We don't have natural gas service on our street, so tankless really isn't a feasible option for us. The last time our electric tank-style water heater died, I paid one of my plumber buddies to come over and replace the old gate-style shutoff valves with new quarter-turn ball valves and braided, threaded flexible connections to a new electric tank that I furnished. I would have done it myself, but we were getting ready to leave for vacation at the time, and I didn't trust my soldering skills to be left unattended for a week immediately following the installation. Also, I wasn't crazy about the thought of using Shark Bite fittings on a valve that is going to see occasional manipulation...they would probably have worked just fine, but I just worry about their longevity on anything that is going to experience some external forces. Anyway, the next time I need to replace the heater, I'll be able to do it without having to call any tradesmen.