Systems · Plumbing & hot water
Hot water, fixtures, and pipes that stay warm
Hot water is one of the biggest energy uses in a home. We'll help you pick the water heater that fits your fuel, your household, and the energy code: a heat pump water heater, a propane tankless heater, or a basic electric tank.
Every option is compared on the same five things:
Your options
Pick your water heater
Relative cost compares installed water heaters for a typical household. Which ones meet the energy code depends on the rest of the house, and we check that for you.
Heat pump water heater
A tank water heater with a small heat pump on top that pulls heat from the air, using about a third of the electricity of a standard tank. It earns the most energy-code credit of any water heater.
- Look / Style
- Tall tank in the mechanical room
- Maintenance
- Low
- Lifespan
- 10–15 years
- Relative Cost
- $$
- Best For
- Most homes; homes counting on energy-code credit
Why people pick it
- Lowest running cost
- Most energy-code credit
- Also dehumidifies the room it's in
Trade-offs
- Needs a large room or ducts to the outside
- Slower to recover after heavy use
Propane tankless
A compact unit on the wall heats water only when you turn on a tap, so hot water never runs out. It makes the most sense when the house already has propane for a range, fireplace, or generator.
- Look / Style
- Small unit on the wall, vents outside
- Maintenance
- Medium
- Lifespan
- 15–20 years
- Relative Cost
- $$
- Best For
- Homes already on propane; big households
Why people pick it
- Endless hot water
- Small, wall-mounted
- Shares the propane tank you already have
Trade-offs
- Needs propane, venting, and power to run
- Yearly flush on hard well water
- Less energy-code credit than a heat pump
Electric tank
A basic electric tank water heater: simple, quiet, and the least expensive to buy. Because it earns no energy-code credit, it only works on homes whose other upgrades already meet the code.
- Look / Style
- Standard tank in a closet
- Maintenance
- Low
- Lifespan
- 10–15 years
- Relative Cost
- $
- Best For
- Small ADUs and outbuildings where the code allows
Why people pick it
- Lowest purchase price
- Simple, quiet, no venting
Trade-offs
- Highest running cost
- Earns no energy-code credit, so the rest of the house has to make it up
Side by side
| Tag | Heat pump water heater | Propane tankless | Electric tank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Look / Style | Tall tank in the mechanical room | Small unit on the wall, vents outside | Standard tank in a closet |
| Maintenance | Low | Medium | Low |
| Lifespan | 10–15 years | 15–20 years | 10–15 years |
| Relative Cost | $$ | $$ | $ |
| Best For | Most homes; homes counting on energy-code credit | Homes already on propane; big households | Small ADUs and outbuildings where the code allows |
Set by your envelope package
Where the pipes run
On crawlspace homes, your envelope package sets where pipes may run, so nothing freezes under the floor.
Good: pipes in the crawl insulated
Pipes can run through a vented crawlspace, insulated per code.
Better: pipes above the floor insulation
No ducts in the crawlspace, and water lines stay above the floor insulation, on the warm side.
Best: no plumbing in the crawl
No plumbing or ducts in the crawlspace at all; everything runs inside the heated house.
Allowance · Plumbing fixtures
Faucets, showers, and toilets
Plumbing fixtures are an allowance: a budget set aside in your estimate. You pick the faucets, showers, sinks, tubs, and toilets you like, and our plumber installs them.
Plumbing fixture allowance
Your estimate carries a budget for the fixtures you'll touch every day: faucets, shower valves and heads, sinks, toilets, and tubs. You choose them with our plumber or at a showroom, and the plumber installs them.
Covers
- Faucets and shower valves and trims
- Sinks, toilets, and tubs
- Water-saving models that count toward the energy code
Relative cost: $
Spa bath
Spending above the allowance gets you things like a freestanding soaking tub, a thermostatic shower with a handheld and rain head, or designer faucets in a special finish.
Why people upgrade
- A bathroom that feels like a retreat
- Finishes that match your design
Relative cost: $$$
How allowances work
- 1We set the allowanceYour estimate includes a budget for these items, based on your plans.
- 2You pickShop with our trade partner, a showroom, or online, and choose by the date on your schedule.
- 3We settle upSpend more and the difference is added; spend less and it's credited.
Every Bedrock home
How we plumb
The parts you won't see, done the same careful way on every job.
Pipes kept warm
Water lines run inside the heated house, out of outside walls wherever we can and out of the crawlspace on our Better and Best packages. That's how pipes stay unfrozen through a Methow January.
Pipes don't freeze
Shorter runs mean hot water sooner
Under-slab plumbing and radon pipe
On slab homes the plumber sets drains and the radon vent pipe before the pour, and we photograph everything before concrete covers it. The radon pipe runs up through the roof in every home.
Everything checked before the pour
Radon-ready in every home
Well tank and water treatment
The plumber sets the pressure tank and connects the house to your well. We test the well water and add treatment only for what the test shows: a softener for hard water, a filter, or UV where needed.
Treatment matched to your water
One plumber for the whole system
Ready for winter and time away
Frost-free hose bibs, an easy-to-reach main shut-off, and drain points let you winterize a seasonal home or leave for a trip without worry.
Easy to shut down a second home
No burst hose bibs
FAQ
Common questions
Is a heat pump water heater worth it in a cold climate?
Usually, yes. It uses about a third of the electricity of a standard electric tank and earns the most energy-code credit. It pulls heat from the air around it, so we plan the mechanical room early: big enough, or ducted to the outside.
Should I go tankless with propane?
If you already have propane for a range, fireplace, or generator, a condensing tankless heater makes a lot of sense: endless hot water from a small unit on the wall. It needs a yearly flush on hard well water and electricity to run.
Who picks my faucets and fixtures?
You do, within a plumbing fixture allowance in your estimate. You shop with our plumber or a showroom, and we stick to water-saving fixtures that count toward the energy code.
Questions about hot water or fixtures?
We'll go through the water heater choice and every allowance in your estimate during pre-construction, before you sign anything.