We purchased a new 50 gal water heater at Lowes for $460 $280 labor. They contracted out the installation service to Faster Water Heater Company. When the FWHC tech arrived, he gave us an initial estimate of ~$600 to install the water heater (in addition to the $280 we already paid at Lowes).
Outraged, we declined the install and went back to Lowes for a refund. Lowes refunded all but $50 which they kept as a "trip charge", which we were never made aware of before the purchase. Thanks for nothing Lowes!
Here's the breakdown of what Fast Water Heater Company wanted to charge us:
Install Earthquake straps - $39
Install Metal Drip Pan - $59
Install a drain line from the Pan to the exterior - $19
Install P&T Relief Drain to the exterior - $39
Install Gas Shut Off Valve - $89
Install Sediment Trap - $29
Bond Water and Gas pipes with 6 awg wire and clamps - $59
Sweat flex - $29
Increase connector to 4" - $179
Extend gas piping to install drip leg and 24" flex - $49
Total = $590
Plus the $740 we already paid Lowes for a grand total of $1330.
After FWHC left, we contacted a local plumber (found through the San Diego BBB) who is also licensed to install water heaters. He quoted us $750 at most for a new water heater including labor/parts, and no hidden fees or charges.
Here's what the local plumber charged us:
$650 for a new 50gal Rheem water heater, installation included. $50 for misc parts such as flexes and piping, plus tax. Total= $700 It was a one man job and it took 90 minutes, including the time it took to drain the old water heater.
So why exactly was FWHC charging us so much? In my opinion, because they are a bunch of crooks looking to scam unsuspecting homeowners. We already had earthquake straps on our old water heater which the local plumber re-used just fine. We didn't need a new drip pan, shut off valves or most of what FWHC said we needed. Bonding pipes with 6 awg wire and clamps are standard installation procedures, but FWHC wanted to charge $59 for that. We did pay for a new 24" flex which was one of the misc parts needed, but again it was only $29 compared to the $49 FWHC wanted to charge.
Also when the FHWC tech first arrived, he spent about 10 minutes looking around our garage (where our water heater is located) telling us he needed to do this and that and writing down all the "parts" he needed to complete the job. We now know that this was all just for show.in reality, it was a simple, straight-forward water heater installation which the local plumber did without any false pretenses. He took a minute to look at our old water heater and piping, told us exactly what he would be doing, and got to work.
My advice is to avoid Fast Water Heater Company if you can. Find a local licensed plumber or water heater installation service with a "Satisfactory" Better Business Bureau rating. They usually get water heaters directly from the manufacturer as well, so you won't need to go to Lowes or Home Depot.
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