Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN LIVE OAK
Live Oak Water Heater
Replacement
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See what replacement costs ↓LIVE OAK AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Live Oak.
Live Oak lists water heater replacement as work that needs a permit. A plumbing repair or replacement permit is $60. If you skip it, you pay double the fee or $750, whichever is more. You can pull your own permit if the home is your homestead. CPS Energy supplies power, and water comes from the city or SAWS, depending on your address.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · City of Live Oak Permits & Inspections
- Permit fee
- $60 plumbing repair/replacement permit (city code Appendix C fee schedule, current Municode edition; adoption date not shown).
- Who gets the permit
- A contractor registered with the City of Live Oak (licensed trades show an active license), or a homeowner with a homestead exemption doing their own work.
- Electric utility
- CPS Energy
- Gas utility
- CPS Energy
- Water
- City of Live Oak (about two-thirds of residents, Edwards Aquifer wells); SAWS serves most of the rest
- Typical home
- Built 1990 (median) · 58% 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 Live Oak averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Live Oak
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit fee$60 plumbing repair/replacement permit (city code Appendix C fee schedule, current Municode edition; adoption date not shown).. City of Live Oak Permits & Inspections fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised price4 of the companies listed for Live Oak post water heater prices or specials on their websites: George Plumbing, Goettl Air Conditioning and Plumbing (San Antonio), Jon Wayne Service Company, Mr. Plumber (San Antonio). Each offer has its own conditions.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no Live Oak average is shown.
What can change the price in Live Oak?
Replacing a water softener, electrical equipment or HVAC also needs a permit. Work without a permit costs double the fee or $750 per trade, whichever is more. Not posting your permit is a $50 fine.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Live Oak?
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 →
George Plumbing
Lists Live Oak among the areas it serves. Based in San Antonio.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: Special: '$300 Off Any Tankless Water Heater Installation OR 12-Month Same-As-Cash Financing' (specials page shows expiration dates of 09/30/2026 on offers; not combinable).
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised clear repair-or-replace options, punctual crews and careful work, including a replacement that fixed a previously botched install.
Worth knowing A 2023 Yelp reviewer blamed pipe quality for corrosion and a leak on a 2019 install; the owner replied that it had advised them to use another company.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 29, 2026.
Goettl Air Conditioning and Plumbing (San Antonio)
Lists Live Oak among the areas it serves. Based in San Antonio.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: Specials on water heater page: 'Save 10% off a brand new tankless water heater'; '$599 Water Heater Renewal Special' (relief valve check, flush, anode rod and drain valve replacement); '$129 Plumbing Rejuuuvenation' tank flush with plumbing inspection; 5% discounts for first responders, seniors 65+ and military/veterans.
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised tankless conversions, quick repairs and well-explained options on water heater visits.
Worth knowing A BBB complainant said a tankless water heater failed daily for five days after technicians had trouble programming it, and objected to what they described as a $21,000 overpayment.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 29, 2026.
Jon Wayne Service Company
Lists Live Oak among the areas it serves. Based in San Antonio.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
Published price: Tank water heater installation 'you can expect it to start at $2,372' (estimate; varies). Coupon page: 'Get a Free Water Heater Included When You Purchase Qualifying Systems'.
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback BBB reviewers praised professional installation and maintenance, and one said the technician advised that a 20-year-old heater could keep running.
Worth knowing Yelp reviewers said Jon Wayne would not work with a manufacturer's warranty on a heater it had installed (2026), quoted $2,400 to install a customer-supplied heater (2020), and pushed a roughly $8,000 tankless system during a pump repair (2019).
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 29, 2026.
Mr. Plumber (San Antonio)
Lists Live Oak among the areas it serves. Based in San Antonio.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
Published price: 'For Limited Time: Take $250* Off a New Tankless Water Heater OR Get $150 Off* a New Tank Water Heater' (*restrictions apply).
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback A reviewer praised a technician who installed a new water heater and water softener.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
1 water heater review read, checked September 29, 2026.
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup (San Antonio)
Lists Live Oak among the areas it serves. Based in San Antonio.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised a technician's advice on a water heater problem and fast after-hours help with a leaking expansion tank.
