Water heater cost calculator

Pick your heater type and your state. See a price range in seconds.

Quick answer

Most new water heaters cost $882 to $1,826^[1].

Use the steps below to see your own range. Your state moves the labor part. Labor is about 50%^[1] of the bill.

How the math works

There are no hidden steps. Here is all of it.

1. We start with the installed price range for your type. It covers the heater and the labor.
2. About 50% of that is labor. We move only that half by your state's plumber pay.
3. If you need an expansion tank, we add its range.
4. If you add a permit, we add the permit range.

Base       = installed range for your type
Pay score  = state median plumber pay ÷ $30.67/hr
State part = base × 50% × (pay score − 1)
Add-ons    = expansion tank ($90 to $350)
           + permit ($25 to $300)
Total      = base + state part + add-ons

Example: the starting answer

When you first open the page, it shows a gas tank, the U.S. average for pay, no expansion tank, and a permit. Here is how that adds up.

The gas tank range is $700 to $2,700^[1]. The permit adds $25 to $300^[1]. With no state picked, there is no pay change.

Which type should you pick?

• Same as now. Swapping like for like is the cheapest. Labor alone for a tank is $150 to $450^[1].
• Tankless. It saves space and can last 20 or more years^[1]. But labor alone runs $600 to $1,900^[1].
• Heat pump. It needs a room that stays 40°F^[4] to 90°F^[4][4]. A garage or basement often works.
• Solar. It is the most costly to put in: $1,700 to $5,500^[1].

What it can't tell you

This tool gives a range, not a quote. It cannot see your home.

It does not know if your heater sits in a tight closet, if your gas line is too small, or if your town needs extra parts. Each of those can raise the price. Moving the heater alone can cost $150 to $3,400^[1].

Use your range to judge quotes. If one quote is far above it, ask what extra work is in it.

How to use your answer

Your range is a guide, not a bill. Here is a good way to use it.

1. Write down the low and high number.
2. Get three written quotes from plumbers.
3. Put each quote next to your range.
4. If a quote is far above the high number, ask what makes it different.
5. If a quote is far below the low number, ask what it leaves out.

A common gap is labor. For a tank swap it runs $150 to $450^[1]. For tankless it can be $600 to $1,900^[1].