Seeing @james_allen24's point on tankless units connects to a bigger trend I notice. Honestly, folks focus too much on upfront cost and miss the long-term savings. Tbh, my neighbor stuck with his old water heater and now pays way more in energy bills. It's like how LED bulbs cost more at first but save a ton over years.

How bad was the soil prep before they poured?

You're right about the "little extra weight in your bag" being worth it. I'd add that showing up to finish a job soaking wet can look really unprofessional to the client, not just feel bad. It's about trust as much as comfort, lol.