Even though I’m a plumber I will try my best to be un basis towards any store or other plumbers.
I feel like I’m very qualified to talk about this topic as I personally installed hundreds of water heaters for the home depot throughout Connecticut for a couple years, and have installed hundreds of water heaters privately.
Believe it or not, your typical Lowes, and Home Depot prices on water heaters are even more expensive than what plumbers pay for better quality water heaters. Just look for yourself. The home depot sells there “best” GE- 50 gallon gas water heater for $589. I pay more than a $100 dollars less than that for a better quality State or Rheem water heater at my plumbing supply stores. Their prices on installations are pretty cheep. $289 – $325, but their are hidden extras that you most likely wouldn’t notice in the fine print unless if you read page 6 on the contract you will be asked to sign. Some of the fees are as follows:
$40 fee for stairs
$50 – 60 dollar trip charge if their is any reason the installers have to go back to the store.
$extras…. If you have any issues you will be told what your going to pay. They figure you’re in a pinch, and will pay what ever they ask. A new water shut off valve could cost you an extra $125 dollars!
Need new smoke/exhaust pipe, expect to pay from $125 – $225. Gas valve $$$, you get they point.
Your “good deal” which really wasn’t in the first place, just got very expensive with all the extras if needed. not to mention that you will be getting a 3 hour ”window” when the installers will get to your home.
The most important thing is the water tank it’s self. Water heaters that are sold at plumbing supply stores to plumbers are handled with care from the time the were made in the factory, all the way until it gets on the plumbers truck.
Large home improvement stores have the heaters made in Mexico, and they are handled by what I would guess is dozens of people if not hundreds of people. If the water tank is dropped just one time from birth to in gets installed, it will have tiny cracks within it which will cause it to age/ break down much faster than it normally would.
I’m not saying all plumbers are perfect, or that home improvement store are a terrible choice. What I’m saying is that any decent plumber that goes to a respectable plumbing store will have a heater that is better quality, has been handled better, and as long as the plumber is trying to rip you off the price you should pay between the local plumber and large home improvement stores on standard water heater installations should be comparable.
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