Plumber/Hot Water Heater?

TheCloudX

Ten Pointer
Contributor
Found our hot water heater leaking last night. Nothing crazy, but enough to soak up a towel over night. Called Home Depot and had one of their plumbers come out. Now, I've never had to deal with a plumber before being in an apartment up until now. The guy comes out, admittedly very professional and nice, looked things over and wrote up a quote within 15 minutes. Charging $2k and change. I had done some research ahead of time, and knew the heater was going to be about $300-500, so essentially he's charging me $1500 for 3 hours of labor (which, 3 hours seems excessive). When asked, he confirmed it and showed me Home Depots contract showing a base price of $1900 and change, which he couldn't budge on. He was able to do it today, but I told him I'd think about it. Most things I've read said it should be about $300-600 for labor, plus whatever the heater costs.

I have Queens City Plumbing coming out Thursday to offer a quote. Found them on Angie's List being highly rated and also highly rated on Google. Suspecting they'll be a lot cheaper and probably get a better unit to boot. Called another place, but they were booked up until May 3.

Anybody in the Charlotte area know of any good plumbers? I looked at how to do the hot water heater myself, but since I've never done it, don't really want to risk it.
 

ScottyB

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Sounds crazy to me ....maybe thats what I need to do when I retire...... one a week would supplement my retirement nicely
 

Hoss

Eight Pointer
Cost me 150.00 in labor a few months ago. I live in Lagrange two hundred miles from you. Shop around you should be able to get a quote over the phone.
 

hawkman

Eight Pointer
Shoot, man. I'd help you if I could (not a plumber but have done this myself a few times). I'm at the wrong end of the state, though. That quote is inSANE.


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Colekira

Ten Pointer
Contributor
Depends on the heater. Gas, electric, tall, lowboy, direct vent, power vent.
Is the company insured and bonded? There's alot of overhead in a plumbing business. We gotta make money on it too.
 

ScottyB

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
This thread just goes to show how desperately this state needs some tradesmen! Plumbing, electrical, hvac, the demand is so great right now you can write your own check......If I were a young man....I would be at a trade school getting prepared to start me a business.
 

Rescue44

Old Mossy Horns
How is the water heated? Easy access? How is it connected to water lines? Seems really high to me. I've done my own and paid a friend who is a plumber. Did get a friend discount, though.
 

Pirate96

Twelve Pointer
If it's an electric water heater, you can do it yourself. It's the most simple plumbing process there is, especially with the connectors available today.
Excellent point! If it is electric the hardest part may be getting the old one out. Depending on the location it can be a 6 pack job just getting it out.
 

bwfarms

Old Mossy Horns
Don't use a home improvement store's contractor list.

I went into Lowes to have a custom door made and the clerk didn't believe my measurements. I'm a machinist by trade and pretty confident that I know how to read a tape. The clerk says we will send our contractor out to verify for $50 but you will get your money back when purchasing door. I protested this but wasn't getting my door made so I said okay whatever. Guy comes out and doesn't do a thing, tells me he can't do the job because it's a modular home. They are not allow to do custom work when contracted through Lowe's. I wasn't asking him to do custom work, I was putting the door in myself. The reason for him being there is the Lowe's idiot clerk didn't believe my measurements and said to protect both parties from diemensional errors. Anyway long story short I couldn't get my $50 back but I eventually got it back after growling enough.

Lowe's is called Slowe's for a reason. Get an independent firm not tied to a store.
 

GSOHunter

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
If your current water heater isn't up to code there is some cost associated with that. $2k is really high.
 

Treetall

Twelve Pointer
Call a good local smaller plumber in town. I'd rather pay a guy like that double for good quality honest work than pay a larger corporate company. Small independent shops are a dying breed and I always try to spend my money with them.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Call a good local smaller plumber in town. I'd rather pay a guy like that double for good quality honest work than pay a larger corporate company. Small independent shops are a dying breed and I always try to spend my money with them.



The lowes down here uses "small independent shops" for their work. It's not like lowes or Home Depot have install crews on staff
 

equyst

Guest
subscribed, this seems like a very interesting thread
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bwfarms

Old Mossy Horns
The lowes down here uses "small independent shops" for their work. It's not like lowes or Home Depot have install crews on staff

I should add, they use the small guys that want to work. The problem is if you need to do something special or different. The Contractor has to follow the store's stipulations.
 

MJ74

Old Mossy Horns
Holy crap....for $1500 labor I would drive from here to Charlotte and do it and still feel like I screwed ya on price.
As others have already said it's not hard to do, just two water connections and a couple of wires.


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302cj

Old Mossy Horns
Holy crap....for $1500 labor I would drive from here to Charlotte and do it and still feel like I screwed ya on price.
As others have already said it's not hard to do, just two water connections and a couple of wires.


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That's what I was thinking. I've hooked up around 20 of them I'm last 25 years and haven't seen one cost over$600 yet.
 

Homebrewale

Old Mossy Horns
Holy crap....for $1500 labor I would drive from here to Charlotte and do it and still feel like I screwed ya on price.
As others have already said it's not hard to do, just two water connections and a couple of wires.


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While I think $1500 in labor is excessive, we can't be sure it is as simple as you say. First, we don't know if the water heater is gas or electric. There's no wires if gas. We don't know if it is a direct vent water heater which is more complicated to install. Much easier than a few years ago but still labor intensive.
 

TheCloudX

Ten Pointer
Contributor
The biggest problem I see is you have a hot water heater. Why would you ever need to heat hot water?

Haha, that's what I get for posting late at night.

Thanks all for the replies. GTO messaging you. It's an electric with easy access (first floor). The first plumber did mention it's not up to code, and that it would cost $250 to bring it up to code. However, he waived that and only was going to charge the Home Depot pricing. I'm waiting for Queens to come by. So far, it's not leaking to where it's manageable but I know time is running out.
 

hawkman

Eight Pointer
This thread just goes to show how desperately this state needs some tradesmen! Plumbing, electrical, hvac, the demand is so great right now you can write your own check......If I were a young man....I would be at a trade school getting prepared to start me a business.

I'm mid-40s and considering it.
 

Colekira

Ten Pointer
Contributor
We just priced a water heater for $8200. That's for a residential 150 gallon power vent. Any guesses on what the unit alone costs?
 

MJ74

Old Mossy Horns
Whats the difference in a power vent and a regular hot water heater?

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pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
No clue on differences....but ive changed a few for my family....one may have been worth that kind of money. I got paid zilch on any of them. That one was a bear though.

ALWAYS FLUSH THOSE THINGS A COUPKE TIMES A YEAR.
 
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