Summary: looking for water heater replacement worker/s
I suppose this is an inflation and "bring up to code" rant. But I'm in San Antonio so thought I'd drop it here. Up-to-code just means add the expansion tank which I don't need (no check valve at my house).
I'm in San Antonio, northside.
7 years ago I bought two gas water heaters from Home Depot. Two paid helpers and I took out the old ones, put in the new ones, and helpers also hauled away the old ones. My back is not in the mood for this these days but I could do it alone except for the last step of lifting the new ones into their leak pans. New empty ones are 120#.
Total price out the door for me was $1650 back in 2015. Today's water heater prices are about $200 more each.
Plumbers are quoting me $5,800 for the same work today (or when I wait a day or two, they call me back with a $500 discount). Or just one heater swap out for $3,500.
Seems all three plumbing companies I've called are working from the same price sheet.
2nd floor but easy straight in doorway access to them in the attic. No rickity attic stairs. The connections for the gas and 3 water connections on each heater are all easy flex screw - no hard pipe involved.
Anyway, one has quit - won't re-light and I thinking of just putting in a couple of better quality ones (going from Rheem to AO Smith).
I'm going to keep looking for an independent / non-plumber for this job.
Please let me know if you have any one you recommend. I figure $1,800 for the qty 2, 6 yr warranty / 40 gal, gas water heaters (AO Smith or better, retail price Home Depot) and $2,000 in labor would be ball park to swap out this pair.
I suppose this is an inflation and "bring up to code" rant. But I'm in San Antonio so thought I'd drop it here. Up-to-code just means add the expansion tank which I don't need (no check valve at my house).
I'm in San Antonio, northside.
7 years ago I bought two gas water heaters from Home Depot. Two paid helpers and I took out the old ones, put in the new ones, and helpers also hauled away the old ones. My back is not in the mood for this these days but I could do it alone except for the last step of lifting the new ones into their leak pans. New empty ones are 120#.
Total price out the door for me was $1650 back in 2015. Today's water heater prices are about $200 more each.
Plumbers are quoting me $5,800 for the same work today (or when I wait a day or two, they call me back with a $500 discount). Or just one heater swap out for $3,500.
Seems all three plumbing companies I've called are working from the same price sheet.
2nd floor but easy straight in doorway access to them in the attic. No rickity attic stairs. The connections for the gas and 3 water connections on each heater are all easy flex screw - no hard pipe involved.
Anyway, one has quit - won't re-light and I thinking of just putting in a couple of better quality ones (going from Rheem to AO Smith).
I'm going to keep looking for an independent / non-plumber for this job.
Please let me know if you have any one you recommend. I figure $1,800 for the qty 2, 6 yr warranty / 40 gal, gas water heaters (AO Smith or better, retail price Home Depot) and $2,000 in labor would be ball park to swap out this pair.
