Cost estimate
Water heater replacement (tank type)
What a like-for-like tank water heater swap can cost, built from published wages, shelf prices and contractor cost data.
Data last checked . Every input is dated below.
Typical cost
Planning range $850 to $2,800
typical
Where the money goes
- Labor$1408%
- Materials$91050%
- Permits and inspections$1307%
- Haul-away and disposal$402%
- Contractor overhead and profit$60033%
For information only. A planning range, not a quote. We take care, but our sources can lag and so can we, so a figure may be out of date. It combines the low end of every input and the high end of every input, so it is deliberately wide. Real quotes can still fall outside it.
What moves the price
The same job can quote very differently. These are the usual reasons.
- Gas or electric
- Gas tanks usually cost more to buy and need a vent connection; electric units are simpler to swap.
- Tank size and warranty
- A bigger tank or a longer warranty moves you up the shelf-price range we use.
- Where it sits
- A basement floor drain makes for a simpler job. A tight closet or an attic adds time and parts.
- Code upgrades
- An expansion tank, a drain pan, new venting or a corroded shutoff valve can add parts and hours.
- Your town
- Permit and inspection rules differ by town, and so do local wages.
The same job at other sizes, and in each state
Both tables use the same estimate as the calculator above and its first choice, electric tank. They are here to read across; the calculator takes your own size and state.
| Size | Typical | Range | Per heater |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 heater | $1,800 | $850 to $2,800 | $1,821 |
| 2 heater | $3,450 | $1,600 to $5,300 | $1,724 |
| 3 heater | $5,100 | $2,400 to $7,750 | $1,692 |
Small jobs cost more per heater because a contractor has a minimum charge, and the per-unit figure falls as the job grows until the minimum no longer applies.
Cost by state, at 1 heater
| State | Typical | Range | Against the US average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $1,700 | $800 to $2,600 | −7% |
| Alaska | $2,000 | $900 to $3,050 | +9% |
| Arizona | $1,750 | $800 to $2,700 | −4% |
| Arkansas | $1,650 | $750 to $2,500 | −11% |
| California | $1,950 | $900 to $3,000 | +8% |
| Colorado | $1,800 | $850 to $2,750 | −1% |
| Connecticut | $1,800 | $850 to $2,800 | −1% |
| Delaware | $1,750 | $800 to $2,700 | −4% |
| District of Columbia | $2,000 | $900 to $3,100 | +10% |
| Florida | $1,750 | $800 to $2,650 | −4% |
| Georgia | $1,750 | $800 to $2,700 | −4% |
| Hawaii | $2,050 | $950 to $3,150 | +12% |
| Idaho | $1,700 | $800 to $2,650 | −6% |
| Illinois | $1,950 | $900 to $3,000 | +7% |
| Indiana | $1,750 | $800 to $2,700 | −3% |
| Iowa | $1,700 | $800 to $2,650 | −6% |
| Kansas | $1,700 | $800 to $2,650 | −6% |
| Kentucky | $1,750 | $800 to $2,650 | −5% |
| Louisiana | $1,700 | $800 to $2,600 | −8% |
| Maine | $1,750 | $800 to $2,700 | −4% |
| Maryland | $1,850 | $850 to $2,900 | +3% |
| Massachusetts | $1,900 | $850 to $2,900 | +3% |
| Michigan | $1,800 | $800 to $2,750 | −2% |
| Minnesota | $1,900 | $850 to $2,900 | +3% |
| Mississippi | $1,700 | $800 to $2,600 | −7% |
| Missouri | $1,750 | $800 to $2,700 | −3% |
| Montana | $1,800 | $800 to $2,750 | −2% |
| Nebraska | $1,700 | $800 to $2,600 | −7% |
| Nevada | $1,750 | $800 to $2,700 | −3% |
| New Hampshire | $1,800 | $850 to $2,750 | −2% |
| New Jersey | $2,000 | $900 to $3,100 | +10% |
| New Mexico | $1,700 | $800 to $2,650 | −6% |
| New York | $2,000 | $900 to $3,050 | +9% |
| North Carolina | $1,700 | $800 to $2,600 | −6% |
| North Dakota | $1,700 | $800 to $2,650 | −6% |
| Ohio | $1,700 | $800 to $2,650 | −6% |
| Oklahoma | $1,650 | $750 to $2,550 | −9% |
| Oregon | $2,000 | $900 to $3,100 | +10% |
| Pennsylvania | $1,850 | $850 to $2,800 | about the same |
| Rhode Island | $1,800 | $850 to $2,800 | about the same |
| South Carolina | $1,700 | $800 to $2,600 | −7% |
| South Dakota | $1,700 | $800 to $2,550 | −8% |
| Tennessee | $1,700 | $800 to $2,650 | −6% |
| Texas | $1,750 | $800 to $2,700 | −4% |
| Utah | $1,750 | $800 to $2,700 | −4% |
| Vermont | $1,750 | $800 to $2,700 | −3% |
| Virginia | $1,800 | $850 to $2,750 | −2% |
| Washington | $1,950 | $900 to $3,000 | +7% |
| West Virginia | $1,700 | $800 to $2,600 | −6% |
| Wisconsin | $1,800 | $800 to $2,750 | −2% |
| Wyoming | $1,700 | $800 to $2,600 | −6% |
Each state's wages for this trade, material price level and permit level are applied to the same job. They are statewide averages; towns within a state differ, and an expensive city and a rural county can sit far apart.
How we got these numbers
Labor, parts, overhead and permits, added up. Each assumption below says how solid it is.
