Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN DOCTOR PHILLIPS
Doctor Phillips Water Heater
Replacement
Take a photo of your old water heater to start a replacement quote.
Get a water heater quotePhotos optional. No payment or booking.
See what replacement costs ↓DOCTOR PHILLIPS AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Doctor Phillips.
Doctor Phillips is unincorporated, so a water heater swap needs a $38 Orange County plumbing permit; power comes from Duke Energy or OUC. The Sand Lake Road area is named for citrus grower Philip Phillips, whose groves once covered today's Bay Hill and Sand Lake chain. Homes are newer and pricier than most of unincorporated Orange County: a median value near $530,000, and about 45% built since 2000 (Census estimates).
Doctor Phillips is an unincorporated community in Orange County, so county offices handle permits.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · Orange County Division of Building Safety (unincorporated Orange County)
- Permit fee
- $38 for a stand-alone water heater permit (Orange County Fee Directory, plumbing fees effective July 2025).
- Who gets the permit
- A licensed contractor, or the homeowner as owner-builder under F.S. 489.103(7)(a) after filling out Orange County's Owner Builder Disclosure Statement. The county has online instructions for owner-builders.
- Electric utility
- Duke Energy Florida or Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC)
- Gas utility
- Peoples Gas (TECO)
- Water
- Not shown in Orange County Utilities' mapped service areas around Sand Lake Road; likely OUC (which serves parts of unincorporated Orange County); confirm on your bill · If served by OUC: about 129 ppm (7 gpg) average per OUC; Orange County Utilities does not publish hardness in its 2025 report
- Rebate worth checking
- Duke Energy Florida heat pump water heater rebate (Home Energy Improvement) (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1997 (median) · 67% owner-occupied
- Companies found
- 3 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 Doctor Phillips averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Doctor Phillips
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit fee$38 for a stand-alone water heater permit (Orange County Fee Directory, plumbing fees effective July 2025).. Orange County Division of Building Safety (unincorporated Orange County) fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised price1 of the companies listed for Doctor Phillips post water heater prices or specials on their websites: Brodway Plumbing. Each offer has its own conditions.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no Doctor Phillips average is shown.
What can change the price in Doctor Phillips?
The county FAQ says a water heater swap may also need an electrical permit (at least $38). Projects over $5,000 need a recorded Notice of Commencement.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Doctor Phillips?
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 →
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Orlando
Lists Doctor Phillips among the areas it serves. Based in Orlando.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback One Yelp reviewer (2019) praised on-time, knowledgeable help with a leaking water heater, and another said a relative's water heater install and a drain service went without issue.
Worth knowing Yelp reviewers alleged a promised refund after a Dec 2025 water heater job was still unpaid after 10 months, that a tankless unit said to need replacing was fixed by a reset, and that a water heater supply line left open during other work caused water damage; no company replies to these were visible.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Brodway Plumbing
Lists Doctor Phillips among the areas it serves. Based in Kissimmee.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
Published price: Installed prices (include permit, new unit, disposal, pan and expansion tank; existing unit must be on the ground in the garage): Rheem 50 gal Performance electric (6-yr) $1,649 ($1,399 + $250 permit); AO Smith 50 gal ProLine electric (8-yr) $1,749; Rheem 50 gal Professional Classic (10-yr) $1,849; Rheem 50 gal Gladiator (12-yr) $1,949; Rheem 50 gal Hybrid Heat Pump Performance Platinum (10-yr) $3,349; Rheem 80 gal commercial light duty electric $3,749. FAQ gives a general $1,500–$4,500+ range.
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Yelp reviewers praised prompt scheduling, fair pricing compared with other quotes, knowledgeable technicians who explained maintenance, and next-day repair of a malfunctioning new hybrid unit.
Worth knowing A BBB reviewer (Nov 2025) alleged they paid $300 for permitted work with no permit or inspection and that their water heater was never serviced; Brodway responded that it initially could not verify the reviewer, later said the customer had declined to pay until notified of lien rights, and disputed the claims.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Frank Gay Services
Lists Doctor Phillips among the areas it serves. Based in Orlando.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback BBB reviewers praised water heater replacements finished within hours of the call, clean-up, and technicians who explained the equipment.
Worth knowing Two BBB complainants (2025, 2026) said Frank Gay had not obtained or closed out the county permit for a water heater install months later; the company said it was working on one and that the other customer declined access.
6 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Order: companies based in Doctor Phillips 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. DBPR license search (MyFloridaLicense) ↗.
See before-and-after replacement examples from independent companies →
HOMES IN DOCTOR PHILLIPS
What Doctor Phillips homes are like.
1997Median year built
13%Built before 1980
67%Owner-occupied
6%Heat with utility gas
71%Single-family homes
The median home was built in 1997. A first or second replacement is common in homes this age.
90% of homes heat with electricity, which usually means an electric water heater. It’s worth getting a price on a heat pump model too.
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 Doctor Phillips.
