Replaced my own water heater after getting quoted $1,850

Last week my 15 year old tank finally gave out and every plumber in the south side wanted at least $1,800 to swap it. I ended up buying a 40 gallon Rheem from Lowe's for $520 and rented a dolly from Home Depot for $14. Took me about 5 hours with a buddy, but the hardest part was wrestling the old one up the basement stairs. Anyone else in Edmonton tackled this themselves or is hiring a pro just worth the hassle?

2 comments

2 Comments

patricia_schmidt1423d ago

Draining that old tank is the sneaky part nobody talks about. Hook a garden hose up the night before and let it run into the floor drain downstairs. Saves you two hours of wrestling with sludge and rust chunks. Also, grab a cheap transfer pump from Princess Auto if your basement stairs are tight. That thing paid for itself when I did mine two years ago. Took me closer to six hours solo, but the $1,300 I saved went straight into a new tool chest. Just make sure you lift with your knees and not your back, that part is no joke.

allen.charlie23d ago

Five hours of your Saturday plus a buddy's time and you're calling that a win? The gas code in Edmonton changed last year, so if your venting or that flex line isn't up to spec, the city inspector can red tag it and then you're paying a plumber anyway, just now in an emergency. My neighbor did this exact thing, saved $1,300, then his relief valve started leaking three weeks later because he didn't use enough pipe dope on the threads. Cost him $80 for a service call plus the part. And that old tank with sludge in it? Draining it the night before is fine until the hose clogs and you're mopping out a flooded basement at 11pm. The $1,850 quote includes them eating the risk on the valve, the tank, and the water damage if something goes wrong. Sometimes the cheaper path is just the more expensive one with extra steps.