Plumbing · Costs, budgets and timelines · Updated November 2026
Whole-House Repiping Cost: PEX vs. Copper
Replacing all of a home's water supply pipes costs $1,500–$15,000, with an average around $7,500. The pipe material, house size, number of bathrooms and how much wall and ceiling access is needed drive the cost.
Cost by home size
| Home size | At about $4.50 per sq. ft. |
|---|---|
| 1,000 sq. ft. | About $4,500 |
| 1,500 sq. ft. | About $6,750 |
| 3,000 sq. ft. | About $13,500 |
Per-square-foot estimate from HomeAdvisor; overall range from our plumbing cost guide.
PEX vs. copper
| PEX | Copper | |
|---|---|---|
| Material cost | About $1.15 per linear ft. | About $3 per linear ft. for supply lines |
| Installation | Flexible; fewer fittings; faster to run through walls | Rigid; soldered joints; more labor |
| Durability | Resists scale and corrosion; protect from sunlight | Long track record; can corrode with some water chemistry |
| Freeze tolerance | More tolerant of expansion | Can split when frozen |
| Rodents and UV | Can be chewed; not for outdoor sun exposure | Resistant |
Material prices from HomeAdvisor.
Signs you may need repiping
- Old galvanized steel pipes with low pressure or rusty water (low water pressure).
- Repeated pinhole leaks in copper.
- Polybutylene pipe (gray plastic, common in homes built from the late 1970s to mid-1990s), which many insurers and plumbers flag.
- A remodel that opens walls anyway.
What a repipe quote should include
- Pipe material and fittings
- Number of fixtures connected
- Drywall openings and who patches and paints them
- Permits and inspection
- Water shut-off schedule (many repipes keep water on overnight)
- Warranty on materials and labor
Sources
- HomeAdvisor: Repipe cost, accessed November 2026
Cost figures are national ranges from the sources listed above and in our plumbing cost guide, not a quote from FixFinch or any contractor. Calls connect you with an independent service provider in our network. FixFinch is not a contractor and does not perform the work.