Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN OAK FOREST
Oak Forest Water Heater
Replacement
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See what replacement costs ↓OAK FOREST AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Oak Forest.
Oak Forest uses an express application for small home permits. Water heaters aren't named in its 2018 fee table, but plumbing work costs $15 plus $120 in inspections and a $200 retainer. Plumbers must register with the city. The bond and fee are waived if they hold an IDPH 055 license. ComEd and Nicor Gas serve the city, and water is Chicago's Lake Michigan water bought through Oak Lawn.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Check with the city · City of Oak Forest Building Department
- Permit fee
- Water heaters aren't listed by name. The 2018 minor-improvement table lists Plumbing at $15 permit + $120 inspections + $200 refundable retainer ($335 total). Furnace or A/C installation is $175 total.
- Who gets the permit
- The owner or someone the owner authorizes signs the application. Every trade and subcontractor must be registered with the city before the permit is issued.
- Electric utility
- ComEd
- Gas utility
- Nicor Gas
- Water
- City of Oak Forest (Chicago Lake Michigan water purchased through the Village of Oak Lawn)
- Rebate worth checking
- Nicor Gas water heater rebates (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1975 (median) · 82% owner-occupied
- Companies found
- 7 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 Oak Forest averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Oak Forest
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit feeWater heaters aren't listed by name. The 2018 minor-improvement table lists Plumbing at $15 permit + $120 inspections + $200 refundable retainer ($335 total). Furnace or A/C installation is $175 total.. City of Oak Forest Building Department fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised price2 of the companies listed for Oak Forest post water heater prices or specials on their websites: A W Adams Installs LLC, Perfect Home Services. Each offer has its own conditions.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no Oak Forest average is shown.
What can change the price in Oak Forest?
If work starts without a permit, inspection and plan review fees double on the first $750 of the basic permit fee.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Oak Forest?
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 →
A W Adams Installs LLC
Lists Oak Forest among the areas it serves. Based in Steger, IL (no street address published).
- Tank
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: Coupon image on replacement page: '$60 OFF 40-Gallon Tank Water Heater Install'; also a labor-discount coupon for customer-supplied units (amount not captured)
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Thumbtack reviewers praised quick scheduling, clear explanations and honest, non-salesy assessments on water heater installs and repairs.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
4 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Abt Electronics & Appliances – Plumbing Services
Lists Oak Forest among the areas it serves. Based in 1200 N. Milwaukee, Glenview, IL 60025.
- Tank
- Tankless
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised Abt staff for following up until a multi-system project that included a tankless water heater was finished, and for handling an emergency water heater replacement.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
2 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Kevin Szabo Jr Plumbing
Lists Oak Forest among the areas it serves. Based in Tinley Park, IL (no street address published).
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Customers praised quick scheduling, clean installations with new shut-off valves, removal of the old tank, and courteous technicians.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
3 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
M/R Plumbing Air Heating Electrical
Lists Oak Forest among the areas it serves. Based in 14024 S. Cicero Ave, Crestwood, IL 60418.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Customers praised fast response when a water heater failed, same-day replacement and professional installation work.
Worth knowing A Customer Lobby reviewer (Ken J., 12/15/2024) said the work was good but the cost too high, alleging a $180 charge for a 30-minute pilot relight and $300 added to the estimate for connecting a new water heater.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Will County
Lists Oak Forest among the areas it serves. Based in 126 S Des Plaines St, Joliet IL, 60436.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback One reviewer said a technician explained the hot water heater problem plainly and fixed it right away at a reasonable price.
Worth knowing On Yelp, one reviewer (2024) said they were quoted $2,850.99 for a standard 40-gallon heater with a 6-month tank-only warranty and had it done elsewhere for $950; another (2018) said a technician broke their gas control valve and left; no company responses were captured.
3 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Perfect Home Services
Lists Oak Forest among the areas it serves. Based in 78 Eisenhower Lane N, Lombard, IL 60148.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: $49 Water Heater Flush and Safety Inspection coupon (listed as expiring Oct 31, 2026); no installed water heater prices published
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised quick same-day response, clear options and clean installs, including a replacement finished within five hours of the call.
