Tankless water heater installation
A tankless unit heats water on demand instead of storing it. Endless hot water, a wall-mounted footprint instead of a floor-standing tank, and 15–20 years of service life against 8–12.
Installed cost in Metro Vancouver is typically $4,500–$8,000 — meaningfully more than a tank, mostly because of the gas line, venting and electrical work that usually comes with it.
Is it worth it? Genuinely: sometimes. Below is the honest version.
When tankless makes sense
You keep running out of hot water. A large household, or two showers at once, or a soaker tub. This is the strongest case by a distance.
Space is tight. A wall-mounted unit frees a floor-standing tank's footprint — significant in a condo or a small utility room.
You're staying 10+ years. The longer service life and lower running cost need time to earn back the install premium.
You're renovating anyway. The gas, venting and electrical work is far cheaper when walls are already open.
Your gas supply is already adequate. Tankless units need serious gas flow — often a 3/4" line where a tank ran on 1/2". If yours is already sized, a large cost disappears.
When it doesn't
Your current tank is fine and sized right. Replacing a working, adequate tank with tankless is a long payback on a problem you don't have.
You're moving within a few years. You won't recoup it, and buyers rarely pay a premium for it.
You want instant hot water at the tap. Common misunderstanding — tankless gives *endless* hot water, not *instant*. There's still a delay while it travels the pipe, and a small one while the unit fires. A recirculation system fixes that, and it's a separate cost.
Very low flow use. Some units won't fire at a trickle, so a barely-open tap can run cold.
What installation involves
Gas line assessment and upgrade if required · New venting — tankless units vent differently from tanks · Electrical for the controls and fan · Wall mounting and water connections · Condensate drain on condensing units · Gas permit and inspection · Commissioning and flow testing
Typical duration: 4–8 hours, longer if the gas line needs upgrading.
Maintenance — the part nobody mentions at the sale
Tankless units need descaling roughly annually in most conditions, and skipping it shortens their life and voids some manufacturer warranties. It's not onerous or expensive, but it's a real ongoing commitment that tank owners don't have.
Anyone selling you tankless without mentioning this isn't giving you the full picture. Tankless descaling
What it costs
Unit and standard install $4,500–$6,500 · With gas line upgrade $5,500–$8,000 · Condo installations vary considerably with venting access
