Cost data · Virginia Beach
A water heater is the smallest routine job in Virginia Beach that still needs a permit, which makes it the best-documented. 168 permits from 52 contractors (2020–2024) put the median declared value at $1,500; half fell between $900 and $2,800.
Tank, gas, electric and tankless units are all in this class. The page explains which end of the range each lands at and why the permit value is a floor for this job in particular.
BidBro Editorial Team·Published ·Updated
As of . Cite as: BidBro, “How much does a water heater replacement cost in Virginia Beach? 168 permits say $1,500,” https://www.bidbro.com/guides/virginia-beach-water-heater-replacement-cost.
| City | Permits | Contractors who filed them | Middle 50% of declared values | Median | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | 168 | 52 | $900 – $2,800 | $1,500 | February 2020 – July 2024 |
| Chesapeake | 161 | 36 | $700 – $2,000 | $1,100 | January 2020 – July 2024 |
“Middle 50%” is the range the central half of permits fell inside. These are the permits linked to contractors in BidBro’s directory, as collected from public permit records by a third-party aggregator that keeps roughly the 20 most recent per contractor — not every permit the city issued.
Counted from the same Virginia Beach permit records as the table, per contractor, and listed only where the contractor’s own trade categories name that work. The source keeps roughly the 20 most recent permits per contractor, so a busy firm’s count here understates its full record. A count of permits filed is not a rating or a recommendation — each profile lists the permits themselves.
Virginia DPOR lists 161 contractor licences carrying the Plumbing contractors classification held by businesses based in Virginia Beach as of September 29, 2026, out of 2,242 Board for Contractors licences based in the city.
That is DPOR’s count of licences based in Virginia Beach — not every pro who works here, and not a claim that the businesses listed on this page hold one. Before you hire, check the licence at DPOR’s licence lookup. Source: BidBro’s Hampton Roads licensed-contractor census of the DPOR regulant lists; licence classes explained in Virginia contractor licence classes.
On 168 Virginia Beach water heater permits (2020–2024) the median declared value was $1,500; the middle half ran $900 to $2,800. A standard tank swap sits at the low end, a tankless or heat-pump unit above $2,800. The declared value often leaves out haul-away and code upgrades, so a quote somewhat above it is normal.
Yes. Virginia Beach requires a plumbing permit for a water heater replacement, and a gas permit when the fuel line changes; the inspection checks the relief valve discharge, the expansion tank, strapping and venting. A licensed plumber (Virginia DPOR PLB classification, or a GFC gas-fitting specialty for gas-line work) pulls it as part of the job.
Tankless units sit in the top quarter of this class, above $2,800 in declared value, against a tank swap near $900. The difference is the unit plus the larger gas line or electrical service it needs. Those upgrades are sometimes permitted separately, so the permit value understates a tankless job more than a tank job.
Tank units typically run 8 to 12 years; the hard, mineral-heavy water in parts of Hampton Roads shortens that unless the tank is flushed. Tankless units run longer with annual descaling. Replacing before failure is cheaper than replacing after a leak reaches the floor below.
Virginia Beach plumbing permits linked to the contractors in BidBro’s directory, collected from public permit records by a third-party aggregator that keeps roughly the 20 most recent per contractor. Each permit is counted once and classified by its own description; the class is published only at 30 or more permits.
The permit median is a reference point, not a quote. Post your project once and request bids from Virginia Beach contractors, or start from the pages below:
Cost data and market snapshots from the BidBro editorial team.
