Eck Posted March 6, 2014 #1 Posted March 6, 2014 Had to swap out my water heater today. Purchased one from Lowes this morning and "thought" I would have them install it. Well I got a call from the plumber who Lowes contacted, and I told the guy my "electric" water heater is in the corner of my garage, easy access, lots of lighting, "Nothing" in the way, no stairs, crawlspaces, and it is standing at eye level. I told him I already removed the electric wires, and drained the tank for him. Copper tubing from wall to tank and CPVC from pressure relief valve to outside drain. I also told him I already purchased the new tank from Lowes and it is out of the box and is ready to install. Over the phone he tells me his labor estimate will be between $250 to $350. minimum. I said well, OK but I will change it out myself for that..thanks... so I did.. Just got done a little bit ago.. waiting for water to heat up now so I can take a shower..
Flyinfool Posted March 6, 2014 #2 Posted March 6, 2014 Wuss WHY do you have to wait for it to heat up?
bill in mn Posted March 6, 2014 #3 Posted March 6, 2014 Way to go . That $250. - $350. can be well used somewhere else .
Yammer Dan Posted March 6, 2014 #4 Posted March 6, 2014 They wanted $350 to install garage door. I would like that job for a while. You could do 3 or 4 a day.
Stealthblade Posted March 6, 2014 #5 Posted March 6, 2014 'Round here, ya gots to get a permit for a new water heater. Village inspections and the works. If you fly under the radar and dispose of it yourself... ( recycle yard is 1/4 miles away ), well, then nobody is the wiser. I think it's $35 for the permit ( which, by the way, allows them to scrutinize "anything that is visibly non-compliant" ) and then the water heater has to be installed by a licensed operator. That's just too much interference and greed for my liking. I'll do it myself.
etcswjoe Posted March 6, 2014 #6 Posted March 6, 2014 Glad you got it put in ok, when I put in a new one it cost me lunch for two of the guys I ride with to help me.
Leland Posted March 6, 2014 #7 Posted March 6, 2014 New water heater DOE efficiency standards take effect 4/16/15. So you know the price of water heaters will be going up.
Brake Pad Posted March 6, 2014 #8 Posted March 6, 2014 If it's an Energy star, you can get a state discount (for going Green )
Bob Myers Posted March 7, 2014 #9 Posted March 7, 2014 If it's an Energy star, you can get a state discount (for going Green ) If it a permitted, licensed install, with documentation from the master plumber, and master electrician who shared the duty of installing. No thanks, you may have mine if you like.
campfire12 Posted March 7, 2014 #10 Posted March 7, 2014 That just isn't rite. For that coast i would have come down and helped you install it. We could of had a couple of cold ones and enjoyed the day. Glad you installed it yourself and had enough confidence to do so.
Eck Posted March 7, 2014 Author #11 Posted March 7, 2014 That just isn't rite. For that cost i would have come down and helped you install it. We could of had a couple of cold ones and enjoyed the day. Heck yes campfire, we could have had a few cold ones., and I could have fired up the grill. After I got the old water heater out, I popped the (first) top before I began installing the new one. Glad you installed it yourself and had enough confidence to do so. Well, there really isn't anything I wont tackle around the house. I've done about everything there is on one, but getting older I find it is getting harder to do and have given much thought to just paying someone to do it. Once I get the price on their labor, I end up doing it myself anyway..
bongobobny Posted March 7, 2014 #12 Posted March 7, 2014 Yah Eck, if you want something done right, do it yourself...
Evan Posted March 7, 2014 #13 Posted March 7, 2014 Good work Eck. Have done the same myself and it is a good feeling.
Venturous Randy Posted March 7, 2014 #14 Posted March 7, 2014 That should have come from where I used to work at, here in Johnson City. RandyA
kevin-vic-b.c. Posted March 7, 2014 #15 Posted March 7, 2014 Stop knocking plumbers, we gotta pay for our bikes and cars and gold pipe wrenches some how! But seriously yes if you are paying a contractor, permits,disposal yes it adds up quick. Independent guy like me it is going to be 150 plus anything I use, possible travel, possible disposal costs as well. Unfortunately seen a guesstimate is 250 yup. Most contractors around here are close to 100$ per hour.
MiCarl Posted March 7, 2014 #16 Posted March 7, 2014 People often don't realize that that guy collecting $250 for the install turns around shells a lot of that back out in expenses. They really add up and I didn't fully comprehend it until I was in business for myself. BUT, I wouldn't dream of having something like a water heater installed. It'd take me a whole day to earn enough to pay for it when I could do it myself in a couple hours. I just did one of mine (we have 2). The old one was at the curb almost 10 minutes before a scrap metal scavenger got it.
CaptainJoe Posted March 7, 2014 #17 Posted March 7, 2014 Just out of curiosity, Why did you swap it out? Was it leaking?
