of 10-20% when replacing a water heater and must lift the prices of all the aspects of installation in this article accordingly. This is why, when comparing the retail value of materials and equipment to the price you pay for installation, there is usually a 40-50% discrepancy. Some companies may exceed the reasonable limit, but we don’t. Charging a respectable price for our team members’ time and labor is all it takes for us to enable them to continue serving you happily for years to come.
Over-the-Moon Prices
Water heater replacement services don’t exist in a realm that transcends the surrounding economy. Every component of the process, from equipment and materials to labor and permits, has skyrocketed-resulting in increased and fragmented pricing for all of us. For much of the water heater replacement industry, especially its humble contractors, water heater price hikes are finally starting to catch up to us. That’s why over-the-phone quotes can vary so much from one plumbing company to the next. It also means that a period of just six months to a year can result in a drastically increased quote, so don’t wait!
Water Heater Replacement Freebies for Choosing Team Austin
The “Austin Factor” is elusive to describe, but clearly seen in the results we bring you. Though most plumbers can perform a basic install-heck, even some laypersons know their way around a water heater-we provide a range of professional resources that no one else can, including:
- Same-day water heater replacement: in an emergency, you don’t have to wait
- Fully stocked warehouses: gas, electric, and tankless models ready before you even call
- We truly honor warranties like no other plumbing company in business
The Simplest Breakdown of Water Heater Replacement Costs:~50% Install | 50% Equipment & Material
In short, it’s both accurate and useful to think of a 50-50 split between the tangible parts of a water heater replacement (materials, equipment, parts) and intangibles such as the service, installation and backend work required to complete the water heater installation.
The calculus used to derive the selling price of our services is a bit too sophisticated for a guide, and it would do nothing to illuminate the service as a function of its parts. For example, we don’t sell a “pulled water heater permit” service: it wouldn’t make sense for us to pull permits unless we were preparing for an install; but the price of a permit is a necessary factor in price determination.
Overall, we find it more helpful to go out on a limb and show you all the factors of water heater replacement in simple English. This gives you the chance to do the math and verify our claims yourself, so that you can have greater confidence in your choice to go with us.
Austin Plumbing, Heating & Air: 80 Years of Satisfied Customers
Austin Plumbing, Heating & Air installs more replacement water heaters in our market than any other service contractor-literally. We’ve amassed hundreds of five-star reviews for our water heater replacement services alone, and that’s just the beginning of the list. Don’t believe us? Just call (262) 367-3808 today!
