Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN GUNBARREL
Gunbarrel Water Heater
Replacement
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See what replacement costs ↓GUNBARREL AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Gunbarrel.
Homes in unincorporated Gunbarrel get building permits from Boulder County Community Planning & Permitting, not the City of Boulder. Replacing a water heater needs a permit: it isn't on the county's list of exempt work. The fee is based on job value and starts at $38.95 for work up to $800, before plan check and taxes. Owners working on their own property aren't treated as contractors. Xcel supplies gas and electricity.
Gunbarrel is an unincorporated community in Boulder County, so county offices handle permits.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · Boulder County Community Planning & Permitting, Building Safety & Inspection Services (for unincorporated addresses)
- Permit fee
- Based on job value (Form B33): $38.95 for $1-$800; above $800 up to $2,000 it's $38.95 plus $4.19 for each extra $100. A plan check fee, use taxes, zoning and public health review fees, and a technology fee may be added. The county has an online fee estimator.
- Who gets the permit
- Under county rules, a property owner, or anyone doing labor or repairs on their own property, isn't a contractor. Plumbers and electricians are licensed by the State of Colorado.
- Electric utility
- Xcel Energy
- Gas utility
- Xcel Energy
- Rebate worth checking
- Boulder County EnergySmart Income-Qualified Rebates (2026) (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1979 (median) · 63% owner-occupied
- Companies found
- 1 that advertise water heater work
01 / TYPICAL PRICES
What a new water heater costs.
Know before you call.
Heat-pump tank
$2,500–$5,000Typical cost, including installation
Tankless
$2,400–$5,400Typical cost, including installation
AI equipment illustrations; models vary and images are not to scale. Typical national prices from Home Depot ↗, checked September 28, 2026. The source doesn’t say how many jobs the ranges are based on. These are not Gunbarrel averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Gunbarrel
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit feeBased on job value (Form B33): $38.95 for $1-$800; above $800 up to $2,000 it's $38.95 plus $4.19 for each extra $100. A plan check fee, use taxes, zoning and public health review fees, and a technology fee may be added. The county has an online fee estimator.. Boulder County Community Planning & Permitting, Building Safety & Inspection Services (for unincorporated addresses) fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised price1 of the companies listed for Gunbarrel post water heater prices or specials on their websites: Flatirons Plumbing, Heating & Air. Each offer has its own conditions.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no Gunbarrel average is shown.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Gunbarrel?
Companies that advertise water heater replacement here, with what their water heater customers say.
Companies we found in our research. They are not Ember & Tank providers or partners. We show selected reviews, not a rating or every review. How we choose reviews →
Flatirons Plumbing, Heating & Air
Lists Gunbarrel among the areas it serves. Based in Arvada, CO.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: Coupon: "$75 Off Water Heater Services" (must be presented at time of service/estimate; not valid for work previously completed; cannot be combined) —
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Angi reviewers praised same-day or same-night water heater replacement, technicians who explained options with photos, and professional installers.
Worth knowing A February 2025 BBB complainant said a $4,589.24 replacement cost far more than another contractor's price, was never inspected despite promised code work, ran loudly, and came without an itemized invoice.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 29, 2026.
Order: companies based in Gunbarrel first, then companies whose water heater reviews we’ve read. Each group is alphabetical. These businesses are not our employees or vetted partners and do not receive requests from Ember & Tank. We haven’t checked their license, insurance or quality of work. Colorado DORA license lookup ↗.
See before-and-after replacement examples from independent companies →
HOMES IN GUNBARREL
What Gunbarrel homes are like.
1979Median year built
55%Built before 1980
63%Owner-occupied
79%Heat with utility gas
57%Single-family homes
About 55% of homes were built before 1980. Older homes often have older venting, smaller closets and shutoff valves that should be checked before install day.
79% of homes heat with utility gas, so gas water heaters with existing venting are common here.
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2024 5-year ↗ (2020-2024). Heating fuel is what homes use to heat the house. It often, but not always, matches the water heater’s fuel.
LOCAL CONDITIONS
What’s different in Gunbarrel.
A county permit, not a city one
Boulder County building permit fees apply only in unincorporated areas, not in cities or towns that charge their own.
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Gunbarrel homes.
Energy
- Electric: Xcel Energy (Xcel lists Gunbarrel as a community where it supplies gas and electric (GE))
- Gas: Xcel Energy (Xcel lists Gunbarrel as a GE (gas and electric) community)
Xcel Energy Colorado Communities Served (GE = gas and electric) ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Gunbarrel homes.
For Xcel Energy customers in Gunbarrel. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- Boulder County EnergySmart Income-Qualified Rebates (2026) ↗ActiveBoulder County households at or below 100% of area median income can get 50% of the cost of upgrades, including heat pump water heaters, up to $2,000 a year.
- Xcel Energy heat pump water heater rebate ↗Active$750 for an Xcel customer who installs a qualifying heat pump water heater.
- Colorado heat pump tax credit ↗Active for 2026 installs$250 credit for an ENERGY STAR heat pump water heater installed in 2026, claimed by a state-registered contractor, who must pass at least $83 to you as an invoice discount.
- Federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) ↗EndedCovered improvements made through December 31, 2025.
Checked September 29, 2026. Who qualifies and the conditions: Colorado rebates · How to check an incentive.
PERMITS & LICENSING
Permits and licenses in Gunbarrel.
Permits and who issues them
Boulder County requires a building permit to change any building, and water heater replacement isn't on the county's list of exempt work (Publication B05). County fees apply only in unincorporated areas; addresses inside a city use that city's permits.
Yes. Boulder County licenses contractors in unincorporated areas. The Residential Mechanical license is $175, and county licenses last 3 years. Plumbers and electricians have state licenses, which the county may check at the same time.
Boulder County Community Planning & Permitting, Building Safety & Inspection Services (for unincorporated addresses) ↗ · Boulder County: Building Permit Requirements B05 ↗ · Boulder County: Permit Fees B33 ↗ · Boulder County: Building Permit Fees (estimator) ↗ · Boulder County: Contractor Licensing ↗
Check the installer’s license
Ask for the license number and search it yourself on the Colorado DORA license lookup ↗. A listing on Ember & Tank is not a license check. Colorado licensing explained →
NEARBY CITIES
Compare places near Gunbarrel.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder | 5 mi | Required | By job value (from $13.60) | Xcel Energy |
| Lafayette | 6 mi | Required | $100 | Xcel Energy |
| Louisville | 7 mi | Required | By job value (from $28) | Xcel Energy |
| Erie | 7 mi | Required | $35 | United Power, Xcel Energy |
| Longmont | 8 mi | Required | $40 | Longmont Power & Communications (LPC) |
| Superior | 9 mi | Required | By job value (from $28.50) | Xcel Energy |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Gunbarrel water heater questions.
Who issues a water heater permit in Gunbarrel?
For unincorporated addresses, Boulder County Building Safety & Inspection Services. County fees apply only in unincorporated areas.
What does the county permit cost?
The base building permit fee is $38.95 for jobs up to $800, then $4.19 for each extra $100 up to $2,000. Plan check, use taxes and other review fees may be added. The county has an online estimator.
More guides: Colorado water heater replacement · All local guides