Worth knowing Yelp reviewers raised a 2026 permit delay that left them without hot water, a 2016 installation another plumber said would fail inspection, and a $587 pressure-valve charge.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 29, 2026.
San Antonio Plumbing Company
Lists Live Oak among the areas it serves. Based in Helotes.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised courteous technicians, quick scheduling and help coordinating a warranty-company water heater replacement.
Worth knowing Yelp reviewers described a 2020 $4,100 quote for a 75-gallon gas heater without an itemized receipt, return visits after hot and cold lines were swapped, and a 2024 heater left unplugged.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 29, 2026.
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback A maintenance-plan customer praised reliable scheduling, arrival calls and thorough technicians on visits that included their water heater.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
1 water heater review read, checked September 29, 2026.
Order: companies based in Live Oak 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. Texas plumbing license lookup ↗.
FROM COMPANIES SERVING LIVE OAK
Photos of water heater jobs from these companies.
HOMES IN LIVE OAK
What Live Oak homes are like.
1990Median year built
33%Built before 1980
58%Owner-occupied
34%Heat with utility gas
70%Single-family homes
The median home was built in 1990. A first or second replacement is common in homes this age.
65% 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 Live Oak.
Big penalty for skipping the permit
Live Oak charges double the permit fee or a $750 fine per trade, whichever is more, for work started without a permit.
Two water systems
About two-thirds of Live Oak gets city water, and SAWS serves most of the rest, so water hardness depends on your address.
HOA approval is separate
The city doesn't enforce HOA rules. If you're in an HOA neighborhood, check the deed restrictions before you start.
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Live Oak homes.
Energy
- Electric: CPS Energy (Owned by the City of San Antonio; there's no choosing another electricity company here)
- Gas: CPS Energy
City of Live Oak: Utility Information (Internet Archive snapshot, Sept. 2018) ↗ · City of Live Oak: Community Data - Utilities (Internet Archive snapshot, Aug. 2018) ↗
Water
City of Live Oak (about two-thirds of residents, Edwards Aquifer wells); SAWS serves most of the rest
Live Oak: Find My Water Provider ↗ · Live Oak 2025 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Live Oak homes.
For CPS Energy customers in Live Oak. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- Federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) ↗EndedCovered improvements made through December 31, 2025.
Checked September 29, 2026. Who qualifies and the conditions: Texas rebates · How to check an incentive.
PERMITS & LICENSING
Permits and licenses in Live Oak.
Permits and who issues them
Live Oak lists installing or replacing a water heater as work that needs a permit before it starts. Apply in the city's MGO Connect portal. Inspections requested by 3:30 pm are done the next business day.
Yes. All contractors and trades must register with the city. The yearly fee is $100.
City of Live Oak Permits & Inspections ↗ · Live Oak Permits & Inspections ↗ · Live Oak Permits & Inspections FAQ ↗ · Live Oak Code Appendix C fee schedule (Municode) ↗
Check the installer’s license
Ask for the license number and search it yourself on the Texas plumbing license lookup ↗. A listing on Ember & Tank is not a license check. Texas licensing explained →
NEARBY CITIES
Compare places near Live Oak.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Universal City | 2 mi | Required | $110 | CPS Energy, GVEC |
| Selma | 3 mi | Required | $75 | CPS Energy, GVEC, Reliant Energy (Entex) |
| Converse | 4 mi | Check with city | $100 | CPS Energy |
| Schertz | 5 mi | Required | $60 | Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative (GVEC), CPS Energy, New Braunfels Utilities |
| Cibolo | 7 mi | Required | $75 | Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative (GVEC) |
| San Antonio | 13 mi | Required | $57.50 | CPS Energy (City of San Antonio-owned) |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Live Oak water heater questions.
Do I need a permit to replace my water heater in Live Oak?
Yes. Installing or replacing a water heater is on Live Oak's list of work that needs a permit.
How much is it?
$60 for a plumbing repair or replacement permit.
Can I pull the permit myself?
Yes, if you have a homestead exemption and do the work yourself.
More guides: Texas water heater replacement · All local guides