# Forum Home Renovation Plumbing  How much for relocating a hot water system?

## nethern

I am thinking moving the hot water system from laundry to an outdoor location 3 meters away. I tried to get a quote but everyone of them needs a call out charge around $120 - $140. I am kind of shop around guy, so it would not be possible for me to ask many quotes. So, I just want to get an idea how much it might cost to relocate the system to outdoor. 
I guess the work would involve: disconnect the copper pipes and power cord.move the system outsidebuild a base/tray on the spot to put the system onreroute the pipes and power corddrill holes on the footing on the outside wall to allow pipes to come throughreconnect the pipes and power cord.
For members on this forum who had done a relocation like this before, can you tell me how much it might cost? 
Thanks ahead.

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## Handyjack

You will need an electrician to relocate your power as it is in a new location, that is it is more than just a disconnect reconnect and most plumbers will not be qualified for that. 
It is a pity that you are being asked to pay for a quote, but it does involve time and the tradie does not want to spend an hour (do not forget travel time and paperwork) for a job they may not get. Each job much be assessed individually as there can be so many variables. While the unit might only be moved 3 metres it may involve many more metres of pipe and more if the standards have changed since it was originally installed.  
Is the unit suitable for outdoor instillation?  
Wish you well in having the work done.

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## nethern

I finally got actewagl come and do a free quote. It will cost around $980! It sounds pretty expensive for me. Is it a reasonable quote?

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## jiggy

I just got a new gas storage system installed and my old electric one taken away, total cost $1400.  So your quote seems pretty high

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## Smurf

> I finally got actewagl come and do a free quote. It will cost around $980! It sounds pretty expensive for me. Is it a reasonable quote?

  That depends on how accessible the pipes and wiring is and how hard it will be to get to the new location. It sounds a bit high, but it depends... 
If the pipes and wiring are under the house and that area is accessible then that should be pretty straightforward. Very different though if everything is hard to get to.

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## Master Splinter

Some of your costs will come from the fact that you need two tradies (plumber, electrician) and all the labouring work to put a base down in the new location.  If you allow two hours each for the plumber and sparky, and a further two hours for whatever is needed for the base...that's $500 already at $80 per hour, and doesn't include materials.  disconnect the copper pipes and power cord. Can be done by plumbermove the system outside Can be done by plumberbuild a base/tray on the spot to put the system on Can be done by plumberreroute the pipes and power cord Plumber for pipes, sparky for power, needs a trench roughly 600mm deep if it is away from a walldrill holes on the footing on the outside wall to allow pipes to come through Plumber for pipes, sparky for power

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## Moondog55

Will you need to retrofit solar if you change the position of the tank? We got a quote of $2100 to move our gas water heater and tidy up all the old galvanised pipe and only $2500 to fit a new unit.
Bunnys sell a pre-made slab suitable for $34-

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## nethern

> That depends on how accessible the pipes and wiring is and how hard it will be to get to the new location. It sounds a bit high, but it depends... 
> If the pipes and wiring are under the house and that area is accessible then that should be pretty straightforward. Very different though if everything is hard to get to.

  The pipes and power cable can be reached underneath the floor.

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## nethern

> Will you need to retrofit solar if you change the position of the tank? We got a quote of $2100 to move our gas water heater and tidy up all the old galvanised pipe and only $2500 to fit a new unit.
> Bunnys sell a pre-made slab suitable for $34-

  No. I can't affort a solar... 
I will check out the slab in bunnys sometime. Sounds very good.

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## Smurf

> The pipes and power cable can be reached underneath the floor.

  In that case it's should just be a matter of cutting the pipes and cable where needed and joining on a new section to the new location which isn't a major job. That said, no sane tradesman will give a firm quote without seeing the job in case there's some sort of issue that makes things difficult.

