Quick plumbing advice, plse?

I should add that the work will be done with a company we've used in the past with much satisfaction. Just wasn't expecting such high cost.

So if the water heater is $450 plus maybe $25-30 in parts, add maybe $120-150 in labor for a total of around $620ish. Add a little more for disposal, or if its in a hard to reach area.

I just replaced a toilet myself - paid less than $200 for a better than average toilet and did it in less than an hour. I was quoted $75 by a plumber to install it, so round it up to $300 for the whole thing for you.

Sounds about right, maybe just a little high.

As I understand it, it's a bit more complicated for a one-piece toilet, since that requires two people to set it. Thanks, idinspired -- that's helpful. If it's a little high, I'll guess I could live with that, b/c as I mentioned, I'm satisfied with this company's work and professionalism.

My thoughts:

Water heater: $600-700 (For a standard 40 gallon)
Toilet: $300 (standard Kohler or similar)

I think that sounds reasonable - especially since you have some experience with them. That counts for a lot.

I haven't had a h/w heater replaced in about 10 years but I do recall that the last one cost me about $525 installed.

A quality one piece toilet is considerably more expensive than a typical two piece. Additionally, if you or other household members are of average or taller height, check into a "comfort height" toilet. They sit a couple of inches higher than standard height toilets and are worth it.

As for doing it yourself, experience is a great teacher. Plumbing jobs almost ALWAYS evolve well beyond the original plan and require numerous trips to the hardware!

Maybe a little on the pricey side, but not outrageous, iluvtoledo. If I was looking to get two major projects like that done and I came in under a grand I would probably not even blink as I wrote the check.

Plumbing is the one area of home improvement I almost always farm out to professionals, since the potential for snafus is quite high (and my time is usually better spent working and making cash than trying to save $100 or so on a job that will take me 3X as long as a skilled professional).

I limit myself to the relatively simple plumbing repairs, like changing out faucet systems or replacing a drain line. Anything with natural gas I avoid like the plague: no sense in risking a gas leak and resultant explosion/fire/death to save a little green.

Thanks, everyone. I feel better (if poorer!) Not the I begrudge paying anyone an honest dollar -- just didn't know the range of reasonable cost for this work. And foodie, I'm with historymike -- I would never try my own plumbing. Waaaaay beyond my skills, and I'm not much for acquiring any new ones the hard way!

I try to learn new skills if I actually like the work, such as my recent forays with woodworking and metalworking. Unfortunately, I mostly dislike plumbing: it can be dirty (rooting around in crawlspaces and dealing with sewage) and for me the frustration of dealing with recurrent or incessant small leaks makes the many plumbing projects unenjoyable.

A year or two ago I went to change an exterior faucet and I accidentally cracked the PVC water line in the basement. The person who owned the house before me did not realize (nor did I, to be fair) that you should not use PVC to an outside faucet due to wear from contraction/expansion. Water sprayed all over the place, and my tinkering resulted in a $300 after-hours bill to fix the original project plus replacing damaged PVC back to the main (my slight pipe twisting caused leaks in four places in the jury-rigged, muliple-split PVC monstrosity the former owner left me). Yet I was happier than hell to sign the check and see pros bring this plumbing up to code.

That being said, I am 3-for-3 in my last three plumbing excursions in that I accomplished the task without a leak on the first try (one new faucet, one water line/compression fitting for a refrigerator ice cube make, and a new drain line for a bathroom vanity). In the past I was almost guaranteed to see a leak after any work I did. Still, I pretty much have no interest in furthering my meager plumbing skills, and I am wowed by people who can almost effortlessly solder copper lines or repair a leaky water line in minutes.

.... aaaannnnnnddddd that, historymike, is why i'll always call a plumber! i know from your previous posts you are a lot handier than i am, so your experience only serves to confirm my hunch about my skills.

thanks, everyone. appreciate the help!