//Quick answer
- Tank: lower cost, simpler install, hot water that can run out.
- Tankless: continuous hot water, no tank to fail, gas and venting work, usually a permit.
- Both carry Done-Rite's 1 year minimum labor warranty.
01Definition
How does each one work?
A tank stores heated water and reheats it as it cools or is drawn down. A tankless heats water on demand as it flows through a heat exchanger and stops when the tap closes. The tank can run out; the tankless cannot at its rated flow, but it is sized by how many fixtures run at once.
What does the price step actually pay for?
The unit, and the install scope: a gas line sized for a much larger burner, venting suited to the unit, a condensate drain on condensing models, isolation valves, and the permit that usually comes with it. It is a different job, not a more expensive version of the same one.
02Which fits
Who is a tank right for?
A replacement where the existing gas, venting and space serve a tank well, a household with typical demand, and a budget where $2,300 to $3,200 installed is the right spend today.
Who is tankless right for?
A household that runs out of hot water, a home that wants the closet or floor space back, a long-term owner who values no tank to fail, and anyone whose gas and venting are being reworked anyway.
//What it costs
| Item | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Tank water heater replacement (Bradford White) | $2,300 to $3,200 | Unit + installation. |
| Tankless installation (Navien, Noritz, Rinnai) | $4,000 to $6,000 | Unit + installation. |
| Step from tank to tankless | ~$1,700 to $2,800 | The difference between the two ranges. |
| Permit | Varies by city | Usually required for either; added separately. |
Ranges are Done-Rite's approved installed figures. Final pricing is confirmed on site.
Financing available with terms up to 10 years. Ask the office about Enerbank, GE and Wisetack.
//Side by side
Tank
- $2,300 to $3,200 installed
- Simpler install on existing gas and vent
- Familiar and quick to replace
- Hot water can run out
- Tank eventually corrodes
- Standby heat loss
Tankless
- Continuous hot water at rated flow
- No tank to fail
- Frees floor or closet space
- $4,000 to $6,000 installed
- Gas, venting and condensate work
- Needs periodic descaling
03What goes wrong
What goes wrong with each?
Tanks fail by corrosion, accelerated by sediment and a spent anode. Tankless units fail by scale without periodic descaling, and disappoint when undersized for simultaneous demand. Maintenance is the answer to both; the $150 tune-up covers either.
04Proof
- 1 year minimum warranty on labor. Manufacturer warranty handling varies by manufacturer.
- When a job needs a permit, Done-Rite pulls it and schedules the inspection.
- Jason Shen, Google, September 16, 2026: "Daniel did an excellent job installing my whole house carbon filtration and water conditioning system. He also flushed out my tankless water heater."
- 4.9 stars across 1,720+ Google reviews on the Orange profile, checked September 17, 2026.
05Action
Price both for your house
Tank $2,300 to $3,200 installed; tankless $4,000 to $6,000. Financing is available with terms up to 10 years. The $100 off any replacement offer applies when the material is supplied by Done-Rite.
//Keep going
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//Terms used in this guide
Where this applies
Done-Rite runs these calls across Orange County from its shop in Anaheim, CA, with no trip charge in any city it serves.
Common questions
$2,300 to $3,200 for a tank unit. $4,000 to $6,000 for tankless.
Often the gas line has to be upsized for the higher input, the vent is replaced with the material the unit requires, a power supply is added even for gas units, and a condensate drain is run for condensing models. Sizing comes from how many fixtures run at once and the incoming water temperature.
It gives continuous hot water, not instant. The wait depends on how far the fixture is from the heater. A recirculation loop is what shortens the wait, on tank or tankless.