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## nethern

> In that case it's should just be a matter of cutting the pipes and cable where needed and joining on a new section to the new location which isn't a major job. That said, no sane tradesman will give a firm quote without seeing the job in case there's some sort of issue that makes things difficult.

  Yeah. That is what I think as well. As I have done relocation of the copper pipes in my kitchen. Connecting new section to existing pipe is not a problem for me. Quite easy actually. The only thing I don't know is which pipe goes to which pot on the heater. Part of the section is hidden inside the wall which I don't want to tear a part - asbesto in the wall board. 
BTW, is there any harm bringing the system outdoor. I heard from someone saying the cold/hot temp outdoor might damage the system easily. Is that true?

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## Smurf

> BTW, is there any harm bringing the system outdoor. I heard from someone saying the cold/hot temp outdoor might damage the system easily. Is that true?

  Assuming it's a HWS designed for outdoor installation then no major problems. What make / model is it? Or can you post a photo? 
As long as the heater itself is OK for outdoors, only thing you need to worry about (noting that you are in the ACT) is putting some insulation over any exposed pipes to make sure nothing freezes up. Frozen pipes can do damage, I've heard of a HWS actually blowing up because the relief valve pipe had frozen, so you do need to insulate. The good news, however, is that pipe insulation is only a few $ per length from any plumbing supplies place and some hardware stores. Places that sell hoses, industrial rubber products etc also have it. 
Any info on the HWS you have?

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## Moondog55

> No. I can't affort a solar... 
> .

  But do you HAVE to fit it? I don't know what the regulations are in Canberra but these days they make us do lots of things we can't afford

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## nethern

> But do you HAVE to fit it? I don't know what the regulations are in Canberra but these days they make us do lots of things we can't afford

  No. THere is just a rebate encouraging to do so.

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## nethern

I went ahead and ask for another quote from local business recently  which charged me >$100 service fee. The quote turned out to be $14xx!  Even more than actewAGL. I was told if the unit is moved, it might  break or not working properly. No warranty on my existing unit or I need  to buy from them. As the current regislation, a temp valve has to be  put in to limit to 50C degree. Government will stop making electircal HWS in a few years. If it leaks when that happens, I need to pay more to install a gas one.  
I decide to leave it...

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## Smurf

Well now I'm shocked. Truly shocked... There would seem to be a market in the ACT for a competent plumber and electrician who are able to do such straightforward jobs withotut blowing anything up etc. 
Unrelated to relocation, but if it's 5+ years old and you want to maximise the lifespan of the unit then I very strongly recommend that you check the anode and replace if necessary. Once the anode goes, the rest of the tank will quickly corrode and at only $50 or so if you DIY there's a significant $ saving to be had here.

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## wonderplumb

> Government will stop making electircal HWS in a few years. .

  Not entirely. You will still be able to buy up to a 250 litre single element unit. 250 twin elements and anything above will be scrapped.

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## nethern

> Unrelated to relocation, but if it's 5+ years old and you want to  maximise the lifespan of the unit then I very strongly recommend that  you check the anode and replace if necessary. Once the anode goes, the  rest of the tank will quickly corrode and at only $50 or so if you DIY  there's a significant $ saving to be had here.

  That is a  good point. Smurf. I read the Rheem install manual and knowing ACT's TDS  is around 37. A green anode should be used. But the manual does not  tell how to replace one. Where can I find an instruction?

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## Draffa

> You will still be able to buy up to a 250 litre single element unit.

  And daisy-chain them?  :Smilie:

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## wonderplumb

> And daisy-chain them?

  If you had the requirement to do so you could hook them up on an equa-flow design. So basically yes.

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## Draffa

> So basically yes.

  Interesting.  I had been planning on installing (after consultation with my plumber  :Smilie:  ) a two-stage SHW system: SHW heats the water in a small tank (that also contains the electric element), and when the tank temperature reaches a set level, opens a valve and starts circulating water into a second, much larger tank. Makes me think it might be a goer.  :Smilie:

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