Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN LAKEWOOD
Lakewood, WA Water Heater
Replacement
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LAKEWOOD AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Lakewood.
In Lakewood, a water heater permit costs $34 to issue plus $12 for the water heater and vent, plus a 4% technology fee and possibly a $90 administrative base fee (2025 schedule). Depending on your street, electricity comes from Lakeview Light & Power, Tacoma Power or PSE. Water comes from the Lakewood Water District's wells.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · City of Lakewood Planning and Public Works (Permit Center)
- Permit fee
- From the plumbing equipment schedule: $34 to issue plus $12 for each water heater and vent, plus a 4% technology fee. A $90 administrative base fee applies to every type of permit application; mechanical permits are exempt from it, plumbing permits aren't. This is the 2025 fee schedule as revised by Resolution 2025-07 (May 5, 2025); we didn't find a 2026 schedule online.
- Electric utility
- Lakeview Light & Power, Tacoma Power and Puget Sound Energy
- Gas utility
- Puget Sound Energy
- Water
- Lakewood Water District (groundwater wells)
- Rebate worth checking
- Lakeview Light & Power heat pump water heater rebate (Active)
- Typical home
- Built 1975 (median) · 48% owner-occupied
- Companies found
- 11 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 Lakewood averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Lakewood
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit feeFrom the plumbing equipment schedule: $34 to issue plus $12 for each water heater and vent, plus a 4% technology fee. A $90 administrative base fee applies to every type of permit application; mechanical permits are exempt from it, plumbing permits aren't. This is the 2025 fee schedule as revised by Resolution 2025-07 (May 5, 2025); we didn't find a 2026 schedule online.. City of Lakewood Planning and Public Works (Permit Center) fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised price1 of the companies listed for Lakewood post water heater prices or specials on their websites: Harts Plumbers, Electricians, & HVAC Technicians. Each offer has its own conditions.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no Lakewood average is shown.
What can change the price in Lakewood?
Gas piping is $12 for 1 to 5 outlets and $3 for each extra outlet. For a new circuit, Tacoma Power issues the electrical permit if it's your utility; elsewhere in the city, Washington L&I does.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Lakewood?
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 →
Beacon Plumbing, Heating & Electric
Lists Lakewood among the areas it serves. Based in Seattle.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Yelp reviewers praised quick response, same-day or next-day water heater replacement, and a technician willing to repair an 11-year-old tankless unit.
Worth knowing BBB complainants disputed a water heater replacement price paid under emergency conditions and a $2,000 deposit largely kept after a verbally cancelled water heater job (Beacon said its contract terms, including written cancellation, were clearly stated), and a Yelp reviewer called $5,700 for a 50-gallon gas tank double what he expected.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Bob Larson Plumbing
Lists Lakewood among the areas it serves. Based in Tacoma.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Customers praised same-day water heater service, knowledgeable technicians and a clean tankless installation.
Worth knowing A reviewer on BBB and Yelp said elderly parents were charged $7,779.14 for a gas tank without an itemized invoice (the company said three estimates were presented, including a $4,025.85 basic option), and a BBB complainant's warrantied tankless heater kept shutting off until the complaint was marked resolved with the company fixing it.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Brennan Heating & Air Conditioning
Lists Lakewood among the areas it serves. Based in Seattle.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback No water heater-specific praise was found in the sources checked.
Worth knowing A BBB complainant said a gas tank was installed facing the wrong way, blocking access to controls (Brennan apologized and scheduled a return visit to rotate it), and Yelp reviewers described a delayed Costco-sourced install and a later diagnosis they disputed.
3 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Fast Water Heater Co. (Washington)
Lists Lakewood among the areas it serves. Based in Woodinville.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised punctual, communicative technicians, quick scheduling and a competitively priced replacement.
Worth knowing BBB complainants and a Yelp reviewer said code items were sold as add-ons after a basic quote and that installs failed inspection or permits lingered; the company says it walks customers through a signed code checklist, and in several cases refunded charges or did the code work free.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Harts Plumbers, Electricians, & HVAC Technicians
Lists Lakewood among the areas it serves. Based in Tacoma.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
Published price: Promos (no base price): $100 off a standard water heater (or $39/month financing); $250 off a tankless water heater (or $199/month financing); 5% Heroes Discount up to $200.
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Yelp reviewers praised technicians who flushed water heaters and explained maintenance clearly.
Worth knowing BBB reviewers and complainants said technicians recommended whole-house repipes or new tanks for water heater problems that other plumbers fixed cheaply (Harts denied any fraudulent practice and offered manager follow-up), and one disputed $2,500 for a tankless flush and diagnosis that did not fix the issue.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Hunt's Services
Lists Lakewood among the areas it serves. Based in Milton.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised same-day emergency water heater replacements and a technician who also corrected code issues at a reasonable price.
Worth knowing BBB reviewers said a tankless flush ended in a paid replacement without the promised phone controller (Hunt's said a controller is typically an optional upgrade) and that a $10,000 boiler hot water tank replacement left them without hot water.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Tacoma
Lists Lakewood among the areas it serves. Based in Tacoma.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback A customer praised next-day service with a new hot water heater installed by 11am.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
1 water heater review read, checked September 30, 2026.
Puget Sound Plumbing & Heating
Lists Lakewood among the areas it serves. Based in Burien.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised fast response to a leaking water heater, fair pricing and dispatch updates on arrival times.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
3 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Convenient Water Heaters & Plumbing
Lists Lakewood among the areas it serves. Based in Graham.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
What the reviews say
We haven’t found reviews that mention this company’s water heater work yet.