Checked sourcePublished, secondhandOur estimate
- Published, secondhandLabor hours of 2 to 4 per heater (removing the old tank, fitting and testing the new one) follow published trade guidance: Bob Vila says 2 to 3 hours, other trade sites 2 to 4. Conversions, new venting and gas or electrical work take longer and are not included.
- Checked sourceMaterials of $500 to $1,280 for an electric tank are built from Lowe's shelf prices on 4 Nov 2026: low = a basic 40-gallon electric tank ($459) plus connectors and a relief valve; high = a 9 to 12-year smart 50-gallon electric tank ($1,029) plus connectors, relief valve, expansion tank and drain pan. Gas and power-vent choices have their own figures above.
- Our estimateVent parts, pipe fittings and gas connections have no price source yet and are included as a rough allowance.
- Checked sourcePermit fees of $70 to $190: a water heater permit cost $70 to $126 in the official city fee schedules we read (Auburn CA, Pleasanton CA, Albany NY; a small sample, not a national survey); the top end allows for surcharges and higher-priced places.
- Our estimateHaul-away of the old tank is $0 when the installer takes it as part of the job.
- Checked sourceOverhead and profit of 35% to 55% is added on top of field wages with payroll costs, materials, permits and disposal. Census 2022: plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors' receipts were 53% above direct cost (materials, subcontracted work, field wages with fringe benefits, fuel); NAHB's remodeler study gives 43% (33% in 2021).
- Checked sourcePayroll costs of 27% to 35% of wages follow the Census 2022 figure for fringe benefits (29.4% of payroll, 13.4% of it legally required).
- Checked sourceCross-check: the US government-funded REMDB database (2023 dollars) puts a 50-gallon electric tank swap at about $1,860 and a gas tank swap at about $2,050 installed; our typical figure is in the same range.
- Not includedTankless units, moving the heater to a new spot, new gas lines, code upgrades and repairing water damage are not included.
- Checked sourceGas tank, standard vent: Materials of $714 to $1,469: the tank at $659 (a 6-year 50-gallon gas tank, Lowe's Columbus) to $1,119 (a 12-year tank with a smart gas valve) plus connectors, a relief valve and, at the top end, an expansion tank and drain pan ($26 to $104 for the pair of connectors, $15 to $58 for the valve, $35 to $60 for the expansion tank and $14 to $28 for the pan, all at Lowe's) and $100 for vent and gas fittings. A B-vent extension was the only vent part priced ($14).
- Our estimateGas tank, standard vent: Labor hours of 2.5 to 4.5 allow for the gas connection, a leak test and a check of the vent; the electric figure of 2 to 4 hours is lengthened by about half an hour.
- Checked sourceGas tank, power vent: Materials of $1,510 to $1,909: a power-vent 50-gallon gas tank at $1,409 (Lowe's, both stores read) plus connectors, a relief valve, vent pipe and fittings ($60 to $250 allowance) and, at the top end, an expansion tank and drain pan.
- Our estimateGas tank, power vent: Labor hours of 4 to 7 allow for cutting a wall opening, running and gluing the vent pipe and condensate or drain parts, and fitting the unit. We found no time study.
- Not includedGas tank, power vent: A new electrical outlet or circuit, if none is nearby, is an electrician job and is not included.
Sources
Where each input comes from, and when we last looked.
- Checked sourceU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data year 2025, checked 2026-11-04.
- Checked sourceU.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Economic Census, table EC2223BASIC (Construction: Summary Statistics), NAICS 238220 Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors, United States; fringe benefits are 29.4% of payroll and revenue is 53% above direct cost. Data year 2022, checked 2026-11-04.
- Checked sourceLowe's shelf prices read on lowes.com, Central Columbus OH (43211) and E. San Jose CA (95131) stores, 4 Nov 2026. Data year 2026, checked 2026-11-04.
- Published, secondhandBob Vila, "Who Installs Water Heaters" (28 Oct 2022): a licensed plumber may need 2 to 3 hours; other trade sites give 2 to 4 hours for a like-for-like tank swap and more for conversions. No official time study found. Data year 2022, checked 2026-11-04.
- Published, secondhandNAHB Remodelers' Cost of Doing Business Study, 2026 edition (fiscal 2024), as reported by NAHB's Eye on Housing blog, 8 Apr 2026: cost of sales 70.1% of revenue, operating expenses 23.6%, net profit 6.3%; 2021 gross margin 24.9%; 2018 30.1%. Data year 2024, checked 2026-11-04.
- Checked sourceNREL National Residential Efficiency Measures Database (REMDB), 2024 release, water heater rows (2023 dollars, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0): installed cost = retail price formula x installation multiplier + retrofit installation adder. Used only as a cross-check; our arithmetic. Data year 2023, checked 2026-11-04.
- Checked sourceOfficial city building permit fee schedules read 5 Nov 2026: City of Auburn CA (building fees, 24 May 2025), City of Pleasanton CA (building permit and plan review fees) and City of Albany NY (building and zoning permit application fees, revised Feb 2026). Three small or mid-size cities, not a national survey; fees in larger cities and valuation-based schedules can be higher. Data year 2026, checked 2026-11-05.
- Our estimateOur working assumptions, marked as estimates on this page; not checked against contractor quotes. Data year 2026, checked 2026-11-04.
- Published, secondhandU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state (US = 100), as republished by FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis). Goods parity is used for materials and all-items parity as a rough stand-in for permit fees. Data year 2024, checked 2026-11-04.