not sure about how far but I'm sure the outlet must be a GFI

Yeah, it's code where you are. Your inspector has to follow Oregon Specialty code, and the reference is 407.2 Where a fixture comes in contact with a wall or floor, the joint between the fixture and wall or floor shall be made watertight. So dont forget to caulk the sink to the wall too... Why do I know this nonsense.. I'm in NY!!

Thank you, Geoffrey, for your reply. I appreciate it very much. That's the problem. The hot water heater is in the basement and the water lines go over and in between some furnace duct and the double wall metal chimney the water heater exhaust is vented through. The plumbing was undoubtedly put in before the furnace was installed when the house was built because even if the plumbers had prefabricated these hidden connections, which contain the 45 degree bends, they would not have been able to place them where they are. I could do it, but I would have to remove the lower part of the metal chimney and some furnace ducts. It's simply easier to use Sharkbite push to fit fittings and flexible hoses. I'm fairly certain that the plumbing code the state of Ohio and my county have adopted does not in any way forbid the installation of the Sharkbite fittings and hoses. The only prohibition I have been able to find involves the Chicago code. I'll certainly find out when the water heater installation is inspected.

There's no such thing as a "quick disconnect" in electrical parlance. This is why we don't let plumbers do electrical work. What you are required to have is a maintenance disconnect (nothing "quick" about it) that can either be SEEN from the point where the work is being done or is lockable. There's no requirement for any particular distance, just visibility. As for the panel, there's no provision that says you can't have a panel in the dry area of a bathroom (i.e. not in the shower). What you can't have in a bathroom on the code is the SERVICE DISCONNECT. Alas many panels also perform that function. As to what constitutes enough of a change to merit making you bring things up to code, that's at the discretion of your local inspectors. We can't tell you any formula. Note that if they do have an issue with the service disconnect being located in the bathroom, you can just place a disconnect elsewhere (like near the meter), though that will require the equipment grounding conductors (grounds) to be separated from the grounded conductors (neutrals) at the pane which is no longer the service disconnect.