Thanks

Irulan, I have one too - I was calling local restoration companies about weird Victorian-sized doors, and I had one company pick up the phone and immediately hang up on me three times. I wrote a nice little email to their customer service department, not that they care!

The Rinnai could maybe work here - my main concern is the size of the gas line. The 4k they quoted Tulip is way outside of my limits, too. Fortunately since electricity, gas, and running water were added long after my house was built a lot of the utilities are much more easily accessible than in most houses. As in, all 12 feet of my intake plumbing run along the baseboard of my bathroom and kitchen

I'm just hoping that regardless of the system I go with, I find someone reliable to do this for me. Because sooner or later that 50-year-old furnace is going to need replaced too.