We have an old water heater my hubby wants to replace before it busts. He’s talked about it for at least a year, but his work hours are crazy lately (IT go live deadlines). Also, he’s talked about having to “rig up” something to be able to lift it. Luckily it’s in the garage and not the attic, but still…
So Angie’s List has this deal right now for a new heater and install for under $800. The company seems reputable to me.
My question… Is there some reason doing this as a surprise “now that’s one less thing you have to worry about” gift for my hubby would be a mistake? I want to, but I’m nervous. I know zip squat about water heaters.
Is this gas or electric? Without water in them they don’t weight a lot, if it’s in the garage he won’t need anything more than a handtruck, and they can just be easily walked into place without assistance.
Electric.
I think he said something about sediments and the last bit of untrained water making it heavier. It’s 3-4 feet off the ground too. And he’s got a degenerating disc in his back he has to be careful with.
Here’s more on the deal…
$749 for installation of a new Rheem electric or gas water heater; deal value can be credited toward purchase of upgraded unit
Includes installation of a 40-gallon gas or electric storage tank
Includes removal and disposal of existing water heater
Includes new hot and cold connectors and T&P valve
Offer purchase price does not cover permit, vent piping, T&P line, or gas line. In most cases, these items are already up to city code
And they’re an A rating with 12 reviews.
Personally, I would not like it if someone else made a decision about the house. All hot water heaters are not equal and the cheapest one might not be a good match. Before I installed it in my house, I would want to know a lot about it. A cheap one could under perform or fail early. One thing you do not want to cheap out on is things that deal with water. A leak or rusting out of the tank can cause major damage. Going with a “deal” for a water heater could end up being quite expensive.
If all he needs is help moving it, see if you can get a quote from a handyman for an hour or two to help out. I know Redbeacon.com allows you to request bids for various jobs and maybe Angie’s List does too. He can have the heater delivered to the house and then the handyman can help him move it and install it.
I got a new gas 40-gal water heater last year. It cost $800 installed, with all the same stuff from your offer. Sounds like your deal might be like $50 off, which is in line with other Angie’s List deals. I’m in Ohio, not sure where you’re at (location could make a difference)
Sounds like a fine deal for someone who has back problems and no spare time. How long does he have to work to make $749? How long would it take him to do the water tank?
I’d totally do it without hesitation, but I’m a single person so I am not attuned to couple’s politics.
Were in the Houston area.
We’ve got the money, that’s not a problem.
He’s had to work weekends, and frequently until midnight or later. Once they were there until 3am. This will be ongoing for another month or so.
Plus a 3 hour round trip commute. Less if there’s no traffic, like at 3am.
From what I read online they can be $1500 installed so I thought $800 was on the good side, especially for the convenience of just getting it over with.
Maybe I’ll call and find out what the upgraded would cost us. Although, how fancy could it possibly be?
If he’s got a bad back and not a lot of time then $800 sounds very reasonable. I think you get a very good quality water heater installed for around $800 from a lot of places, $1500 sounds very high. 40-50 gallon units with 6 year warranties start under $300, and 10-12 year warranties at under $500. Top end energy efficient may approach $1000, so I guess it’s possible to reach a $1500 price installed.
Check the capacity, warranty, and energy efficiency of the unit you buy, the installation cost should be the same for any of them since you are replacing a unit. I can’t say if $500 for a plumber is reasonable these days though, certainly wouldn’t surprise me based on some recent plumbing quotes I’ve seen.
Uh oh, problem.
Our old one is a 50 gal. So we won’t be getting this deal one regardless.
I also noticed it’s only a foot high rather and 3-4, but still needs lifting.
The co had 3 good reviews on another big site I found, and A+ rating with BBB and no complaint records.
I should get the 10-12 year warranty though right? 6 doesn’t sound long enough.
The water heater cost is about $260.
My understanding is unless you go with something extra fancy, like an on-demand water heater, they’re basically all the same. The replacement is two plumbing connections, and one electrical connection. It really shouldn’t take more than an hour or so. $750 seems fair to kinda high, although it’s an easy DIY project. You could hire someone to help with the heavy lifting for $20, and hook it up yourself pretty easily.
I’m another IT guy with a broken back. I do a lot around the house, but there’s no way I’d touch changing a water heater. The old one will probably be twice as heavy as the replacement if it’s full of sediment, like ours was.
For the incremental cost, if you plan on staying there for more than six years, I’d go with the upgraded one with a 10-12 year warranty. The better one is probably better insulated as well, so it will cost less to run. Just be sure to check on the dimensions - more insulation makes for a fatter tank that might not fit into the existing skinny spot between the wall and furnace, or an overall taller heater may have clearance issues vs the existing pipes and flue.
Never ever have paid that much for a water heater.
Sounds good to me. Last time I had a 50 gal tank replaced, it was right at $1000, parts and labor. Also, Rheem makes pretty good products.
Actually, a 50 gal electric 12 year from HD and Lowes looks to be around $450 regardless of brand.
So I guess I just need to decide if it’s worth an extra ~$300 to just get it over with.
I’d say ‘yes’, since the installer is liable for any problems that crop up due to poor workmanship. Your only recourse with your husband is to nag him.
I’d recommend against getting it done without telling him because he may have some requirements that you don’t know about. But likely the installers can come up with a similar deal if you needed a different one. Maybe just tell your husband about the deal and let him know you’ll work with the installers to get a quote if he wants a different one.
Does the $800 price include the upgrade to a 12 year warranty and a 50 gallon tank? Because if it’s the 40 gal 6 year warranty, the labor on that is about $500. Which is quite a bit for an hour or so of work. Just saying. 
I installed the water heater in our new house last week. My husband and a friend carried it down to the basement for me, but the actual install took less than an hour.
Mine went about 1½ years ago; 50 gal gas, Bradford White. All in for $800, including purchase, pickup/delivery, install, & haul off of old one.
There’s a company around here that advertises a lot on the radio - they’re always on time (or free), always wear booties, get lots of training, blah, blah, blah but I’ve heard they were expensive. A week after mine was replaced I saw one of their trucks at a neighbors so I asked the guy what the cost was. He looked it up & told me $1400 - $3200, depending upon what equipment I got. So, yeah, caveat emptor.
I’d second the notion that a permanent house fixture is not exactly something I want to be surprised by. Maybe he has been thinking about switching to a tankless unit or has a friend who lifts thousands of pounds for fun. Don’t spend $800 on an install and warranty without talking it over. If he hems and haws just say, “we’re doing this to save your back and next time I’ll do it without asking.”
Surprise home renovations only work on TV.
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There’s a company around here that advertises a lot on the radio - they’re always on time (or free), always wear booties, get lots of training, blah, blah, blah but I’ve heard they were expensive. A week after mine was replaced I saw one of their trucks at a neighbors so I asked the guy what the cost was. He looked it up & told me $1400 - $3200, depending upon what equipment I got. So, yeah, caveat emptor.
[/QUOTE]
Outfits like that do a fine job of drilling their name into your head with all of their advertising with the hopes that when you someday need to replace your water heater RIGHT NOW! you will call them and ask no questions other than “How soon can you get here?”