What should be included in a water heater replacement quote?

Include the existing heater details, replacement model and capacity, permit and inspection handling, T&P discharge work, drain pan and pan drain plan, expansion tank decision, seismic strapping or anchoring, gas or electrical scope, venting or condensate scope, exclusions, haul-away, startup, warranty handoff, and customer sign-off.

Does every water heater replacement need a permit?

No single national answer applies. Permit requirements are local and can depend on heater type, fuel, location, whether piping is rearranged, whether gas or electrical work changes, and whether the unit is tankless, heat pump, commercial, or relocated. Check the authority having jurisdiction before quoting the work as permit-free.

Is an expansion tank always required with a new water heater?

Not always. Expansion control is usually tied to closed-system conditions such as a check valve, backflow preventer, or pressure reducing valve, plus the adopted code and local inspection rules. The quote should document water pressure, closed-system clues, the expansion tank size and support, and whether PRV or pressure correction is excluded.

Can the T&P relief valve discharge pipe go anywhere convenient?

No. The discharge route must follow the adopted code, local inspection rules, manufacturer instructions, and safety requirements. The quote should identify missing, hidden, reduced, trapped, valved, capped, threaded, or poorly terminated discharge piping before the customer approves the replacement.

Should a drain pan be included on every replacement?

A drain pan is often required where leakage can damage the building, but the real quote issue is the drain route. A pan without an approved drain may not solve the leak risk. The quote should say whether the pan, pan drain, and drain routing are included, excluded, existing, or impossible without added work.

Are seismic straps required everywhere?

No single national answer applies. UPC jurisdictions, California rules, local amendments, manufacturer instructions, and inspection practice can all affect anchoring requirements. The quote should say whether bracing, straps, backing, blocking, or anchoring hardware are included for the actual jurisdiction and installation.

What makes a heat pump water heater quote different?

A heat pump water heater quote needs room volume or airflow, condensate drainage, filter access, electrical circuit details, sound/location notes, operating-mode expectations, and any ducting, condensate pump, or panel work. Treat it as an equipment installation, not only a tank swap.

Can a shop quote a water heater replacement from customer photos only?

Only as a preliminary quote. Photos can support intake, but final pricing should be conditional until the shop verifies access, rating plate, T&P discharge, pan drain, expansion-control need, venting or electrical details, permit path, and any finished-surface work that could change the scope.

Water Heater Replacement Quote Checklist

Write a water heater replacement quote that covers permits, T&P discharge, drain pans, seismic straps, expansion tanks, access, exclusions, and sign-off.

Article

Most water heater replacements are sold like a simple swap.

The old tank leaks. The customer wants hot water back. The shop gives a price, sends a truck, and hopes the job is as ordinary as the phone call sounded.

Then the technician finds the expensive part of the job:

the water heater is in a finished closet with no usable pan drain;
the old temperature-and-pressure (T&P) discharge line disappears into a wall;
the house has a pressure reducing valve and no expansion tank;
the garage installation needs impact protection or a different stand;
the gas vent connector is wrong for the new appliance;
the customer expected a same-day replacement, but the city requires a permit and inspection;
the replacement is really a gas-to-electric or tank-to-heat-pump conversion;
the final invoice includes code upgrades that were never explained in the quote.

The fix is not to write a legal essay for every 40-gallon tank. It is to build the plumbing quote estimate around the parts of the job that actually change the price, inspection outcome, and customer expectation.

A water heater replacement quote should connect the work request intake, site assessment checklist, plumbing inspection report, work order, change order, and final completion sign-off. The quote sells the work. The attached notes prove what the customer approved before the old tank came out.

Start with the actual replacement type

"Replace water heater" is not enough scope.

The quote should state the exact replacement category:

Replacement type	Quote issue to catch before pricing
Same fuel, same location, similar size	Still verify permit, T&P discharge, drain pan and pan drain, expansion tank, venting, bracing or anchoring where required, access, and clearance.
Gas tank to gas tank	Check gas shutoff, sediment trap, vent connector, combustion air, draft, garage elevation or listing, and gas line changes.
Electric tank to electric tank	Check electrical disconnect, wire size, breaker, bonding, working clearance, and whether the old circuit matches the new unit.
Tank to tankless	Treat as a different project: venting, gas sizing or electrical load, condensate, flush valves, clearances, and manufacturer instructions.
Tank to heat pump water heater	Check room volume, airflow, condensate, noise, filter access, electrical circuit, and customer operating expectations.
Relocation	Price plumbing, electrical, gas, venting, condensate, platform, structural opening, patching, and inspection as added scope.
Emergency leak replacement	Quote stabilization, water shutoff, haul-away, dry-out exclusions, and follow-up inspection separately.

