Why does it seem so expensive to install a gas hot water heater? I priced them at Home Depot (GE models) and they want $255 for installation no matter what the size of water heater. Some of the models cost less than the installation charge! I'm just wondering what is involved with the typical installation - at least for Home Depot.
I still want to price some at Sears but I assume the installation would be comparable. Too bad I can't install these myself....
well home depot has to make some money and the guy they get to install them makes some money.. if you do it yourself then you save big time.... it cost me about$12 to install mine.. had alot of parts and supplies and the labor was free(me)....
"Walleye" wrote in news:3Du1b.154705$ snipped-for-privacy@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net:
There's no reason why installation should depend on the size of the heater. Installation involves plumbing/vent connections being made, etc.; that's the same whatever the heater size/price.
Home Depot's prices are higher for most things; they are charging for the brand name even though they use local contractors to do the work. Also it's higher because HD takes a cut and then the actual installation contractor has to make a profit. Finally they may be allowing a safety margin in case they encounter problems. That's one of the risks of quoting a fixed price. Vendors who quote lower prices will often qualify it by saying that they will quote a final price after they arrive and allow you the option to refuse.
The GE water heaters are actually made by Rheem, GE just adds their name. They are the same as the Rheem Fury (I think). Call local installers directly for lower prices, but make sure they confirm the price before doing any work.
The more I think about it I want to try and replace it myself. I did see the flex pipe available at the Depot also although I have no problem with sweating copper pipe. The only thing I can think of that *might* cause me a problem is the gas line connection/hookup - everything else seems pretty straight forward.
Any do this before that can give me some pointers?
$255 for installation is a huge ripoff. Typical Home Despot: subcontract it to the low bidder, charge a premium rate, and pocket the difference. If you can't do it yourself, but you know a good plumber, ask him.
If you can handle a water heater (they are cumbersome, but not heavy, easy two-man job), it isn't difficult. It helps if you know how to use a brazing torch, in case you have to redo the water fittings or the overflow pipe, and how to hook up a gas line -- or have a friend who knows these things.
Some places may require a building permit, and many places require an earthquake strap.
If there is a problem with the gas valve anytime during the warranty period and the manufacturer finds any 'pipe tape,' aka Teflon tape, in the gas valve, your warranty will be denied. Teflon tape is for water lines, if even that. I don't care what the HD monkey said.
Actually, the best way to do it is to solder a foot long "stub" to each fitting before they're even screwed on to the tank. This keeps the intense heat far away from the in/out fittings on the tank. It's not easy to cut them to the exact length you'll need, so you leave a little extra, planning to cut some off. When the tank is just about in position (your stubs are right next to the cut in/out pipes) you can mark for proper length, leaving about 1/8" gap, move the tank far enough away so you can cut the stubs, then put it in place and sweat the joints using an in-line coupler fitting on each pipe.
That's standard procedure, at least in the one I recently installed and just about every one I can ever remember seeing.
Exactly. When it's time for a new tank, you'll take out your handy dandy copper tubing cutter, roll it around on the pipe right above where the stubs were sweated to the fittings, and once both of them are cut, you can pull the tank, clean up the leftover pipes, and be ready to fit the pipes for the new tank. (remembering to disconnect the gas too, of course!)
That's actually a bit of overkill! Mine is a length of PVC attached to that same fitting that screwed onto the overflow valve. I think it was $1.29, preassembled at the box store.
The whole idea there is that you should have a (working) floor drain somewhere close to the bottom end of that overflow tube. The concept of the water raising 4 or 5 inches is never an issue. The whole idea of the tube is to direct the water at the floor (rather than just spraying out into the room and maybe your eyes) and nothing more.
Couple of other points: The gas line need not be intimidating. If the big concern is matching up the old to the new, they *do* sell flexi-connectors, just like you would use on a gas stove or clothes dryer. They're the wider diameter and usually only a foot long. (They're made just for this purpose, you don't need the ability to move your water heater while connected, like you do with a stove)
And this is the perfect time to clean up that old (driping?) knuckle buster turning shutoff valve with the lever type that flips 90 degrees and gives a visual indication of on/off. They are -so- much easier to use.
hot water heater. Cold water heater would even be more accurate. And I find nothing wrong with Steven Wright's humor!! At least you had the guts to say something. Dave
Easy as it might be, I don't do gas repairs, so I gave the job to Home Depot. My heater was installed in April 2003, so based on your post, it sounds like prices have changed since then.