Eck Posted March 7, 2014 Author #18 Posted March 7, 2014 Just out of curiosity, Why did you swap it out? Was it leaking? Yep, leaking out of the flange that is "welded" to the side of the tank that the (top) heating element screws into. It was NOT leaking from the gasket between heating element and the flange, it was leaking out of the actual weld..It rusted through..I could wipe the weld with a rag to dry it off, and then watch the water rapidly seeping out of it.. (My tank was 11 years old) Funny thing is, I just happen to look over at my neighbors house and I could see water dripping from the overflow pipe on the outside of his house. His hotwater tank was installed two months after mine was. I went over and told him I would like to check his hot water tank for leaks (he is 82 yrs old and I try to take care of him). Sure enough, he has the exact same water heater I have and it is leaking in the same exact spot on his. The over flow pan was (like mine), full of water and running out the overflow pipe to the outside. I will be changing his out today or tomorrow for him. He said he wants to get a new hot water heater just like the one I purchase and that he would go to Lowes and pick one up today or tomorrow.
Venturous Posted March 7, 2014 #19 Posted March 7, 2014 I work part time at Lowes and have written a few install contracts. Just wondering a few things. First, are you a great distance from the store you bought the tank from? Also it seems odd you took the water tank. When we write an install contract, usually our contracted installer will bring what you bought with them whether that is a water tank, dishwasher etc. If you really do have a straight forward install with no additional mileage, I would call Lowes back and make sure they are aware that installer asked to charge well above the posted install rate for apparently no reason.
CaptainJoe Posted March 7, 2014 #20 Posted March 7, 2014 Yep, leaking out of the flange that is "welded" to the side of the tank that the (top) heating element screws into. It was NOT leaking from the gasket between heating element and the flange, it was leaking out of the actual weld..It rusted through..I could wipe the weld with a rag to dry it off, and then watch the water rapidly seeping out of it.. (My tank was 11 years old) Funny thing is, I just happen to look over at my neighbors house and I could see water dripping from the overflow pipe on the outside of his house. His hotwater tank was installed two months after mine was. I went over and told him I would like to check his hot water tank for leaks (he is 82 yrs old and I try to take care of him). Sure enough, he has the exact same water heater I have and it is leaking in the same exact spot on his. The over flow pan was (like mine), full of water and running out the overflow pipe to the outside. I will be changing his out today or tomorrow for him. He said he wants to get a new hot water heater just like the one I purchase and that he would go to Lowes and pick one up today or tomorrow. Your a good man Eck! Not often that people actually watch out for our elderly...
cowpuc Posted March 7, 2014 #21 Posted March 7, 2014 Your a good man Eck! Not often that people actually watch out for our elderly... Thinking exactly the same thoughts Captn'!!!!! GOOD ON YA ECK!! YOU ROCK!! Taking a rabbit trail here... NOT PICKIN ON ANYONE OR doing any (this time) but why do we call a hot water heater a hot water heater,,, shouldn't it be called a water heater.. I have always wondered that, crazy eah,,, man I need some ride time - this cabin fever is getting the best of me....
Yammer Dan Posted March 7, 2014 #22 Posted March 7, 2014 Your a good man Eck! Not often that people actually watch out for our elderly... I'll third that one!! Good job ECK!! Now I gotta get up and go check mine!!! Thing is hidden behind a closet so it usually don't get checked til water starts coming out the overflow....
vzuden Posted March 8, 2014 #23 Posted March 8, 2014 Yes, Puc, they are water heaters. A hot water heater must be one that heats water that is already hot????
Eck Posted March 8, 2014 Author #24 Posted March 8, 2014 I work part time at Lowes and have written a few install contracts. Just wondering a few things. First, are you a great distance from the store you bought the tank from? Mileage really does not matter since they contract the installation out to the local plumbers around town. Come to find out I live 8 miles from the plumber. who gave me the estimate over the phone. Also it seems odd you took the water tank. When we write an install contract, usually our contracted installer will bring what you bought with them whether that is a water tank, dishwasher etc. Oh yes, I could have had this done but they charge a delivery fee on top of the installation charge..so I picked it up myself to save the delivery charge If you really do have a straight forward install with no additional mileage, I would call Lowes back and make sure they are aware that installer asked to charge well above the posted install rate for apparently no reason. There was no set install rate provided by Lowes.. it was up to the contractor to give me the estimate. Lowes called the contractor when I purchased the tank and told him to call me. He was closed at the time they called him.
Flyinfool Posted March 9, 2014 #25 Posted March 9, 2014 Trouble, nuttin but trouble. Ya, thats what you are, trouble. Ya just had to bring up water heaters. So I go down into the basement to work in my shop, and there is a small damp spot on the floor. I could not tell where it came from. just a damp spot in the middle of the floor. That was just the very beginning. So I started working on stuff. Had to go up stairs to get something and got side tracked by lunch. When I went back in the basement, the whole floor was wet and water was spraying out the bottom of the water heater. The good thing is that I just happened to be there close to when it blew. My basement does NOT have a floor drain. Water would not drain out till it overflows the sanitary tub. At least when I installed the last heater back in 1983 I put shutoff valves on both the hot and cold lines. I do need to make a run to he hardware store tomorrow morning to get the last part I need to finish the hookup.
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