City permit pages show why this matters. Kirkland, Washington's public guidance says replacing a water heater requires at least one permit, and the permit type depends on the heater type and related work. A gas replacement, electric replacement, gas-line cap, electrical conversion, opened wall, or rerouted piping can trigger different permit tracks. Other cities handle this differently, but the quoting lesson is the same: do not promise "simple replacement" until you know what kind of replacement the job really is.

On the general work request intake, capture:

current heater type, fuel, gallon size, age, model, serial number, and location;
leak status, whether water is shut off, and whether the unit is still safe to operate;
photos of the heater, rating plate, vent, T&P pipe, pan and pan drain, nearby drain, shutoff valves, gas or electrical connection, and access path;
whether the customer wants the same type or is asking about tankless, heat pump, larger capacity, or relocation;
permit jurisdiction, HOA or condo rule, landlord approval, and inspection access;
finished surfaces, stairs, tight closets, attic access, crawl access, parking, and disposal route.

If your dispatcher cannot get those answers, write the first quote as a site visit or diagnostic. The site assessment checklist should decide whether you are selling a same-day replacement, a code-upgrade replacement, or a larger install.

Make the permit a visible line item

Customers often ask the wrong question:

Do we really need a permit?

The better quote question is:

Which permit, inspection, and photo record does this job need in this jurisdiction?

Some cities require plumbing permits for replacements. Some require mechanical permits for gas work. Some require electrical permits when the fuel source changes or a new circuit is involved. Some allow virtual inspection or no-plan permits for certain like-kind replacements. Some treat tankless, heat pump, commercial, multifamily, historic, or relocated equipment differently. Model codes are useful references, but the adopted local code and the authority having jurisdiction decide the actual permit path.

Do not hide permit cost inside labor unless that is your deliberate pricing model.

Use quote lines like these:

Quote line	What the customer should see
Permit application	Included, not included, or billed at actual fee. Name the permit type when known.
Inspection scheduling	Who schedules it, who must be present, and whether a return trip is included.
Inspection corrections	Included only when caused by your work, or separately priced when caused by existing conditions.
Customer-provided access	Customer must provide access for inspector, property manager, tenant, dog, gate, garage, or utility room.
Virtual inspection photos	If allowed locally, list required photos and who submits them.

Tampa's water-heater replacement checklist for non-gas, non-tankless jobs is a useful example of the photo mindset. It asks for images such as the water heater location, T&P valve, nameplate, relief drain line, discharge measurement, pan and pan drain where required, hot and cold connections, protection, clearances, stand where required, insulation, vacuum relief where required, and electrical details. Your city may not use that checklist, and gas or tankless work can require a different inspection path, but it shows how much an inspector may expect to see beyond "new tank installed."

The plumbing work order should carry the permit number, inspection requirement, and photo list. The customer should not discover the inspection process after the job is done.

T&P discharge is a safety item, not a trim detail

The temperature and pressure relief valve is not decorative. It is a critical safety device, and the discharge path is one of the first things inspectors, home inspectors, property managers, and experienced plumbers notice.

The International Code Council's CodeNotes on water heater safety points readers to the I-Code rules for relief valves and discharge piping, including the same core practical ideas small shops need to price: the discharge must be routed to an approved location, installed without trapping or valves, sized and made from approved material, and visible enough that occupants can see discharge. The 2024 International Plumbing Code organizes water-heater provisions in Chapter 5, including safety devices and relief discharge, but the adopted local code and inspector still control the job.

Your quote should not just say "install water heater to code."

Write the observed condition:

Existing condition	Quote note
T&P pipe missing	"Install approved T&P discharge pipe to approved termination."
Pipe terminates too high, too low, or in a hidden location	"Correct discharge termination for inspection and visibility."
Pipe has a threaded/capped termination, valve, trap, reduction, or wrong material	"Replace noncompliant relief discharge piping."
Discharge goes into wall or unknown drain	"Open or reroute as needed; concealed drainage not included unless listed."
Tankless or unusual model	"Install relief valve and discharge per manufacturer and adopted code."