Home Comfort Alliance
Lists Lakewood among the areas it serves. Based in Sumner.
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
What the reviews say
We haven’t found reviews that mention this company’s water heater work yet.
Also listing Lakewood: Rainier View Plumbing & Rooter.
Order: companies based in Lakewood 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. L&I Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business ↗.
FROM COMPANIES SERVING LAKEWOOD
Photos of water heater jobs from these companies.
HOMES IN LAKEWOOD
What Lakewood homes are like.
1975Median year built
59%Built before 1980
48%Owner-occupied
29%Heat with utility gas
51%Single-family homes
About 59% of homes were built before 1980. Older homes often have older venting, smaller closets and shutoff valves that should be checked before install day.
67% of homes heat with electricity, which usually means an electric water heater. It’s worth getting a price on a heat pump model too.
Only 48% of homes are owner-occupied. Renters should ask the landlord or property manager; replacing the heater is usually the owner’s decision.
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 Lakewood.
Three different electric utilities
Lakewood is split among Lakeview Light & Power, Tacoma Power and Puget Sound Energy. Your utility decides which heat pump water heater rebate you can get (Lakeview pays $1,400 to $1,800). If you're on Tacoma Power, it also issues your electrical permit. The City has a map of electric providers on its utilities page.
City of Lakewood: Local Utilities ↗ · L&I: city electrical permits and inspections ↗
Skipping the permit doubles the fee
If plumbing or mechanical work is done without an approved permit, Lakewood charges double the fee.
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Lakewood homes.
Energy
- Electric: Lakeview Light & Power (Serves one part of Lakewood)
- Electric: Tacoma Power (Serves another part of Lakewood)
- Electric: Puget Sound Energy (Serves part of Lakewood; the City posts a map of who serves where)
- Gas: Puget Sound Energy
Water
Lakewood Water District (groundwater wells)
City of Lakewood: Local Utilities ↗ · Lakewood Water District 2026 (2025 data) Water Quality Report (PDF) ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Lakewood homes.
For Lakeview Light & Power, Tacoma Power and Puget Sound Energy customers in Lakewood. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- Lakeview Light & Power heat pump water heater rebate ↗ActiveLakeview customers get $1,400 to $1,800 back on a heat pump water heater from BPA's qualified product list.
- Tacoma Power hybrid water heater rebate ↗Active$500 rebate when a Tacoma Power customer replaces a standard electric water heater with a BPA Tier 3 or 4 hybrid (heat pump) model, contractor or self-installed.
- PSE heat pump water heater rebate ↗Active$1,000 back on a qualifying Tier 3 or Tier 4 heat pump water heater installed on or after January 1, 2026.
- Washington HEAR (Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates) ↗ActiveState-run program covering heat pump water heaters, heat pumps, induction cooking and electrical upgrades for households at or below 150% of Area Median Income.
- IRA Home Energy Rebates (HARP appliance rebates and HOMES) ↗Not launchedThe federally funded appliance (HARP) and whole-house (HOMES) rebates for households up to 150% AMI had not launched statewide.
- Federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) ↗EndedCovered improvements made through December 31, 2025.
Checked September 30, 2026. Who qualifies and the conditions: Washington rebates · How to check an incentive.
PERMITS & LICENSING
Permits and licenses in Lakewood.
Permits and who issues them
Lakewood's permit guidance says ordinary repairs don't include replacing or moving water, gas or vent piping, or mechanical work that affects public safety. Those need permits under the Uniform Plumbing Code and International Mechanical Code. Equipment replacements are charged from a plumbing schedule that has a line for each water heater and vent. Apply on the City's Online Permit Center.
City of Lakewood Planning and Public Works (Permit Center) ↗ · Lakewood B4: Do I Need a Building Permit? (rev. May 20, 2025) ↗ · Lakewood 2025 Fee Schedule, Resolution 2025-07 (PDF) ↗ · Lakewood Permit Center ↗ · L&I: cities and utilities that issue their own electrical permits ↗
Check the installer’s license
Ask for the license number and search it yourself on the L&I Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business ↗. A listing on Ember & Tank is not a license check. Washington licensing explained →
NEARBY CITIES
Compare places near Lakewood.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University Place | 4 mi | Required | $32.40 | Tacoma Power |
| Parkland | 5 mi | Required (county) | $58 | Parkland Light & Water Company, Tacoma Power |
| Spanaway | 7 mi | Required (county) | $86 | Tacoma Power, Elmhurst Mutual Power & Light |
| Tacoma | 7 mi | Required | By job value (from $180) | Tacoma Power |
| Puyallup | 11 mi | Required | $40 | Puget Sound Energy |
| Artondale | 11 mi | Required (county) | $86 | Peninsula Light Company |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Lakewood water heater questions.
Which electric utility serves my Lakewood home?
Lakeview Light & Power, Tacoma Power or Puget Sound Energy. The City's utilities page links to a map showing which one serves you.
How much is a water heater permit in Lakewood?
Under the 2025 schedule, $34 to issue plus $12 for the water heater and vent, and a 4% technology fee. A $90 administrative base fee may be added.
Does Lakeview Light & Power offer a water heater rebate?
Yes. Lakeview pays $1,400 to $1,800 for a heat pump water heater on BPA's qualified product list.
More guides: Washington water heater replacement · All local guides