A 40 gallon tank is the size most households ask about first, and the price question usually comes right behind it. The honest answer is that two installs of the same tank can land far apart, because the tank is only one piece of the job. Venting, gas or electric connections, code upgrades, permits and old-tank disposal each add or remove work.
This guide walks through the line items on a typical quote, shows where the totals diverge, and gives you a method for comparing two bids without guessing. It does not quote dollar figures. Any number printed on a web page cannot know your vent run, your shutoff valves or your access, so a real price needs a phone conversation about your actual setup.
What a quote for a 40 gallon tank is made of.
Most quotes break into five pieces: the heater itself, materials to connect it, labor, permit and inspection handling, and removal of the old unit. The heater varies by fuel type, efficiency rating, warranty length and brand tier. Materials include new flexible supply connectors, a temperature and pressure relief valve discharge line, gas flex connector or electrical whip, and sometimes a drain pan.
Labor depends on how much of that is already in good shape. A like-for-like swap of a gas tank in the same closet with a sound vent is the short end of the range. Moving the heater, re-sizing the vent, or adding a drain pan with a drain line makes the job longer.
Where two quotes for the same tank diverge.
When one bid is noticeably higher, the gap almost always sits in one of these rows. Ask each plumber to state the line in writing before you compare totals.
| Line item | What it covers | Why it moves the total. |
|---|---|---|
| Tank and warranty | Fuel type, efficiency, brand tier, length of tank warranty | A longer warranty or higher efficiency usually costs more up front. |
| Venting | Reusing the existing flue or running new vent pipe | Old or undersized vents may need replacement before the new unit is allowed to run. |
| Connections | Water connectors, shutoff valves, gas flex or electrical whip | Corroded shutoff valves are common and cannot always be reused. |
| Safety parts | Relief valve and discharge line, drain pan, expansion tank if needed | Closed plumbing systems can need an expansion tank, and the plumber decides on site. |
| Permit and inspection | Paperwork with the building department | Rules vary by job and by city, so a quote should say who handles it. |
| Haul-away | Draining and removing the old tank | Some bids include it and some list it as extra. |
A low total with several rows left blank is not a lower price. It is an incomplete quote.
Orem, UT: water source and permit facts that affect your install
Per the city's 2022 water conservation plan, Orem draws culinary water from nine deep wells, two city-owned springs, and treated Provo River water. With three kinds of source feeding the system, water chemistry can differ by season and by where a home sits, and mineral scale can build inside a heated tank. The practical step is to read the city's annual water quality report and ask your plumber about tank flushing and the sacrificial anode rod at each service.
Orem's adopted codes list names the 2021 IPC with Utah amendments, and the city's permit page says anyone who causes plumbing work to be done needs a permit, with listed exceptions. That means you should ask the Orem Building Safety Division about your specific swap before the work date rather than assume either way.
Gas versus electric changes more than the fuel bill.
A gas 40 gallon heater needs a vent path to the outdoors, a gas shutoff, a sediment trap on the gas line, and enough combustion air in the room. An electric one needs no vent, but it does need a dedicated circuit of the right size, and a licensed electrician should confirm the panel can carry it if anything changes. Read the nameplate on the unit you are replacing and give the plumber that information when you call.
Swapping fuel types is a bigger project than swapping tanks. Moving from gas to electric or the other way adds new connections and sometimes new code questions. Ask for those items priced separately so you can see what the conversion itself costs.
Describe your current heater, vent and access over the phone and get a clear price before work starts. Call the number on this page.
Call (385) 488-1892.A tank is not always the right replacement.
If the tank is leaking from the body, no part swap will save it, and the conversation moves to replacing the water heater rather than repairing it. If the problem is a failed element, thermostat or burner part on a younger tank, repair may be the smarter spend. The plumber should tell you which side of that line your unit is on and why.
Size matters too. Forty gallons suits many households of three or four people, but a house with a large soaking tub or back-to-back showers may run short. The first-hour rating, which appears on the manufacturer's spec sheet and usually on the EnergyGuide label, tells you how much hot water the unit can deliver in a busy hour, and it is worth comparing rather than looking at tank volume alone.
How to compare two quotes line by line.
Put the bids side by side and check these points before you look at the totals.
- Same fuel type, same tank size, and the same warranty length on both.
- Vent work listed as reused, repaired, or replaced, not left unstated.
- Permit and inspection named as included or excluded.
- New shutoff valves, connectors and relief valve discharge line listed.
- Old tank removal and disposal included or priced as an add-on.
- A clear statement of the price before work starts, with any possible add-ons explained in advance.
- The plumber's Utah license class checked on the state license lookup.
Permits and code on a water heater job.
Orem's published codes list the 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC) with current Utah amendments, and the city's Building Safety Division handles permits. Permit rules vary by job, so ask the Division whether your swap needs one, and ask your plumber who pulls it.
The same line-item method works for homes in Provo, Lindon and the rest of Utah County. The permit rules differ by city, so the written quote should say which city's rules it follows. If you want to see how a planned swap is typically scoped, the water heater installation page lays out sizing, venting and gas safety.
Common questions
It fits many households of three or four, but the first-hour rating matters more than tank volume. Check the yellow EnergyGuide label and think about your peak hour, such as morning showers plus a dishwasher cycle.
A plumber can give a reliable range of what is involved from a phone description of your fuel type, vent and access. A clear price before work starts should come after the plumber knows those details, and any possible add-ons should be explained up front.
Homeowners policies typically cover sudden and accidental water damage and typically do not cover wear or gradual leaks. A tank that wears out is usually on the owner, so check your own policy.
Permit rules vary by job, so ask the Orem Building Safety Division. Orem's adopted code list names the 2021 International Plumbing Code with Utah amendments, and your plumber can tell you how they handle permits for the work.
Search the plumber's name on the state license verification tool run by the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing. Utah license classes include apprentice, residential journeyman, journeyman, residential master and master.
Sources and references
- City of Orem Water Conservation Plan, October 2022 (Utah Division of Water Resources), https://conservewater.utah.gov.
- City of Orem adopted codes list, as of July 1, 2023, https://www.orem.org (2021 International Plumbing Code with Utah amendments).
- City of Orem Building Safety Division permit page, https://www.orem.org.
- Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing license verification, https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html.
- Technical statements (vent, relief valve, first-hour rating, anode rod) are general trade practice and defer to the manufacturer's installation manual and local code.