installing a HWC

[Pim]

Has anyone recently installed a HWC? What were the costs? I have seen a quote for $2100 supply and install but there will be an electrician to pay as well. Any other costs?
I need to relocate one and not knowing the age but knowing the tank has issues re leaking or excessive overflowing I think it would be better to just remove that one and install new in the new location. So there will be a cost to remove the old one as well. Any ideas?
Thanks.

[jimO]

go gas hot water, you will have lower power bills and high water pressure

[Grundy]

I agree with jimO
I've done both myself on renters and love the unlimited convenience of gas. I chose in one upmarket place to go with an external rheem cylinder rather than on demand infinity for reasons I'm trying to remember why, but it gained me a spare cupboard space inside the house.
One warning though the word amongst a group of landlords up here in Auckland is to fit an LPG gas cylinder (even if you have mains supply) the word is getting around that the gas folk are disconnecting the feed as soon as a tenant vacates and stinging the new tenant or landlord / manager a reconnection fee. The story goes one of the landlords had a couple of weeks gap and all was ok with new tenant moving in and discovered power on but no gas to give hot water and the noddys had physically disconnected and capped it at the meter. Excuse was safety reasons and a demand for payment. Unbelievable, but I guess monopolies can do anything to gain a few bucks. At least with an lpg bottle you or client is in control with a similar gas price I reckon.

[Curious]

@Pim - I don't know about gas but to answer your other questions... $2100 + sparky is a usual price, especially if relocating the HWC at the same time or upgrading from low pressure to high pressure. Depends on the size of the cylinder as well, also consider getting a "solar ready" cylinder while you're at it. Perhaps not for a rental but I would at home.

As for the old HWC removal - sure you can ask the plumber to get rid of it but they will charge you. Or take it to scrap metal yourself and you may actually get some money back. Especially for low-pressure copper cylinders - you should get around $100 if you spend time and effort separating out the copper core from the insulation, less if you take it there as is.

[jimO]

As for the old HWC removal - sure you can ask the plumber to get rid of it but they will charge you. Or take it to scrap metal yourself and you may actually get some money back. Especially for low-pressure copper cylinders - you should get around $100 if you spend time and effort separating out the copper core from the insulation, less if you take it there as is.

i doubt a plumber would charge for removing it, most plumbers i know would walk over broken glass barefoot for old hwc's. they all have a big stack of them stashed away, they are like money in the bank

[elguapo]

i doubt a plumber would charge for removing it, most plumbers i know would walk over broken glass barefoot for old hwc's. they all have a big stack of them stashed away, they are like money in the bank

The copper price is down 30% in the last 3 or 4 years. Remind me never to bank where you do!

[jimO]

The copper price is down 30% in the last 3 or 4 years. Remind me never to bank where you do!

so getting $120 for somebody else's old HWC isnt a good earner, i know a plumber with 30 stashed away, all it cost him was the effort to toss it in the van even at the "low",price thats 3.5k

[Meehole]

We have a newish property in Whangarei that we built and installed gas bottles for hot water. The good tenants are ok at getting the big bottles refilled, we pay for the hire of the bottles we don't own them.
The awful tenants connected their 4.5kg bottles and no doubt had to refill them constantly as they had 2 teenage daughters that probably spent more time than necessary in the shower. I heard these tenants were just too poor or tight to refill the large bottles.
Personally speaking I would never go with gas again bottle or reticulated in a rental. Even reticulated you pay a daily line fee as with electricity so I don't reckon the savings are that great.

[Wayne]

Instant gas hot water is just so good - for my place.
I have installed it in the last house I built - tenants can't complain they run out of hot water in the morning because the cyliner's is too small (180L isn't really a lot).