Here's what the charges were:
50 Gallon Rheem Water Heater (best heater sold by Home Depot) (12 year warranty 40K BTU) $298.00 Basic installation (includes delivery of new heater and disposal of old heater and draining of old heater if needed) $169.00 New inlet valve (it definitely needed replacing) - this was paid directly to plumber and the price is set by the plumber but quoted in advanc $45 (parts and labor) Upgrade flue to 4" as required by code - this was paid directly to plumber and the price is set by the plumber but quoted in advance $150 (parts and labor) Plumbing permit (paid directly to local gov't) $30
It took the plumber and his assistant 90 minutes to remove the old water heater and install and activate the new water heater. The plumber then left and had 2 sheet metal guys come the next day to install the new flue, which took another hour.
The plumber probably spent another hour picking up the new water heater, disposing of the old water heater, and driving to my house.
The plumbing inspector came a couple of days after installation and approved the installation. (The water heater was operational immediately after installation, of course.)
In the somewhat expensive east coast urban area where I live, I consider this a bargain. The workmanship, by the way, was top notch, although there's no guarantee that another plumber subcontracted by Home Depot would do as good of a job.
Changing from a 3" collar to a 4" collar at the chimney takes a bit of savvy. Break out the wrong brick or make a mistake nibbling out the flue liner and you could end up with a disaster. Every once in a while you hear of a contractor having to have the whole chimney rebuilt, which isn't cheap when the whole house is standing around the chimney. You pay for the risks and talents involved.
Damn! I'd call that high! Near as I can tell the standard HD installation fee is about what it would cost for a new gas heater installation when replacing an electric water heater. That's about what I paid for the water heater part for a replacement package--electric to gas furnace and water heater which include gas installation from the curb. If you already have a gas heater installed, a replacement installation should be (but apparently isn't) a lot less. Was your upgraded flue due to purchase of a higher efficiency heater? If so, maybe you should have bought the cheaper water heater. My gas water heater, installed about
2 years ago, uses 3 inch flue and my furnace uses a 3-1/2 inch flue. And why would you need a plumbing permit for a replacement? I sure wouldn't get a building permit for anything I was just replacing. Do you guys need a building permit to replace carpet, a stove, a garbage disposal, a light fixture?
Every place is different and has different rules but I'm glad I don't live on the east coast. Disposal fees here are low or non existent (a Goodwill type store picked up my electric one as a donation--5 years old with a 10 year guarantee and worked perfectly).
It's a lot of money, but it's actually less then several plumbers quoted for the same job, but with a 10 year warranty "regular efficiency" heater instead of the high efficiency 12 year heater from Home Depot. No question, though, that doing it yourself is a big money saver if you have the skills to do it right.
The county that I live in requires a 4" flue on all new and replacement gas water heater installations. (When my house was built, they required only a
3" flue.) For the permit to be approved, I had to upgrade the flue. And for Home Depot (and any plumber who wants to keep his license) to install a water heater, a permit is required. Checking around, though, $150 for a flue upgrade in this area is very competitive. Actually, of all of the items in the job, I was most shocked by the cost of the flue upgrade. The plumber even admitted that it was a lot of money, and jokingly said "it costs that much so that plumbers can have steak dinners".
If so, maybe you should have bought the
The plumbing permit is required by the local government. It's not Home Depot's rule.
I sure wouldn't get a building permit for
No permit needed here to replace any of those items, at least not yet. However, a permit is needed to erect a fence, build a shed, repave the driveway apron area, replace any major component in the HVAC system (or replace the entire system), and lots of other things. (Actually, to repave the driveway apron area, they require not only a permit, but also about $2500 bond to be posted until the job is approved.)
Yes, some of these government fees and rules are outragious here. I could tell you some amazing stories, but I'd be drifting too far off topic.
The info I could gather at Home Depot from the outside of the boax as well as an info packet out in the open mentions I could use flexible gas connector only if code allows. Also it mentions a 'garage' stand which looks like just the pegs under the water heater to elevate it about 2 inches off the floor - again it says 'if code requires'.
Not sure about the code in my town. My current water heater has black gas pipe and also has the water heater stand/pegs.
Who do I call to find out about code for these in my town?
HD also sells a connecting kit for gas heaters. $19 for 2 flex water connectors, dialective nipples, and compression adapters (as my water connections are not threaded). For $27 they also include the flexible gas connector in another pack.
I still want to do this myself as I believe I have enough info and the skills to tackle it.
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