Sanity check - hot water cylinder replacement

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Sanity check - hot water cylinder replacement - $3k

CokemonZ

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#298481 20-Jun-2022 20:19

Hi hive mind.

My hot water cylinder started leaking and needs urgent replacement.
Replacing low pressure for mains, and a tiny bit of plumbing. Needs new valves etc.
180l steel internal cylinder.
I've had a plumber recommended and don't really want to go through 3 quotes if I don't need to. Pita, time and no hot water - you know.
Is 3k about right?

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#2932318 20-Jun-2022 20:26

Sounds like they are taking advantage of your misfortune.

https://www.hotwatercylinders.nz/like-for-like-low-pressure.html

Smaller unit but less than half the cost installed. Presumably they have larger options too.

That was 2min of searching... Pop a job on builders crack, or your local Facebook community group, will probably have a few bites immediately.

If you're an AA Insurance custom you might even be able to take advantage of their preferential tradies for emergencies like this.

Dynamic

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#2932320 20-Jun-2022 20:35

If time allows, look at a heat pump hot water cylindar (much cheaper long term, but expensive to install) or gas infinity. Really wish I had when our cylindar last failed, but like you I did it in a hurry.

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CokemonZ

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#2932322 20-Jun-2022 20:44

Where we are can't do gas, or plumb to outside.
Like for like is fine, just sense checking cost.

CokemonZ

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#2932323 20-Jun-2022 20:46

I have reached out to 3 recommended plumbers, only one responded so far.

CokemonZ

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#2932325 20-Jun-2022 21:01

Yeah ok, I'm going to get a bit more aggressive calling around tomorrow. That site has a low pressure upgrade to mains 180l for 2k, exactly what I'm doing.

nickb800

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#2932329 20-Jun-2022 21:08

I don't think 3k is crazy, have heard of higher prices for hwc replacement. For a 180l mains cylinder you are looking at at least 1200 depending on lining material (I recommend stainless steel for much longer life). The tiny bit of plumbing might add a hundred or two (hard to say from no description).

That price from hot water cylinders.nz (Euro plumbing) is very sharp - but also low pressure and 135L. They quote $2k for 180l mains pressure conversion, so worth checking them out if you're in auckland.

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kiwiharry

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#2932335 20-Jun-2022 22:12

I paid a little under 2.5k all up for a 180L stainless steel HWC and replacement valves from Euro Plumbing back in 2019.

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Jase2985

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#2932353 21-Jun-2022 07:12

Ours was just shy of 3k about 10 years ago. It was in a horrible spot, and included all the valves etc being replaced.

We did pay for the better type of tank

sidefx

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#2932355 21-Jun-2022 07:48

Recently paid 2.8k for switch from low pressure cylinder to mains. It was a bit of a complex job a think as cylinder was in middle of house with concrete base so installing new pipes not easy. they had to re-purpose another pipe for something, and looking at invoice replace a bunch of things.

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Bung

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#2932356 21-Jun-2022 07:59

Even if it was like for like mains pressure some plumbers want new valves. Any comparisons have to know what parts are included.

If it's any consolation my better 3/4s just had a tooth replaced for $6k.

dacraka

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#2932359 21-Jun-2022 08:00

Not sure if a quote from 2016 helps, but the guy talked to me on the phone for over an hour about all my options, so nice!

Rheem 250L Stainless Solar Ready Mains Pressure Cylinder with 10 Year Warranty - $2,375 + GST
HJ Cooper 250L Stainless Solar Ready Mains Pressure Cylinder with 20 Year Warranty - $2,425 + GST
Rheem 300L Stainless Solar Ready Mains Pressure Cylinder with 10 Year Warranty - $2,475 + GST
HJ Cooper 300L Stainless Solar Ready Mains Pressure Cylinder with 20 Year Warranty - $2,525 + GST

Fully installed on new mains pressure valves
Decommissioning and removal of the existing cylinder
Electrical connection to existing compliant switch
Two year workmanship guarantee

https://cylinderguy.co.nz/

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SATTV

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#2932372 21-Jun-2022 08:19

We had ours replaced Sept 2020.

180l Low pressure to 180l Mains pressure

$2290.15 ( I think he under charged us to be honest ), there was an additional $75 for the electrician ( mates rates ) and I got $77.00 from endless metals for the old cylinder.

I don't think 3K is out of the ball park considering the price of copper and everything else going skywards, took our plumber about five hours to do the job, I helped move the old cylinder out and put the new cylinder in.

On a side note, I called probably 10 plumbing companies and I got no replies, the one we used was a friend of a friend and squeezed us in.

I know enough to be dangerous

CokemonZ

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#2932375 21-Jun-2022 08:32

Ok, thanks for the sanity check team. Might stick with this guy.

Eva888

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#2932381 21-Jun-2022 08:50

I paid 3k five years ago In Wellington and that was 1k cheaper than a well known plumbing firm here quoted.

I need another one downstairs now so imagine it will cost more than 3k and am waiting to hear.

lchiu7

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#2932391 21-Jun-2022 09:21

I had a hot water cylinder replaced a few years ago (gas) and actually wanted to go to Infinity but my house is the rear of a sub-divided section and the gas fitter said I could not install Infinity because the gas pressure wasn't high enough down the pipe and it would be to expensive to replace the pipe. So I put in a replacement cylinder.

This is hearsay but a few years later I was chatting a gas fitter friend who said he installed many Infinity systems using bottled gas. And two gas large cylinders lasts a year alternating between them. And you can put the gas cylinder anywhere a gas supplier can pick them up and replace them.

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