Water Heater Installation in California | 911 Plumbing CA
from $1,499
Plumbing Water Heater Installation in California
Installation of new tank, tankless, and heat-pump water heaters — new construction, remodels, capacity upgrades, and fuel conversions. Authorized Rheem and Navien dealer; every unit is sized to the household and finished to code with new shut-offs, expansion tank, seismic strapping, and correct venting.
Water Heater Installation is one part of our water heater services coverage in California. For the full picture — symptoms, costs, and when to repair vs. replace — start with the complete Water Heater Repair guide, or browse every water heater services service we offer.
Water heater installation is the from-scratch side of hot water: setting a new system where the decision is about what you're adding — a new build or remodel, a bathroom addition that outgrows the old capacity, or a conversion from tank to tankless or heat-pump. It involves gas or high-amperage electric, pressurized water, combustion venting, and a tank holding 40–80 gallons over a finished floor, so the stakes are code and safety, not just comfort. As an authorized Rheem and Navien dealer we design and install tank, tankless, and heat-pump systems to current code across California, with the safety hardware big-box installs routinely skip.
Every installation starts with sizing, because the unit you pick is a 10-to-20-year decision. We calculate peak simultaneous demand — bathroom count, tub size, laundry habits — and match fuel type and capacity to the home: a Bradford White or A.O. Smith atmospheric tank where simplicity wins, a Rheem or Navien tankless when the family wants endless hot water and wall-mounted space savings, or a heat-pump hybrid where electric operating costs justify the up-front price. The install itself is finished to code in California: a new cold-water shut-off, a properly sized thermal expansion tank on any closed system, a code-length T&P relief discharge, seismic strapping where required, and correct combustion or power venting for gas models.
Upgrades and conversions are where installation earns its keep across California. Moving to tankless means a larger gas line, new venting, and a condensate drain; adding a recirculation loop means a return line and pump; relocating a heater out of a closet means rerouting water, fuel, and venting — all permitted and inspected where California requires it. We handle the full scope in one job, commission the system at temperature, and back the workmanship for 10 years.
Different job? Start on the right page:
Water Heater Replacement — if an existing heater has failed or is past its 10–15-year life and needs swapping out.
A new bathroom, laundry room, or accessory unit raises peak hot-water demand past what the existing system was sized for. The addition is the right moment to install capacity that matches the new California floor plan.
The household has outgrown its capacity
More people, a soaking tub, back-to-back showers — demand grows past what the original unit was ever sized for. An upsized or tankless installation ends the hot-water rationing in the California home.
You're switching fuel or going tankless
A tank-to-tankless conversion or an electric-to-gas switch is a new installation, not a swap: larger gas line, new venting, and a condensate drain, all sized and run to code across California.
The current setup was never installed to code
No expansion tank, an unstrapped tank in a seismic zone, a T&P line that dead-ends — we find it constantly in California. A corrective installation brings the whole setup to current code before it becomes a claim.
New construction or a first-time install
A new build, garage conversion, or ADU needs a heater spec'd from scratch — fuel, capacity, location, and venting chosen once and done right for the California inspection.
What causes it — and what we fix
Undersized for real demand
The most common install mistake: a tank matched to the closet, not the household. We size to peak simultaneous use so the system keeps up from day one in California.
Venting shortcuts
Wrong vent material, illegal slope, or a shared flue starves combustion and can push exhaust back into the home. We run the venting the manufacturer and California code call for.
Missing expansion control
A closed system with a PRV or check valve spikes pressure every heating cycle when no expansion tank was fitted. We add a correctly sized one on every install that needs it.
Starved gas supply
Tankless and high-BTU tank units draw more gas than an old half-inch line can feed, causing ignition faults and lukewarm output. We upsize the line as part of the California install, not as a callback.
Skipped permits and inspection
An unpermitted install surfaces at sale time or after a loss claim. We pull the permit where California requires one and leave you the passed-inspection paperwork.
The four steps of every visit
1
Book by phone or online. Choose a 2-hour arrival window online or by phone for water heater installation in California; confirmation lands in under five minutes with the tech's name and photo attached.
2
On-site diagnosis. Diagnosis happens on-site: free for most water heater installation repairs, $39 on minor service calls (waived if you proceed). Nothing starts until you've seen the issue and the plan.
3
A written flat rate. The water heater installation quote is flat-rate, written, and good for 30 days — never an hourly meter, never after-the-fact add-ons.
4
Fixed in one visit. The truck arrives stocked with the common valves, fittings, cartridges, and fixtures, so water heater installation usually finishes in a single visit.
Water heater installation in California: what it costs
Water Heater Installation in California starts at from $1,499, every water heater installation quote is flat-rate and presented in writing before work begins — no surprise add-ons, no hourly creep. Seniors (65+) and military save 10% on labor, and financing covers projects over $1,500 at 0% APR for 12 months, with no prepayment penalty.
The reasons California picks us for water heater installation
We've been a trusted choice since 1974 — over 50 years of family-owned plumbing service across California. Our techs are CSLB-licensed (#1098234), background-checked, and complete an internal 12-week training program before rolling on calls alone.
Our water heater installation carries a 10-year workmanship guarantee — separate from any manufacturer warranty on the parts themselves. If the water heater installation we performed fails because of how we did it, we come back and fix it free for a full decade. Appliances and fixtures we install are backed by their full manufacturer warranty, and the parts and accessories we fit carry standard 1–5 year warranties by item.
We quote water heater installation on honest scope: no unnecessary up-sell, salaried (never commissioned) technicians, and a transparent diagnostic so you see exactly what we see — including the parts still in good shape. If a repair is the right call we say so; if replacement is the better long-term economics, we say that. The flat-rate water heater installation quote is written and good for 30 days.
Everywhere we run water heater installation
We provide water heater installation throughout California, with fast coverage in every major California metro.
Reach times for water heater installation vary by traffic and time of day, so we quote an accurate ETA when you call — and the dispatch line routes straight to an on-call technician, no voicemail in between.
Asked & answered: water heater installation
Top questions homeowners searching for Water Heater Installation near me ask us:
Will you install a unit I bought myself?
Yes — we confirm it's sized and vented right for the space first, flag it if it isn't, and install it to code with a new shut-off and expansion tank for your California home.
Tank, tankless, or heat-pump — which should I install?
Tank wins on up-front cost and simplicity; tankless delivers endless hot water and a ~20-year life but needs a larger gas line and venting; a heat-pump hybrid costs the most up front and the least to run. We size and price the options for your California home so you decide.
Do I need a permit for a water heater installation?
Most jurisdictions require one — it covers the venting, T&P discharge, seismic strapping, and expansion tank that make the install safe. We pull it and meet the inspector where California requires it.
What brands do you install?
We're authorized Rheem and Navien dealers and also install Bradford White and A.O. Smith. Rheem and Navien lead for tankless, Bradford White and A.O. Smith for tanks, and Rheem or Bosch for heat-pump hybrids across California.
How long does a water heater installation take?
A straightforward tank installation runs 2–4 hours; a tankless conversion runs 4–8 because of the gas-line, venting, and mounting work. New-construction and relocation installs are scoped ahead with a firm timeline for your California project.
Water Heater Installation across California
Every California team handles water heater installation with the same flat-rate pricing and workmanship guarantee — pick your city for local response times, crews, and neighborhood coverage: