Queen50
Member
Our 40 gallon electric water gave up the ghost three days before Christmas; the thermostat wouldn't shut off. Since it is 15 years old, we turned off the circuit breaker, picked out a similar sized 50 gallon tank on-line from a big box store, and arranged to have it installed through their 'same day' service. The 'same day' turned out to be two days.
When the installers showed up (with a 'tall' tank, not the 'medium' we ordered to fit in the space), they said they couldn't do it anyway because we have a modular home (stick built in two sections and assembled on site in 1977). They didn't have a license to do work on modular homes; the one guy who did was not available. I don't get it, since it's built like any other home, we've had the water heater replaced twice in all those years, and it was never an issue.
The other thing that came up was how many bedrooms and baths we have (3 bedrooms, 3 baths). Apparently that requires a tank with a delivery rate of 67 or better; the tank we selected was 62. Then there are permit and inspection requirements as well and what started as a $900 bill will now be $1600. And they can't do it for another 5 days or so.
It includes installing a drip pan ($65 for the pan!), relief valve to exterior ($104), new 6 awg wire clamps.
And then there will be an inspection fee for L&I. I think they said $119.
I understand things have to be brought up to code. Are these charges usual and customary?
If I replace it with one of the same size, rather than go bigger, would it still require inspection?
Also, why does the plumbing code care what recovery rate I choose to install?
When the installers showed up (with a 'tall' tank, not the 'medium' we ordered to fit in the space), they said they couldn't do it anyway because we have a modular home (stick built in two sections and assembled on site in 1977). They didn't have a license to do work on modular homes; the one guy who did was not available. I don't get it, since it's built like any other home, we've had the water heater replaced twice in all those years, and it was never an issue.
The other thing that came up was how many bedrooms and baths we have (3 bedrooms, 3 baths). Apparently that requires a tank with a delivery rate of 67 or better; the tank we selected was 62. Then there are permit and inspection requirements as well and what started as a $900 bill will now be $1600. And they can't do it for another 5 days or so.
It includes installing a drip pan ($65 for the pan!), relief valve to exterior ($104), new 6 awg wire clamps.
And then there will be an inspection fee for L&I. I think they said $119.
I understand things have to be brought up to code. Are these charges usual and customary?
If I replace it with one of the same size, rather than go bigger, would it still require inspection?
Also, why does the plumbing code care what recovery rate I choose to install?
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