Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN OAK HILLS
Oak Hills Water Heater
Replacement
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See what replacement costs ↓OAK HILLS AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Oak Hills.
Oak Hills is unincorporated, so water heater permits come from Washington County, not Beaverton. It began as a 1965 planned community north of the Sunset Highway: the first ten houses were done in May 1965, about 650 homes were laid out on roughly 250 acres, and builder Robert Rummer designed 29 of them. The original neighborhood is now the Oak Hills Historic District on the National Register, run by the Oak Hills Homeowners Association. Newer apartments and subdivisions fill the rest of the area.
Oak Hills is an unincorporated community in Washington County, so county offices handle permits.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · Washington County Land Use & Transportation, Building Services (unincorporated area)
- Permit fee
- The water heater line is $37 (FY 2026-27 schedule, effective 7/1/2026), but the $236 minimum permit fee applies. Add the 12% state surcharge and it comes to about $264.32.
- Who gets the permit
- In a one- or two-family home, the owner can do the plumbing or hire a licensed plumbing contractor. No one else can (not a friend, tenant or general contractor) unless they're a licensed plumber working for a licensed plumbing contractor.
- Electric utility
- Portland General Electric
- Gas utility
- NW Natural
- Water
- Likely Tualatin Valley Water District (not confirmed for Oak Hills) · Soft: TVWD's Joint Water Commission water is about 34 ppm (2 grains per gallon), and its Portland water is 6–11 ppm (under 1). Mixing in summer groundwater and stored well water can raise it slightly (TVWD System Water Chemistry page, checked 2026).
- Rebate worth checking
- Energy Trust heat pump water heater incentive (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1989 (median) · 62% 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 Oak Hills 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 Hills
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit feeThe water heater line is $37 (FY 2026-27 schedule, effective 7/1/2026), but the $236 minimum permit fee applies. Add the 12% state surcharge and it comes to about $264.32.. Washington County Land Use & Transportation, Building Services (unincorporated area) fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised price2 of the companies listed for Oak Hills post water heater prices or specials on their websites: Cornel's Plumbing, Heating & Air, Mr. Rooter Plumbing of West Portland. Each offer has its own conditions.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no Oak Hills average is shown.
What can change the price in Oak Hills?
The county FAQ says changing pipes inside walls, ceilings or floors, or moving plumbing in a remodel, also needs a permit. County pages didn't confirm when gas or electrical work needs a permit.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Oak Hills?
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 →
Cornel's Plumbing, Heating & Air
Lists Oak Hills among the areas it serves. Based in Portland.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: Coupons: 'Water Heater Installation – $250 Off' and 'Full Water Heater Inspection' $89 (reg. $149); both expire September 30, 2026; cannot be combined. No base installed prices published.
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Testimonials praised a fast, polite replacement crew and a tankless service technician who explained the work and documented it with photos and video.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
2 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
What the reviews say
We haven’t found reviews that mention this company’s water heater work yet.
Mr. Rooter Plumbing of West Portland
Lists Oak Hills among the areas it serves.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: Coupon: '$200 Off Water Heater Installation' (valid toward qualifying water heater installation; expires 01/31/2027). No base installed prices published.
What the reviews say
We haven’t found reviews that mention this company’s water heater work yet.
Order: companies based in Oak Hills 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. Oregon CCB license search ↗.
See before-and-after replacement examples from independent companies →
HOMES IN OAK HILLS
What Oak Hills homes are like.
1989Median year built
27%Built before 1980
62%Owner-occupied
63%Heat with utility gas
72%Single-family homes
The median home was built in 1989. A first or second replacement is common in homes this age.
63% 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 Hills.
A 1965 planned neighborhood, now a historic district
The original Oak Hills plan, bounded by the Sunset Highway, West Union Road, NW 174th and NW 143rd, has about 627 single-family homes built from 1965 on. It was listed as the Oak Hills Historic District in 2013. Being on the National Register doesn't by itself mean you need permission for a water heater, but outside changes like a new wall vent or an outdoor heat pump unit should go past the Oak Hills Homeowners Association first.
Ask: Will anything new be visible outside, such as a vent termination or condensate line?
Wikipedia – Oak Hills, Oregon (1965 planned community, Rummer homes, 2013 historic district) ↗
Rummer houses and tight utility space
Robert Rummer's 29 Oak Hills houses are mid-century modern designs. In these and other original homes, the heater may sit in a utility closet or a corner of the garage, not a basement. Oregon requires a replacement to be strapped for earthquakes, raised if it's gas-fired in a garage, and fitted with relief-valve and expansion protection, which can be hard to fit in a space built around a 1960s tank.
