A North Carolina homeowner seeking to replace an aging water heater was left with a frustrating question after receiving three quotes: What, exactly, would they be paying for?
Even though they had gotten multiple quotes, ranging from $2,800 to more than $3,000, the homeowner could not tell which brand of replacement tank would be installed or how the total was divided among charges.
Here's what to know
On Reddit, the original poster explained that they needed to replace their 20-year-old Ruud electric low-boy 50-gallon water heater in their crawlspace.
They added, "I got the replacement quoted by 3 companies. The quotes were not itemized, and the replacement tank brand was not listed. … A mid-range 47-50 gallon low-boy electric water heater is ~$1k, so the extra $2k is labor? Seriously? … I don't have any way to tell if I'm getting a $500 tank and 2 guys just sitting around for 2 hours while the tank drains. Am I missing something?"
Commenters in the forum were quick to point out exactly what the OP was missing: The tank's crawlspace location was prominently featured in commenters' responses, since replacing it would involve more than simply connecting a new appliance.
One wrote, "You're missing a whole lot. You should do this yourself and gain some life perspective."
Another added, "Manual labor is not cheap. … I would walk away from your job. It doesn't seem like you have an understanding of what needs to be done."
A third stated, "That sounds really cheap for a crawl space job. If you don't wanna pay, do it yourself."
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Another asked the OP, "What do you do with the old tank?" They then urged them to consider other plumbing costs that they weren't thinking about.
What can be done?
After receiving the influx of advice, the OP wrote, "I'm happy to pay for labor, provided it's detailed up front, and what they do is per the quote. [But] when I see quotes with no details, just a lump sum, I'm skeptical, especially if they don't list the brand and model of the replacement. My auto mechanic provides an estimate for parts and labor. It's not that hard."
Based on this comment, the OP should either ask for more details or get more quotes. Another option is to upgrade the type of water heater that they use. Heat pump water heaters in particular are excellent at reducing the energy needed to provide hot water and can lower household energy bills.
For households also comparing running costs, Cala offers configurable smart heat pump water heaters. Their schedules can be tailored to when a household needs hot water, helping reduce energy use and bills.
Where can I learn more?
Other homeowners have also asked what they're getting for the price of a water-heater replacement.
• A North Carolina homeowner received a $6,000 water-heater quote before a utility offered $3,900.
• A homeowner's $3,000 water-heater installation quote for a $769 tank drew criticism from plumbers.
• In New York, plumbers called a $2,100 repair quote steep for a warrantied water heater.
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