Newer, higher-value homes
About 45% of Doctor Phillips homes were built in 2000 or later, including about 9% since 2020, and almost none before 1970 (Census estimates). The median value of owner-occupied homes is about $530,000.
U.S. Census Bureau – ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates, housing tables B25024/B25034/B25035/B25040 (Census Reporter profile) ↗ · data.census.gov – community profile ↗
Gas service in some neighborhoods
About 6% of households heat with utility gas, more than in Pine Hills or Oak Ridge. Where there's a gas line, a gas tank or tankless heater is an option, but it needs Orange County's separate gas permit.
U.S. Census Bureau – ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates, housing tables B25024/B25034/B25035/B25040 (Census Reporter profile) ↗ · data.census.gov – community profile ↗ · Orange County Fee Directory (PDF) ↗
A third of homes are rented
About 33% of Doctor Phillips households rent (Census estimates), and only about 56% of homes are detached houses. In anything other than a single-family home or duplex, Florida law makes hot water the landlord's job unless the lease says otherwise.
U.S. Census Bureau – ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates, housing tables B25024/B25034/B25035/B25040 (Census Reporter profile) ↗ · data.census.gov – community profile ↗
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Doctor Phillips homes.
Energy
- Electric: Duke Energy Florida or Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) (Both serve unincorporated Orange County; check your bill or address, since we didn't confirm the boundary here)
- Gas: Peoples Gas (TECO) (Peoples Gas lists unincorporated Orange County; most Florida homes have electric water heaters)
OUC petition to Florida PSC, Docket 20200107-EM (service area) ↗ · Florida PSC map: approximate investor-owned electric utility service areas (2024) ↗ · Peoples Gas tariff Sheet 6.101, counties and communities served ↗
Water
Not shown in Orange County Utilities' mapped service areas around Sand Lake Road; likely OUC (which serves parts of unincorporated Orange County); confirm on your bill: If served by OUC: about 129 ppm (7 gpg) average per OUC; Orange County Utilities does not publish hardness in its 2025 report
Orange County Utilities 2025 Annual Drinking Water Report (service area map p. 10) ↗ · OUC Water page and FAQ (hardness) ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Doctor Phillips homes.
For Duke Energy Florida or Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) and Peoples Gas (TECO) customers in Doctor Phillips. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- Duke Energy Florida heat pump water heater rebate (Home Energy Improvement) ↗Active$500 for a 50-gallon or $800 for an 80-gallon ENERGY STAR heat pump (hybrid) water heater with a UEF of at least 3.3.
- Peoples Gas residential water heating rebates ↗ActiveNatural gas tank water heater: $350 gas-to-gas or $550 electric-to-gas ($400 / $650 for ENERGY STAR tanks).
- Federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) ↗EndedCovered improvements made through December 31, 2025.
Checked September 30, 2026. Who qualifies and the conditions: Florida rebates · How to check an incentive.
PERMITS & LICENSING
Permits and licenses in Doctor Phillips.
Permits and who issues them
Orange County's permit FAQ says a water heater replacement needs a plumbing permit and possibly an electrical permit. Get the plumbing permit on the county's Fast Track online system. At minimum, the job must pass a final inspection.
State-licensed contractors can get permits. Orange County also issues local competency cards for locally licensed trades (first contractor or master certification $69).
Orange County Division of Building Safety (unincorporated Orange County) ↗ · Orange County: Do I need a permit? ↗ · Orange County: Plumbing Permit ↗ · Orange County Fee Directory (plumbing fees effective July 2025) ↗
Check the installer’s license
Ask for the license number and search it yourself on the DBPR license search (MyFloridaLicense) ↗. A listing on Ember & Tank is not a license check. Florida licensing explained →
NEARBY CITIES
Compare places near Doctor Phillips.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Ridge | 5 mi | Required (county) | $38 | Duke Energy Florida or Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) |
| Lake Butler | 5 mi | Required (county) | $38 | Duke Energy Florida or Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) |
| Hunters Creek | 7 mi | Required (county) | $38 | Duke Energy Florida |
| Pine Castle | 7 mi | Required (county) | $38 | Duke Energy Florida or Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) |
| Horizon West | 7 mi | Required (county) | $38, | Duke Energy Florida, OUC (Orlando Utilities Commission) |
| Southchase | 8 mi | Required (county) | $38, | Duke Energy Florida or Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Doctor Phillips water heater questions.
Is Doctor Phillips part of Orlando?
No. It's unincorporated, so Orange County issues the water heater permit.
Orange County – Do I need a permit? ↗ · Wikipedia – Dr. Phillips, Florida ↗
Can I switch to a gas or tankless water heater?
Only if there's a gas line; about 6% of homes here heat with utility gas. Switching to gas needs a county gas permit on top of the plumbing permit.
U.S. Census Bureau – ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates, housing tables B25024/B25034/B25035/B25040 (Census Reporter profile) ↗ · data.census.gov – community profile ↗ · Orange County Fee Directory (PDF) ↗
More guides: Florida water heater replacement · All local guides