How much is a pair of shoes? How much is a car? While trying to give a simple answer to hot water system cost may not be quite as difficult as with shoes and cars, there’s still a lot to consider. So without further ado, let’s take a deep dive into a question hot water plumbers are asked just about every day:
What does a hot water system cost?
There’s no happy, functional household in Australia that can make do without a reliable hot water system – and hopefully for a hot water system price that doesn’t make your eyes water. Luckily, there’s an awful lot in this huge product range, ranging from the small and accessible to the whiz-bang, feature-rich, next-generation tech fit for a full football team after a wet and muddy Tuesday night at training.
But without getting too deep into the technological options – ranging from traditional electrical storage systems to the sleek and popular instantaneous hot water through to gas, heat pumps, solar and beyond of every shape, style & size – let’s see what factors influence hot water system prices.
1. Your house
When it comes to hot water systems prices, the big one is capacity – as in should it serve a single business person who isn’t home much, or a big family full of triplets who play footy? With bigger sizes comes the bigger need for energy-efficient technology.
2. System type & size
As touched upon earlier, there are several basic hot water technologies on the market, each with their own average price-point. After that, the second biggest factor influencing price is the hot water system size. For instance:
- Storage tank: While the average minimum price of this most basic and traditional of hot water technology is $400-600, a big 400 litre tank will set you back almost $2000.
- Instantaneous: Like storage tanks, there are electric and gas options – with gas generally costing a little more to buy but a little less to run. Expect to pay about $800 for continuous flow technology, but as much as $1500-2000 for a unit that can handle a busy house with multiple hot water outlets.
- Heat pump: While the price-point is considerably higher – somewhere in the range of $4000-5000 – this ‘fridge in reverse’ technology is a lot cheaper to run, especially if you’re on a special low tariff for heating at night.
- Solar: By far the most expensive at the cash register (several thousand dollars up to as much as $7000 and beyond), a serious solar setup could actually leave you with small or $0 bills.
3. Installation cost
It’s important to not overlook the cost of a hot water system installation, especially for those lower-end systems. Why’s that? Because with supply, transport and the qualified, licensed plumber labour that you need, you could be looking at double the cost of the system’s ticket price. Also bear in mind that the installation you require for your particular property might be particularly tricky, and especially so if you’re making the switch from one energy type to another or you need something like tempering valves installed for compliance. Generally, though, you’re looking at an installation cost in the mid-hundreds of dollars – but budget for more than $500 to be sure you’re not caught out.
Only trust the Best Plumbers with your hot water
What about any disposal costs of your old system? Will installation cost more if the system location is moving? (hint: yes). Will buying sustainable technology types like heat pump or solar qualify you for any government rebates or subsidies? There’s a lot to think about when it comes to the typical water heater price – and the best place to start is always by asking one of the Best Plumbers you can find.
At Best Plumbers Club, we only work with the absolute best local plumbers near you with high online review ratings, real-life recommendations and a guarantee for quality service at great prices. Hot water system cost is a big deal for most hard-working Aussie families, so always have one of the Best Plumbers on your side by getting in touch with us today.