Worth knowing On Yelp, one reviewer (2025) called a $4,000 bill for a standard tank replacement for their elderly mother predatory pricing, and another (2025) said a $60 diagnosis became $629 for a tankless unit and a $3,000 repair quote came with a week's wait; a 2018 reviewer said the installer left old vent work for them until the company returned, and the company apologized.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
ARS / Rescue Rooter (Illinois – Chicago area)
Lists Oak Forest among the areas it serves. Based in 731 District Drive, Itasca, IL 60143 (local branch of national ARS network).
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
We haven’t found reviews that mention this company’s water heater work yet.
Order: companies based in Oak Forest 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. IDPH plumber license verification ↗.
FROM COMPANIES SERVING OAK FOREST
Photos of water heater jobs from these companies.
HOMES IN OAK FOREST
What Oak Forest homes are like.
1975Median year built
63%Built before 1980
82%Owner-occupied
88%Heat with utility gas
73%Single-family homes
About 63% of homes were built before 1980. Older homes often have older venting, smaller closets and shutoff valves that should be checked before install day.
88% 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 Oak Forest.
No registration fee for plumbers
Plumbing contractors with an IDPH 055 plumbing contractor registration skip Oak Forest's contractor bond and registration fee. They still have to register and send a letter of intent.
Refundable retainers
Minor improvement permits in Oak Forest add a retainer on top of the permit and inspection fees. For plumbing it's $200.
City of Oak Forest Building Fees effective January 1, 2018 (Fee Schedule by Project) ↗
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Oak Forest homes.
Energy
- Electric: ComEd
- Gas: Nicor Gas
Water
City of Oak Forest (Chicago Lake Michigan water purchased through the Village of Oak Lawn)
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Oak Forest homes.
For ComEd and Nicor Gas customers in Oak Forest. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- Nicor Gas water heater rebates ↗Active$150 for an ENERGY STAR gas tankless water heater (UEF 0.95 or higher, 75 MBTUH or less), or $150 for an ENERGY STAR power-vented or condensing storage water heater (UEF 0.86 or higher).
- Illinois IRA Home Energy Rebates (HEAR and HOMES) ↗Not launchedIllinois EPA says its HEAR application has not yet been processed by U.S.
- Federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) ↗EndedCovered improvements made through December 31, 2025.
Checked September 30, 2026. Who qualifies and the conditions: Illinois rebates · How to check an incentive.
PERMITS & LICENSING
Permits and licenses in Oak Forest.
Permits and who issues them
Oak Forest treats small home jobs as 'minor improvement' permits. Email the express application to the Building Department with a copy of the signed contract. The city's minor improvement list has a Plumbing line but doesn't name water heaters.
Yes. Contractors register each year: $350 for a general contractor, $100 per trade for subcontractors, plus a $10,000 bond. Plumbing contractors with an IDPH 055 registration send a copy and a letter of intent, and pay no bond or fee.
City of Oak Forest Building Department ↗ · City of Oak Forest: Construction Fees ↗ · City of Oak Forest Building Fees effective January 1, 2018 (Fee Schedule by Project) ↗ · City of Oak Forest Building Permit Express Application ↗ · City of Oak Forest: Contractor Registration/Licensing ↗
Check the installer’s license
Ask for the license number and search it yourself on the IDPH plumber license verification ↗. A listing on Ember & Tank is not a license check. Illinois licensing explained →
NEARBY CITIES
Compare places near Oak Forest.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midlothian | 2 mi | Required | $105 | ComEd |
| Crestwood | 3 mi | Required | — | ComEd |
| Markham | 3 mi | Required | — | ComEd |
| Country Club Hills | 3 mi | Check with city | $10 | ComEd |
| Tinley Park | 4 mi | Required | $50 | ComEd |
| Hazel Crest | 4 mi | Required | — | ComEd |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Oak Forest water heater questions.
Does my plumber have to register with Oak Forest?
Yes. Every trade must be registered before a permit is issued. Plumbers with an IDPH 055 registration don't pay the bond or registration fee.
Where does Oak Forest's water come from?
It's Chicago's Lake Michigan water, bought through the Village of Oak Lawn.
More guides: Illinois water heater replacement · All local guides