The plumber we were talking to said he would replace it for 0. Good price or not?
Cost to replace a 50 gallon electric water heater?
Friday, October 1st, 2010 at
09:45 pm
Being a plumber I may not be to impartial but it sounds about right.
There are so many factors involved with your quote it would be hard for me to disprove or justify his price but if I were to install your water heater in Oregon $800.00 would be just about right for a standard install.
Things to keep in mind:
-He is delivering the unit to your house
-He is providing all necessary extra parts to install your water heater (around $150.00)
-He will most likely be draining and removing your old unit
-Everything he does will be warrantied by him, parts also if he is a good plumber.
The most important thing is that you don’t have to lift a finger! If your going to hire a plumber then you are taking the easy route, since when is the easy way the cheap way?
One more thing I can give you to talk about with your plumber is what services he is providing that his competition cant for $800.00.
Dude that is like an 8 track, move up to an IPOD…………..
http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/water_heating/index.cfm/mytopic=12820
May get a rebate from your electric or gas provider. May get a tax credit as well
I guess you cannot blame a guy for making a weeks wage for a 1 hour job. they are cheaper then that and real easy to install. Shut off the water and power and you should have 1/2" or 3/4" copper pipes one is for cold water coming in and the other is for hot water going out. T/P is for the pressure relief valve, it can go on top or on the side. Write down the wiring like black wire white wire and green. draw a little diagram. Drain the old one with a garden hose going to a drain or outside. and if you cannot get the pipes loose then cut them but leave room for a compression fitting and some good flex hose to reconnect the water lines. Be sure to fill the tank all the way so the water comes out of the kitchen sink Before you turn the power back on or you will burn the heating elements out. If you want, paste and copy this and take it To Lowes or the hardware store and they will give you everything you need. Take a picture of your old tank on top with your cell phone if you can so the clerk can double check and make sure you have what you need. If you can do this in one day,(2hrs.) you will save at least $400. not bad for a days work!
You can pick up a WH for about 400.00 bucks..the rest would be labor…Get other estimates.
Sears Kenmore 50 gallon is 304.00..I just checked.
That depends on what has to be done to meet code. The old one had to meet code at the time it was installed. Depending on how long it lasted, code could be quite different by now and may mean doing much more work. That is assuming the old one actually met old code, which in my experience very very few do. Cost of a new 50 gal heater is *about* $275 on the very low end up to *about* $500 on the high end. A *simple* swap out is generally $150-$200, but like I said, simple it may not be.
Al
200 should be the avg cost for a swap out + the cost of the water heater. If he has to do some re piping then yes it possible 800. But that seems a bit high. Im thinking the whole deal about 600-650 water heater plus labor /installed.
In my area at $800.00 you are getting a steal by about $300.00. I always enjoy the DIYers saying the guy is making a killing for a couple hours work. The tank did not magically appear at the home. It has to be ordered, picked up, delivered, brought back and picked up again on the outside chance it’s a leaker, warranted, plus that cost pays insurance, advertising, truck, wages, materials, utilities, shop,and gasp, last but not least a meager profit hopefully.
I think that price is more than fair but like they say you can always find cheaper. Price, quality, service. Pick two. And when you find a guy you can trust don’t shop the man the minute you need something you fell is some huge windfall to him. You may be surprised that after the math and he pays himself his ‘profit’ is maybe 100 bucks if that!
Michael, that sounds a bit high. Your best bet is to get additional estimates from local plumbers in your area, who can visually see what’s going on with your water heater. With that said, many local plumbing contractors are willing to provide free estimates with no obligation, and you should utilize this to answer your cost question. It’s important that you get a local estimate and not rely on guesses found here on Yah, as a lot of factors really bear on the cost of such a project, including the following: The cost of material and labor greatly varies by location.
Michael , you should also consider getting the water heater through the contractor. You can negotiate well with the contractor and he buys the materials (i.e., the replacement water heater, etc.) for you, you may try to have him pass the discounted cost of the materials to you in exchange for giving him the job, as usually contractors get discounts (called "contractor’s discounts" / "contractor’s price") when buying from suppliers because of the many purchases they make as required by their jobs.
So, to help you out, here is a great link to a handyman site that offers free very resourceful information to assist you in your water heater fix, and, eventually, finding a local plumbing contractor with intention of getting a good deal for you:
INFO ON LOCAL PLUMBING CONTRACTORS:
http://yourhandymanzone.com/Your_Handyman_Zone_Free_Estimates_Plumbing.htm
I’m sure you’ll find the information you need, specifically the tips, useful as it relates to being treated fairly by contractors and exploring the consumer-wise approach of getting free written estimates to find the best contractor in your area.
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Source(s):
The Internet. Just whatever is available online and what I have on my mind, including the inclusion of relevant sites, like the one cited above that came about from my efforts, which is intended to be useful. Helping people get the relevant info they want is great.