Build your water heater — with the price in the open
Pick a lane — Standard Tank, Premium Tank + Code, or Tankless Upgrade — and see the installed ballpark, what's included, and what isn't. Then we confirm the firm price on-site before any work begins.
Three lanes. One straightforward conversation.
Most water-heater quotes hide the number behind a required site visit — you can't compare, you can't plan, and you don't know what you're walking into. We took the same approach we take with the Essential Ten and applied it here: publish the ballpark, list the inclusions, and be honest about the scope.
The three tiers below cover roughly 90 % of Central Texas water-heater replacements we see. Pick the one that fits, request a written price, and we'll confirm the firm number on-site before any work begins — guidance over guesswork, from a master-plumber-owned team.
We proudly install
- Rheem — Classic tank & Prestige tankless (both fuel types).
- Bradford White — Defender premium tank (our long-warranty pick).
- Navien — NPE gas tankless (efficiency pick).
Every install is done by a licensed technician on a master-plumber-owned crew, and we pull the permit and schedule the inspection as part of the job.
Pick your lane
Not sure which fits? Middle lane is the most common pick for older Austin homes.
Build your water heater install
Standard Tank replaces a like-for-like unit. Premium Tank adds the code items most older homes need. Tankless is on-demand hot water with the longest lifespan and highest upfront cost.
Bradford White Defender 40–50 gal (gas or electric)
What's included
- Everything in the Standard Tank Replacement
- Bradford White Defender premium tank (upgraded from a Classic)
- Thermal expansion tank installed on the cold-water inlet
- Drain pan + pan drain routed to code
- Pan leak alarm (early warning before ceiling damage)
- Sediment flush of the new tank at 6 months, included
Not included at this tier
- Gas line upsize or panel/electrical upgrades (if code requires)
- Structural changes (framing, drywall, flooring) to accommodate the new unit
Best for
- — Homes with older tanks where the previous install skipped code items
- — Second-story or interior closet installs where a slow leak would be costly
- — Households wanting the reliability of a tank with a longer install warranty
3-year workmanship warranty on the install
Straight talk on scope: the price range above is a ballpark for a typical Central Texas single-family install. Every home is different — final scope and firm price are confirmed on-site by a licensed technician before any work begins. If we find the actual scope is bigger than what you can see from the driveway, we stop and walk you through the options in writing — you decide before any work continues.
Financing
Wells Fargo Retail Services Plan 1066 — 18 months no interest on approved credit. Estimate your monthly on the Financing page.
Rebates
High-efficiency water heaters may qualify for Austin Energy + federal rebates. See the Rebates guide before you install.
What if my install ends up being more than one of these tiers?
No two homes are wired or piped exactly alike. Sometimes an install we quoted as a Standard Tank turns out to need a gas-line upsize, structural changes to accommodate a tankless, or code items a previous installer skipped. When that happens, we stop and walk you through the options in writing — every added item, itemized.
You decide before any additional work continues. No surprises, no bait and switch, no "well, while we were in there..." A firm on-site price is always confirmed before the first wrench turns.
Water heaters, answered plainly
How much does it cost to replace a water heater in Austin? +
For a like-for-like tank swap in Central Texas, expect roughly $2,200 to $3,400 installed. A premium tank with the code upgrades most older homes actually need runs about $3,200 to $4,800. An electric tankless unit starts at $1,500. A gas tankless upgrade — with gas line upsize and venting where required — typically lands between $5,800 and $9,500. These are published starting prices and ballpark ranges — your written price is confirmed on-site by a licensed technician before any work begins.
What about electric tankless? +
Electric tankless water heater installs start at $1,500. They work well for point-of-use or lighter whole-home demand when the panel can support the load. Gas tankless is usually the better fit for larger households that need continuous high flow — we'll tell you which path fits your home before you buy.
What's the difference between tank and tankless? +
A tank water heater stores 40 to 50 gallons of pre-heated water and works well for households with predictable, simultaneous hot-water demand. A tankless unit heats water on demand as it flows, which means continuous hot water, a smaller footprint, higher efficiency, and a longer lifespan — at a higher upfront cost. For a home that consistently runs out of hot water on a tank, tankless often pays for itself in comfort alone.
Which brands do you install? +
We proudly install Rheem and Bradford White for tank water heaters, and Rheem Prestige or Navien for tankless. Every install is done by a licensed technician on a master-plumber-owned crew, and we're certified to service every major manufacturer so the manufacturer warranty stays intact.
How long does an install take? +
A straightforward tank swap is typically a same-day install once the unit is on the truck. A tankless upgrade that needs a gas-line upsize or new venting usually runs one full day, sometimes into a second morning depending on the venting path. We'll walk you through the timeline before the appointment.
Is a permit required? +
Water heater replacements almost always require a permit in the Central Texas jurisdictions we serve. We pull the permit, install to code, and schedule the inspection — that's part of every install we quote.
What if my install ends up needing more than what's listed? +
If we get on site and the actual scope is bigger than the tier you picked (say the gas line needs an unexpected upsize, or an old install skipped code items), we stop and walk you through the options in writing. You decide before any work continues — no surprises, no bait and switch.
Do you offer financing? +
Yes — we offer Wells Fargo Retail Services financing (Plan 1066, 18 months no interest on approved credit). See our Financing page for the full plan details, the official disclosure, and the online application.
Curious what you'd save with a tankless upgrade? Try the Rebates guide or explore water treatment — soft water dramatically extends water-heater lifespan in Central Texas.
Ready for hot water that just works?
Request a written price for the tier that fits, or call the Outfitters and we'll walk you through it live. Master-plumber-owned, no dispatch fee, no surprises.