$250 to install a water heater...........??????????

[Soundguy]

an op ed piece would have been nice!

 

[buckeyefarmer]

$250 sounds reasonable to me, at least in my area. But I do my own.

 

[ultrarunner]

I'm guessing the receptionist is 45 and her son, the one going to the local community college, is 19.

She tried calling her husband who was traveling to a trade show for rental equipment for contractors.

I had just went into the Operating Room and would be there about 90 minutes... we do not disturb the room once a case has started.

When I got out she told me she spoke to the plumber and gave him the OK and had her son sign the work order. She called the plumber back after we talked and he said the contract says no refunds once work has begun.

My wholesaler is less than a mile from her home and had the Bradford White California 40 gallons in stock.

Told her it would cost $500 parts and labor with haul away.

Her Husband knew they had been had... saw him Friday and he said it's done and his wife already feels bad enough...

$1750 vs $500.

The kicker is the contract said permit was the responsibility of the home owner and any deficiencies would be corrected at no additional charge.

Now I know what a $1750 heater looks like!

 

[kenmac]

I'll only say,,, it cost $$ to keep people working and trucks on the road full of fuel, tires, commercial vehicle insurance,,, on the job liability insurance, workman's comp, (If you hire joe blow up the street and he gets hurt on your property and he has no insurance,, he can sue you) tools and assorted fittings and materials on hand /in stock to perform jobs that come in. I don't go and buy the stuff I need to do a plumbing job the same day of the job. If you want to save $ do the work yourself. $ 250.00-$300.00 is the average price to install a water heater in my area. This price is for a direct swap out assuming all vent pipe , wiring etc is up to code. If not the price goes up. I once got a call a about 10:00 pm once . Said he had been fooling around with his breakers and now his A/C wouldn't come on. I told him that there would a $95.00 service call + $90.00 per hr + any parts if needed. He said to come on it was hot and he couldn't stand it. I sent out 1 of my guys out to find that all he had to do was turn the A/C breaker back on... This guy pitched a fit because he was charged a $95.00 service call only !! in most cases , if the T&P valve is leaking on a water heater, You have a bad water pressure regulator or the water in the tank is getting too hot. Most T&P's are rater at 210* & 150psi. They will start to drip water way B-4 these temps & pressures are reached.

 

[PILOON]

That would not work here as we need to produce a driver license to prove residency.

Great point. I replaced my water heater and set the old unit next to the curb to be picked up. Next DAY I had a notice from city wanting to see it was installed by licensed plumber! I had to pay a permit fee, the plumber and a surcharge. I have since left the city but if it ever happens again, I'm putting it out in front of someone else's house or hauling to the recycling place myself.

 

[J F]

Come on you guys, this is 2014, not 1954. :confused2:


























That poor plumber probably has a boat payment larger than my mortgage...poor guy. :laughing: I will have to agree with those who believe the $250 is fair all day long. Like stated above, there's a lot of overhead/business expense and these days $250 for a plumber/elect. to come out (if even for 15 minutes) isn't anywhere near crazy, imo.

The $1,750 does seem like someone was taking advantage of a situation, but not knowing all the facts (maybe the plumber/plumbing co. is one is his busy all the time, handles "emergencies" mostly, and that is the rate they can and do charge), I won't call him/them a crook...yet.

 

[JDgreen227]

$250 for a plumber/electrician to "come out" and assess the situation...now THAT would be crazy. For a service call inclusive of a half-hours drive and 15 minutes on site...$75 maximum. My heating and AC contractor charges NOTHING to come out, only time spent on site. Ditto my electrician ($40 per hour plus materials) and maybe they give me that courtesy as I am an established customer and I pay CASH at the end of the visit. Although I can and do all my plumbing, if I didn't have the tools and know how I would be happy to pay someone, BUT I would RESEARCH what a reasonable price would be.

 

[JimRB]

My Mom was born in 1929 and lived on a farm in Indiana. They moved down to Georgia 25 years ago. My Dad used to fix everything himself that he could, rarely hired out work. He hired out almost everything his last few years as he was not physically able. Since he passed the Lowes long warranty gas water heater pilot light went out. Restarted successfully once. Next time a few months later the manufacturer said they would send out a new something. Mom said "I don't do plumbing." Lowes sent out the plumber and they did the warranty work for a low fee. I would have done something, maybe, but when I looked at the water heater it was Christmas or maybe it was Sunday night after all the stores were closed and the part was on its way due for install on Monday or Tuesday. The point was Mom survived 2 or 3 days without a hot water heater. Not any different from camping with 6 kids in the HiLo trailer in younger years doing sponge baths with water warmed on the stove.

Locally they advertise water heaters for $800 installed. Of course that would be a simple swap with no expansion tank, no repair of previous butchery, no exhaust pipe repairs.... Also if I call someone who advertises on the radio, invariable it is for customers inside the perimeter, or on the north side, no out east 30 miles from downtown big city where I live.

 

[grsthegreat]

At least electrical .. for the most part,.. is straight forward. Ive see plumbing jobs so cobbled together that it would take a genie to sort it out. copper attached to galvanized with an occasional plastic or side tap thrown in. Sure, ill replace the water heater, but what about all this other assorted crap thats going to leak after i do it. haha. thats why im not a plumber.

I was on one job where the waterline feeding the ice maker blew out. ruined the entire wood floor. Guess what....the owner installed it and the insurance wouldnt pay for repairs. I was there to fix the damaged electrical wires downstairs below the kitchen. I had to bill homeowner also, cause insurance wouldnt cover that either. But hay...the guy saved a few bucks and did the job himself with a nice cheap plastic water line and side tap from h depot.

 

[Travelover]

I wanted to replace my two ton split system AC unit. Costco has a HeVac booth, so I asked for a ballpark estimate on a Lennox system, midgrade. Answer about $6000, but we'd need to see it first. Called a local business and had it done for $2750 all inclusive. I guess Costco's cut must be half. :laughing: