A homeowner in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, needed to replace a 15-year-old outdoor tankless water heater that was failing. They said the plumbing was already in place, the gas line was the right size, and the job appeared to need only minimal flexible-tubing work.
An acquaintance who was a contractor quoted $4,600, a price the homeowner described as discounted. In a thread from July 2025, the homeowner compared that quote with the $3,500 they had recently paid to convert a traditional water heater to tankless at another California home. Why did a replacement quote exceed the price of a completed conversion?
Is your outdoor tankless heater failing?Describe your failing outdoor tankless heater.1Say what’s going on2Answer a few quick questions3Local pros reach out if you wantDescribe my tankless heater→Free · Your number stays private
The Quotes
The $4,600 quote was for replacing the existing outdoor tankless heater, including some flexible-tubing work. The homeowner described the price as discounted…