Wikipedia – Oak Hills, Oregon (1965 planned community, Rummer homes, 2013 historic district) ↗ · Oregon BCD statewide interpretation – replacing an existing water heater (strapping, garage elevation, expansion) ↗
Beyond the original plan: 1980s to 2000s homes
Only about 627 of the area's roughly 4,300 to 4,500 homes are in the original planned neighborhood. Census estimates show a quarter of homes in buildings with five or more units, and most were built from the 1980s through the 2000s. Their heaters are on their first or second replacement, and renters should go through the landlord.
Wikipedia – Oak Hills, Oregon (1965 planned community, Rummer homes, 2013 historic district) ↗ · Census Reporter – Oak Hills units-in-structure, year-built and heating-fuel tables (ACS 2020–2024) ↗
Most homes use gas
About 63% of Oak Hills households heat with NW Natural gas. Most swaps are gas tank for gas tank, and switching to a heat pump model needs its own county electrical permit.
Census Reporter – Oak Hills units-in-structure, year-built and heating-fuel tables (ACS 2020–2024) ↗ · Washington County – Building Services FAQ ↗
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Oak Hills homes.
Energy
- Electric: Portland General Electric
- Gas: NW Natural
Oregon Department of Energy – Oregon electric utility service areas (ArcGIS layer) ↗ · NW Natural – About NW Natural ↗
Water
Likely Tualatin Valley Water District (not confirmed for Oak Hills): Soft: TVWD's Joint Water Commission water is about 34 ppm (2 grains per gallon), and its Portland water is 6–11 ppm (under 1). Mixing in summer groundwater and stored well water can raise it slightly (TVWD System Water Chemistry page, checked 2026).
TVWD – Service Area Maps ↗ · TVWD – System Water Chemistry ↗ · TVWD – FAQ: hardness with Willamette water ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Oak Hills homes.
For Portland General Electric and NW Natural customers in Oak Hills. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- Energy Trust heat pump water heater incentive ↗Active$1,200 for a Tier 3 or higher heat pump water heater installed by a licensed contractor in an existing home, applied as an instant discount through the distributor.
- Energy Trust gas tankless water heater incentive ↗Active$400 for an ENERGY STAR gas tankless water heater that replaces an existing gas storage tank water heater.
- Oregon Home Energy Rebates (IRA HEAR and HOMES) ↗Not launchedOregon received over $113 million for the two federal rebate programs, but ODOE says no rebates are currently available and there is no application opening date.
- Federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) ↗EndedCovered improvements made through December 31, 2025.
Checked September 30, 2026. Who qualifies and the conditions: Oregon rebates · How to check an incentive.
PERMITS & LICENSING
Permits and licenses in Oak Hills.
Permits and who issues them
Washington County's Building Services FAQ says you need a permit to replace a water heater in unincorporated areas. Submit the FY 2026-27 county plumbing permit application to Building Services at 155 N First Ave., Hillsboro (503-846-3470), and call 503-846-3699 for inspections.
The plumbing contractor needs Oregon Construction Contractors Board registration, and the journeyman plumber on the job needs a license.
Washington County Land Use & Transportation, Building Services (unincorporated area) ↗ · Washington County – Building Services FAQ ↗ · Washington County – Plumbing Permit Application FY 2026-27 (PDF) ↗ · Washington County – Building Services Fee Schedule FY 2026-27 (PDF) ↗
Check the installer’s license
Ask for the license number and search it yourself on the Oregon CCB license search ↗. A listing on Ember & Tank is not a license check. Oregon licensing explained →
NEARBY CITIES
Compare places near Oak Hills.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethany | 1 mi | Required (county) | $37, | Portland General Electric |
| Cedar Mill | 2 mi | Required (county) | $37, | Portland General Electric |
| Aloha | 4 mi | Required (county) | $37 | Portland General Electric |
| Beaverton | 4 mi | Required | $27.83 | Portland General Electric |
| Hillsboro | 5 mi | Required | $35.40 | Portland General Electric |
| Tigard | 9 mi | Required | $37.52 | Portland General Electric |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Oak Hills water heater questions.
My address says Beaverton. Does Beaverton issue the permit?
No. Oak Hills has Beaverton mailing addresses but is unincorporated, so Washington County Building Services issues the plumbing permit.
Wikipedia – Oak Hills, Oregon (1965 planned community, Rummer homes, 2013 historic district) ↗ · Washington County – Building Services FAQ ↗
Does the historic district designation affect a water heater replacement?
The 2013 National Register listing covers the original 1965 neighborhood, but replacing an indoor heater with the same type is just a county plumbing permit. Check with the Oak Hills Homeowners Association before any outside change.
Wikipedia – Oak Hills, Oregon (1965 planned community, Rummer homes, 2013 historic district) ↗
How much does it cost?
The county's $236 minimum plumbing permit fee applies, plus the 12% state surcharge: about $264.32 in FY 2026-27.
More guides: Oregon water heater replacement · All local guides