Do not bury this as a free correction unless you mean it. If the old installation has an illegal or uninspectable relief drain, the replacement quote should price the correction or state that the quote is conditional until the discharge route is confirmed.

Use the plumbing inspection report for the pre-replacement photo and finding. Use the service report after completion to record the relief valve, discharge route, and any customer limitation.

Drain pans need a drain plan

A pan under the water heater is not the same as a finished leak-control system.

The quote needs to answer four questions:

Is a pan required for this location and adopted code?
Can the pan drain by gravity to an approved location?
Is there already a pan drain from the old installation?
If not, is adding a pan drain included, excluded, or impractical without extra work?

Model code language and local amendments vary. The 2024 IPC Chapter 5 page is a useful model-code reference, but local jurisdictions publish their own inspection handouts. Palo Alto's water heater inspection guideline, for example, uses a checklist format for expansion tanks, manufacturer instructions, clearances, seismic straps, pans, T&P discharge, gas, venting, and other inspection issues. Local sheets like that are the quote writer's friend because they show what the inspector actually expects to see.

For the quote, use clear options:

Pan condition	Quote language
Existing pan and drain are usable	"Reuse existing pan drain after visual check; replace pan if damaged."
Pan required, drain available	"Install new pan and connect pan drain to approved nearby drain or exterior termination."
Pan required, no drain available	"Install pan only; pan drain routing excluded pending site review" or "include new drain route through listed scope."
Finished space below	"Leak protection and drain routing required; drywall, ceiling, flooring, or cabinet work excluded unless listed."
Heat pump water heater	"Provide drain pan and separate condensate plan; do not assume condensate belongs in the safety pan."

This is where small shops lose margin. The customer hears "replace tank." The technician sees a finished second-floor closet, no drain, no clear pipe route, and a pan that cannot protect the room. If the quote did not name that condition, the office owns the argument.

Tie the decision to a statement of work scope attachment when the job is not a simple open-garage replacement.

Expansion tanks are about closed systems, not upselling

An expansion tank is not a random add-on.

It answers a pressure problem.

When a storage water heater heats water, the water expands. If the home's cold-water supply can push that expansion back toward the main, the pressure rise may be relieved through the supply. If a check valve, backflow preventer, pressure reducing valve, meter assembly, or other device creates a closed system, that pressure needs an approved control method. Model-code provisions and local inspection sheets commonly reduce the field question to the same practical point: is the system closed?

The quote should not say only "expansion tank optional" or "expansion tank required" without the field reason.

Ask and write:

Field	Why it matters
Static water pressure	Helps size and set the expansion tank and catches pressure problems before the replacement.
Pressure reducing valve present	Often indicates a closed system and may affect expansion tank need.
Backflow preventer or check valve present	Can prevent thermal expansion from moving back into the supply.
Existing expansion tank condition	Old, unsupported, waterlogged, wrong size, wrong pressure, or missing.
Expansion tank support	The tank should not be left hanging from unsupported piping.
Customer approval	Price tank, support, fittings, and pressure setup as visible scope.

Write the line item plainly:

Install properly sized thermal expansion tank on cold-water side where required by adopted code, local inspection requirement, manufacturer instructions, or closed-system condition. Includes support bracket and pressure setup. Existing pressure problems, PRV replacement, or water main issues are excluded unless listed.

That language prevents the two most common complaints:

"Why did you add this tank to my invoice?"
"Why is the new relief valve dripping?"

If pressure is high, the quote may need a pressure reducing valve, gauge reading, or separate plumbing proposal. Do not turn an unknown pressure problem into a fixed-price water heater swap without a boundary.

Seismic straps and anchoring should not be an afterthought

Do not assume seismic bracing is only a California paperwork question. If your jurisdiction uses UPC language or has its own local rule, water-heater anchoring can be a routine inspection item even outside California.

The IAPMO Uniform Code Spotlight for the 2024 UPC highlights Section 507.2 seismic provisions for water heaters, including upper and lower strapping locations. California also has a statutory residential rule for standard water heaters of 120 gallons or less where a preengineered strapping kit is readily available: Health and Safety Code Section 19211 requires new, replacement, and existing units in that category to be braced, anchored, or strapped to resist falling or horizontal displacement due to earthquake motion. The same section requires sellers of real property containing a water heater to certify compliance to prospective buyers.

