Water heater installation cost/recommendations (loan, home, buy)

[Whatsthenews]

We have an old tankless water heater (LP) that's past it and not working correctly.
Have just had a quote of $2500 from Lowes for one of their Jacuzzi tankless (made by Rinnai) which retails at $850. We would need new venting pipework which is about $200, but we have everything else in place, although the new one would need an electricity supply, but there is an outlet right underneath it.
He told me half a days work.
Also said that the cost would also be the same to swap to a tank water heater?
I can understand that sometimes when you're changing over there's more labor involved but bearing in mind that the tanks are much cheaper- maybe $500?- (a 40 gall 9 year would do for us) where's the other , $2000 coming from? Never had a water tank for years as we had a combi heat and hot water gas boiler in England for the 10 years before we came here, so completely lost when it comes to them, except what I've read.
Lots of plumbers seem to hate tankless , or rather think they're over rated, but install them because people want them, they make more money and get the maintenance business afterwards.
Anyone had a new heater recently?
Getting another couple of quotes this week.

[vmaxnc]

I would get itemized quotes, if the numbers are that big and vague. A straight swap shouldn't cost that much. There is some...thing...that may be needed to add to bring your setup to bring it up to current code. I don't remember what that was, but the plumber I slid a few bucks to to help me swap my 40 gallon tank heater a few years ago said I may need it in place when I sell the house. It had something to with the exhaust vent, IIRC.

BTW-why switch to electric when you already have gas?

[Sloante74]

morris jenkins quoted me 1600 for a new one few weeks ago (gas system). My control valve box was leaking and it was either replace that for 740 or buy a whole new tank/system for 1600

and X2, keep the gas

[Whatsthenews]

Originally Posted by vmaxnc

I would get itemized quotes, if the numbers are that big and vague. A straight swap shouldn't cost that much. There is some...thing...that may be needed to add to bring your setup to bring it up to current code. I don't remember what that was, but the plumber I slid a few bucks to to help me swap my 40 gallon tank heater a few years ago said I may need it in place when I sell the house. It had something to with the exhaust vent, IIRC.

BTW-why switch to electric when you already have gas?

We're not- the tankless (and tanked?) needs electricity for the ignition/thermostat etc . Current heater needs no electricity (did say it was old!) .He is sending an itemized quote for the tankless, but didn't want to entertain the tanked- I asked him twice and eventually he said that it would be the same price.

Originally Posted by Sloante74

morris jenkins quoted me 1600 for a new one few weeks ago (gas system). My control valve box was leaking and it was either replace that for 740 or buy a whole new tank/system for 1600

and X2, keep the gas

What size tank/ years was that for, and what make- can you remember?
I think Morris Jenkins are pricey- that's what I've heard anyway.

Thanks for the info.

[cltlilly]

I would get a tank model. The modern ones are not your father's HW heater. They have Far far fewer issues over time (if any) and the tankless ones don't ever save enough energy to justify their cost.

There is a good discussion on city-data in the home section on why tankless heaters are not worth it.

[Whatsthenews]

Originally Posted by cltlilly

I would get a tank model. The modern ones are not your father's HW heater. They have Far far fewer issues over time (if any) and the tankless ones don't ever save enough energy to justify their cost.

There is a good discussion on city-data in the home section on why tankless heaters are not worth it.

But we already have a tankless and not prepared to pay the same to change to a tank as it would cost for a new tankless.
I know about the pros and cons of tankless, and that was why we were considering a tank, but really only cos we thought it would be cheaper as we're planning on selling the house.
Re tankless heaters I think a lot of the problems are due to hard water/scale issues- ie lack of yearly flusing with vinegar solution and absence of a water filter, but at least with a tankless you can flush them and clean them, can't do this with a tank. Also a lot of the newer ones have an inbuilt filter for incoming water.

[Sloante74]

I do not know the size off hand. It's a 3k sf house, so standard size. It's a decent sized tank. Yeah Morris Jenkins is pricey. But I run a maintenance contract thru them and they are always in and out, on time, in a few hours. No wait time, no haggle etc.