Installed Prices, Permit Included
Water Heater Replacement
& Installation in Louisville, KY
A like-for-like tank swap is about three hours on site, and often the same day you call. The price includes the new heater, the labor, and hauling the old tank away. Kentucky requires a permit for a water heater replacement, and we handle it.
Louisville’s Water Heater Installers
What a Replacement Actually Costs Here
Five of every six tank water heaters we installed in the 12 months to September 2026 ran on natural gas, and the most common was a 40-gallon gas tank. From our price book, that heater is $2,000–$2,200 installed. A 50-gallon gas tank is $2,200–$2,400, and an electric tank runs a few hundred less, because there is no gas line or venting to deal with.
Installed means the whole job: the heater, the labor to set and connect it, the code parts, and hauling the old tank off. Two things can add to it, and we check both on the first visit: a thermal expansion tank if your home has a closed system, and the venting a power-vent or direct-vent heater needs.
Every size and type is priced in our full cost guide. Not sure you need a new one? Water heater repair covers the parts that are worth fixing.
- Water from the tank body or baseA rusted-through tank cannot be repaired
- Heater 10 to 12 years old or moreRepairs past this age carry no warranty
- Rusty hot water every timeThe tank lining is failing
- The same part has failed twiceYou are paying to keep an old tank alive
- Running out of hot waterThe tank may be too small for your household
- Loud rumbling that will not stopYears of sediment on the tank bottom
- A big repair quote on an old tankPut that money toward a new heater
- Planning a remodel or an additionMore fixtures can mean a bigger tank
What We Do
Water Heater Replacements We Install in Louisville
Installed prices from our price book: heater, labor, and haul-away included.
40-Gallon Gas Tank, $2,000–$2,200
The heater we install most in Louisville homes. Right for most households of up to three or four people with standard fixtures.
- Most common replacement here
- About three hours on site
- Permit handled
- Old tank hauled away
50-Gallon Gas Tank, $2,200–$2,400
A household of four or more, or a home with a large soaking tub, usually does better with 50 gallons. If you run out of hot water today, one size up is the usual fix.
- Bigger households
- Large tubs and more fixtures
- Same-day swap often possible
- One-year workmanship warranty
Electric Tank, $1,800–$2,200
A 40-gallon electric tank is $1,800–$2,000 and a 50-gallon $2,000–$2,200. Electric is the cheaper install, with no gas line or venting to deal with.
- 40 and 50 gallon sizes
- No gas line or venting needed
- Wiring checked at the heater
- Old tank hauled away
Power-Vent & Direct-Vent Gas, $4,700–$5,700
Some homes cannot vent a standard gas tank up a chimney. A power-vent or direct-vent heater solves that, and the venting, not the tank size, is what drives the price.
- For homes without a usable flue
- New venting run to code
- Priced after we see the space
- Permit handled
Installing Your Own Heater, $800–$1,000
Bought the heater yourself? We install it. Our one-year workmanship warranty covers the installation; the heater carries whatever warranty its manufacturer gives.
- Customer-supplied heater
- Connections, venting, and code parts
- Permit handled
- Installation warrantied one year
Expansion Tank, About $430
If your home has a pressure-reducing valve or a backflow device on the water main, the plumbing is a closed system, and code requires a thermal expansion tank. We check on the first visit.
- Required on closed systems
- Protects the new heater
- Checked before we quote
- Installed with the heater
How It Works
From Old Tank to Hot Water, in Order
One visit for a standard swap, with the price set before we start.
Size it and check the site
Fuel, size, venting, and whether your system needs an expansion tank. That is what sets the price, so we check it first.
Written price
You get the installed price before we start: the heater, the labor, the code parts, and the haul-away.
Swap and connect
Old tank drained and removed, new heater set, connected, and vented to code. A like-for-like swap is about three hours.
Test, permit, warranty
We check gas connections for leaks, fill and fire the heater, and confirm hot water at the tap. The permit is handled, and the installation carries a one-year workmanship warranty.
Tank or Tankless?
Which Replacement Fits Your Home?
Most Louisville homes get a tank. Here is when tankless earns its higher price.
A New Tank Makes Sense When...
- You want the lowest installed price
- Your current tank met your needs until it failed
- You want it done in one short visit
- Your gas line and flue already fit a tank
- You would rather skip a yearly flush
Tankless Makes Sense When...
- You run out of hot water with a tank today
- You plan to stay in the home for many years
- You want the floor space a tank takes up
- You will flush it every year on Louisville water
- Your home can take the gas line, venting, or electrical work it needs
Why Golden Plumbing
Why Louisville Calls Golden Plumbing for a New Water Heater
Installed Prices, Published
40-gallon gas $2,000–$2,200. 50-gallon gas $2,200–$2,400. Electric $1,800–$2,200. The same numbers on this page, in our cost guide, and on the invoice.
Often Same Day
A standard tank swap is about three hours on site, and call Monday to Friday before 6 PM and it is often done the same day.
One-Year Workmanship Warranty
Every installation carries our one-year workmanship warranty. The heater carries its manufacturer’s warranty, typically six years on the tank.
Permit Handled
Kentucky requires a plumbing permit for a water heater replacement. We pull it and the job is done to code.
Old Tank Hauled Away
The old heater leaves with us. No tank left in your garage, no extra trip to the dump.
Brands Plumbers Trust
We install Rheem, A.O. Smith, and Bradford White tanks and service every major brand.
Tank Leaking or Just Old?
Get a Written Price for a New Heater
Same-day replacement is often possible Monday through Friday across Louisville. The price includes the heater, the labor, the permit work, and hauling the old tank away.
FAQ
Water Heater Replacement Questions, Answered
How much does a water heater replacement cost in Louisville?
What size water heater does my home need?
How long does a replacement take?
Do I need a permit and an expansion tank?
Can I buy my own water heater and have you install it?
Service Areas
Water Heater Replacement Throughout Louisville Metro
Golden Plumbing serves homeowners across Louisville and the surrounding communities.