Other states and cities adopt, amend, or enforce different versions of model code language. The quote should not debate geography. It should capture what your jurisdiction requires, what the manufacturer's instructions require, and what the installation needs.

Use the site assessment to record:

tank location and wall framing or anchoring surface;
existing straps, brackets, blocks, stands, platforms, or cabinet constraints;
whether straps are listed, properly placed, tight, and clear of controls;
whether a short, tall, large, or unusual tank needs a different bracing detail;
whether an expansion tank, platform, or stand also needs support;
whether tankless wall mounting satisfies the manufacturer's installation and local inspection requirement.

For the quote:

Situation	Scope note
Existing straps are missing or loose	"Install required seismic strapping/anchoring for replacement unit."
Wall surface is not ready	"Blocking, backing, masonry anchoring, or framing repair excluded unless listed."
Heater is in a cabinet	"Cabinet modification or access panel work excluded unless listed."
Large or nonstandard tank	"Bracing detail subject to manufacturer instructions and local inspection."

Do not let the crew improvise with whatever strap is on the truck. The plumbing work order should specify the anchoring hardware, wall condition, and stop-work point if framing or masonry is not suitable.

Gas, venting, combustion air, and garage protection can change the price

For gas-fired replacements, the quote has to decide whether the existing gas and vent setup can be reused.

Do not assume.

Check:

Item	Quote decision
Gas shutoff and connector	Replace, reuse, add sediment trap, relocate, or correct as required.
Vent connector	Size, pitch, material, support, clearance, and connection to chimney or vent system.
Masonry chimney or liner	Existing unlined or oversized chimney may need evaluation or liner work.
Combustion air	Closet, utility room, garage, or confined space may need openings or ducted combustion air.
Draft and backdrafting risk	Startup and combustion safety checks belong in closeout notes.
Garage installation	Elevation, ignition source rules, bollard or wheel stop, platform, and vehicle impact protection can affect scope.
Replacement fuel or type	Atmospheric to power-vent, direct-vent, tankless, or heat pump changes the project.

Palo Alto's inspection guideline is a good example of why the old installation cannot be assumed correct. It calls out manufacturer instructions, clearances, seismic straps, expansion tanks for closed loops, and specific gas/venting inspection concerns. A shop in another city should use its own local checklist, but the business rule travels well:

If the quote depends on reusing the old vent, flue, gas line, platform, drain, or electrical circuit, say that out loud.

If the old condition fails inspection, use a change order before correcting it unless the correction was included in the original price.

Heat pump water heaters need different intake questions

A heat pump water heater may look like a tank replacement, but it creates a different quote.

ENERGY STAR's heat pump water heater design guidance emphasizes space, airflow, condensate, sound, location, and manufacturer instructions. Its installation best-practices guide also points to access for controls, air filters, tank draining, drain pans, pipe insulation, operating modes, and condensate-line maintenance.

That should change your quote checklist.

For a heat pump water heater, capture:

room size or available air volume;
intake and exhaust clearance;
filter access;
condensate drain route or condensate pump;
nearby floor drain, sink, standpipe, or allowed drain point;
electrical circuit, disconnect, breaker, wire size, and panel capacity;
sound sensitivity near bedrooms, offices, or finished spaces;
operating mode expectations and recovery time;
whether ducting, louvered doors, or relocation are included;
whether the customer is expecting rebates, utility paperwork, or tax-credit documentation.

Do not promise energy savings in the quote unless you are willing to support the calculation. For most small shops, the quote should focus on install scope, customer choices, and documentation:

Heat pump water heater installation includes listed model, electrical connection to existing compatible circuit, water connections, drain pan, condensate route to existing approved drain, startup, customer orientation, and manufacturer registration handoff. New circuit, panel upgrade, ducting, condensate pump, drywall, platform, or rebate paperwork excluded unless listed.

For HVAC shops that sell these, use the HVAC quote estimate and HVAC work order when the electrical, condensate, airflow, and customer comfort issues look more like equipment installation than a plumbing service call.

The price should separate base replacement from code upgrades

A clean quote often has two sections:

Base replacement.
Required or conditional upgrades.

That is not a trick. It is clarity.

