Why we do not publish a price range yet
Same reason as everywhere else on this site: we publish numbers with sources attached, and we do not yet hold price data we can attribute for this work. This guide covers the structure of the cost instead, which is the part that lets you read a quote properly.
What a replacement actually includes
A like-for-like tank swap is the appliance, the labour, the connections, the permit, and hauling the old one away. That is the baseline every quote should cover - check that yours does, because the cheap ones often do not.
Beyond that, cost comes from anything the replacement triggers:
- A drain pan and discharge line where the unit sits anywhere a leak would cause damage - attics especially.
- An expansion tank, required on closed systems, which most modern installations are.
- Venting work. A change of unit type or capacity can change the venting requirement.
- Gas supply. Tankless units typically demand a higher gas flow than the line feeding a tank unit was sized for. Upsizing that line is real work.
- Electrical. Tankless electric units draw heavily enough to need dedicated circuits.
Tank versus tankless, honestly
Tankless wins on space, on endless hot water, and on standby losses. It costs more up front, and the gap widens sharply if your gas line and venting need upgrading to suit.
Tank wins on installed cost and simplicity. It loses heat while idle and it runs out.
The deciding factor is usually not the appliance - it is what your house already has behind the wall.
Hard water shortens everything
Scale on the heating surface makes a unit work harder for the same output and shortens its life. In much of Texas the water is hard enough for this to matter. Annual flushing helps; a softener helps more. Where we have a verified hardness figure for your city it is on the city page.
Before you agree
Get the licence number, and check it. Ask for the warranty on the unit and on the labour separately - they are different lengths and people assume they are the same.
Common questions
Is tankless worth it?
It depends on what your house already has. Where the gas line and venting already suit it, the sums work reasonably well over the life of the unit. Where they do not, the upgrade work can cost more than the appliance, and a good tank unit is the better buy.
Does replacing a water heater need a permit?
In most Texas cities, yes, and the plumber normally pulls it. The inspection covers gas connection, relief valve discharge and venting - the three things that hurt someone when they are wrong.
Why is one quote much cheaper than another?
Look for what is excluded. Common omissions are the permit, a new drain pan, an expansion tank, disposal of the old unit, and any venting work. A quote that excludes four of those will always look better until the invoice arrives.