Example:

Section	Line item
Base replacement	Drain, disconnect, remove, and haul away existing 50-gallon gas water heater.
Base replacement	Install listed 50-gallon gas water heater in existing location.
Base replacement	Reconnect hot, cold, gas, and vent where existing conditions are suitable.
Safety and inspection	New T&P relief discharge piping to approved visible termination.
Safety and inspection	New drain pan and drain connection where required and feasible.
Safety and inspection	Thermal expansion tank and support if closed-system condition applies.
Safety and inspection	Bracing, straps, or anchoring per local requirement and manufacturer instructions.
Permit and closeout	Permit fee, inspection coordination, job photos, startup notes, customer handoff.
Conditional upgrade	Vent liner, gas line modification, new electrical circuit, wall opening, platform, bollard, drain routing, or drywall patching by change order.

This format helps the customer understand why your price differs from a "tank only" quote.

It also protects the crew. The technician can read the plumbing work order, see what was included, and stop before turning a fixed replacement into unapproved vent, drain, electrical, or carpentry work.

This is the same discipline as getting the signature before you pick up the tool. Water heater jobs are small enough to feel casual, but they are expensive enough to create real disputes when the final scope changes.

Name the exclusions customers actually misunderstand

Bad exclusion:

Code upgrades extra.

Better exclusion:

Quote excludes concealed damage, mold remediation, drywall/cabinet/floor repair, new drain routing, new electrical circuit, panel upgrade, gas line resizing, chimney liner, roof vent work, structural blocking, platform reconstruction, bollard installation, pressure reducing valve replacement, water damage cleanup, and work required by inspection that is unrelated to the new heater installation.

Long exclusions are not elegant, but they are often the difference between a fair invoice and an argument.

Use exclusions for:

water damage under or around the old tank;
mold, asbestos suspect material, lead paint, pest damage, or unsafe access;
clogged floor drains or missing drain routes;
rerouting T&P or pan drains through finished surfaces;
gas line sizing, gas meter upgrades, vent liners, roof penetrations, combustion air changes;
electrical circuit or panel work;
structural blocking for seismic straps;
platform, stand, bollard, or vehicle protection;
permit corrections caused by old work outside your replacement scope;
utility rebate, warranty, or registration tasks not included in your admin price.

If an exclusion becomes necessary work, use a general change order. If the customer refuses the added work and the job cannot pass inspection or be completed safely, document the stop-work condition instead of pushing through.

Photograph what the quote depends on

A water heater quote built from memory is weak.

Attach photos to the site assessment checklist before the price is finalized:

Photo	Why it matters
Rating plate	Confirms model, capacity, fuel, input, voltage, serial number, and age clues.
Full installation	Shows clearance, access, pan, straps, vent, platform, and nearby walls.
Top connections	Shows hot/cold piping, shutoff, dielectric connections, expansion tank, and room for work.
T&P valve and discharge route	Shows whether correction is needed and where discharge terminates.
Drain pan and drain	Shows whether leak control is real or decorative.
Gas line or electrical connection	Shows disconnect, connector, sediment trap, wire, breaker, or conversion issue.
Vent or flue	Shows pitch, material, support, chimney connection, and possible liner issue.
Access path	Shows stairs, tight doors, attic ladder, crawl, parking, customer contents, and disposal route.
Surrounding damage	Shows pre-existing leak, rust, flooring, drywall, cabinet, or mold concern.

For emergency jobs, the photos also protect your schedule. A dispatcher deciding between two trucks needs more than "water heater leaking." The two-truck dispatching workflow applies here: the right truck should arrive with the right heater, pan, straps, expansion tank, fittings, permit instructions, and disposal plan.

Closeout should prove more than hot water

The job is not closed when the burner fires or the breaker turns on.

Closeout should show:

installed model and serial number;
permit number and inspection status;
T&P valve and discharge route photo;
drain pan and drain photo where applicable;
expansion tank, support, and pressure note where applicable;
seismic straps or anchoring photo where applicable;
gas, venting, electrical, condensate, and clearance photos as relevant;
startup temperature setting and customer orientation;
leak check and operational test;
old heater disposal;
customer receipt, warranty handoff, and maintenance note;
remaining exceptions or refused work.

Use the completion certificate sign-off when final payment depends on acceptance. Use the warranty document to separate workmanship coverage from manufacturer coverage. That matters because the customer may remember the water heater brand warranty as if it covers your labor, diagnostics, access, code upgrades, and haul-away. It usually does not. The workflow from manufacturer warranty pass-throughs and contractor warranty terms belongs in this handoff.

If the job is a California residential home improvement project over the $500 home-improvement threshold and it does not fit a compliant service-and-repair path under the current rules, also check the contract requirements before treating the quote as a casual service ticket. California's service-and-repair path is capped at $750 and has buyer-initiated, limited-scope, no-payment-before-completion conditions, so many replacement jobs will not fit it. The California Home Improvement Contract Act issues discussed in HICA Decoded can show up on jobs that feel routine, including water heater work.

A field-ready quote checklist

For a small plumbing, HVAC, or service shop, the quote checklist can fit on one page.

Checklist section	What to write before the customer approves
Existing heater	Fuel, type, capacity, location, age, condition, photos, leak status.
Replacement choice	Like-kind, larger/smaller, tankless, heat pump, relocation, or conversion.
Permit and inspection	Jurisdiction, permit type, fee handling, inspection scheduling, photo requirements.
Safety devices	T&P valve and discharge, drain pan and pan drain, expansion tank, seismic straps, shutoff.
Gas/electrical/venting	Reuse, replace, correct, or exclude each system.
Access and protection	Parking, stairs, attic/crawl, customer contents, floor protection, disposal path.
Conditional upgrades	PRV, expansion tank, vent liner, new circuit, gas line, drain route, platform, bollard.
Exclusions	Finished surfaces, water damage, mold, structural backing, old noncompliant work.
Customer approvals	Price, model, scope, exclusions, permit, inspection access, change-order rule.
Closeout	Startup, photos, inspection, warranty handoff, disposal, customer sign-off.

The point is not to make water heater work complicated.

The point is to stop pretending every water heater is the same job.

If the quote says what is included, what is conditional, what the inspector may need, what the customer must approve, and what the crew should stop for, the replacement can still move fast. It just moves with fewer surprises.

Sources

This article is for general information and is not legal, plumbing-code, building-code, electrical, gas, seismic, tax, rebate, engineering, or compliance advice. Verify all requirements with the authority having jurisdiction, adopted code, manufacturer instructions, utility, inspector, licensed trade professional, or qualified counsel before acting.

Common questions

What should be included in a water heater replacement quote?: Include the existing heater details, replacement model and capacity, permit and inspection handling, T&P discharge work, drain pan and pan drain plan, expansion tank decision, seismic strapping or anchoring, gas or electrical scope, venting or condensate scope, exclusions, haul-away, startup, warranty handoff, and customer sign-off.
Does every water heater replacement need a permit?: No single national answer applies. Permit requirements are local and can depend on heater type, fuel, location, whether piping is rearranged, whether gas or electrical work changes, and whether the unit is tankless, heat pump, commercial, or relocated. Check the authority having jurisdiction before quoting the work as permit-free.
Is an expansion tank always required with a new water heater?: Not always. Expansion control is usually tied to closed-system conditions such as a check valve, backflow preventer, or pressure reducing valve, plus the adopted code and local inspection rules. The quote should document water pressure, closed-system clues, the expansion tank size and support, and whether PRV or pressure correction is excluded.
Can the T&P relief valve discharge pipe go anywhere convenient?: No. The discharge route must follow the adopted code, local inspection rules, manufacturer instructions, and safety requirements. The quote should identify missing, hidden, reduced, trapped, valved, capped, threaded, or poorly terminated discharge piping before the customer approves the replacement.
Should a drain pan be included on every replacement?: A drain pan is often required where leakage can damage the building, but the real quote issue is the drain route. A pan without an approved drain may not solve the leak risk. The quote should say whether the pan, pan drain, and drain routing are included, excluded, existing, or impossible without added work.
Are seismic straps required everywhere?: No single national answer applies. UPC jurisdictions, California rules, local amendments, manufacturer instructions, and inspection practice can all affect anchoring requirements. The quote should say whether bracing, straps, backing, blocking, or anchoring hardware are included for the actual jurisdiction and installation.
What makes a heat pump water heater quote different?: A heat pump water heater quote needs room volume or airflow, condensate drainage, filter access, electrical circuit details, sound/location notes, operating-mode expectations, and any ducting, condensate pump, or panel work. Treat it as an equipment installation, not only a tank swap.
Can a shop quote a water heater replacement from customer photos only?: Only as a preliminary quote. Photos can support intake, but final pricing should be conditional until the shop verifies access, rating plate, T&P discharge, pan drain, expansion-control need, venting or electrical details, permit path, and any finished-surface work that could change the scope.