Whole House Repipe Cost (2026): PEX vs. Copper by Home Size

What drives the cost to repipe a house

• Bathrooms and fixtures. Each sink, toilet, shower, tub, appliance and hose bib needs its own connection. More fixtures, more labor.
• Stories. A second floor means vertical runs through walls and more openings. Plan on a few thousand dollars more than a similar single-story home.
• Access. A basement, crawl space or open attic lets the crew run lines without many holes. A slab home with no attic access is the hardest case.
• Wall finishes. Drywall is quick to open and patch. Plaster, tile walls and built-in cabinets cost more to work around.
• Pipe material. Copper costs more in materials and takes longer to install. Copper prices also swing with the metal market.
• Local rates and permits. Labor in big metro areas can run well above the national average. See plumber cost per hour for typical rates.

PEX or copper for repiping (and CPVC)

PEX is the default for most repipes now. It's flexible, so it snakes through walls with fewer openings and fewer joints. It handles freezing better than rigid pipe, and a PEX repipe typically runs 30 to 60% less than copper for the same house. It must be kept out of sunlight, and rodents can chew it in rare cases.

Copper has the longest track record and handles heat and UV well. It's the pick if you want metal throughout or if local practice favors it. In some areas, aggressive water causes pinhole leaks in copper, and that's a common reason people repipe in the first place. If that's your situation, replacing copper with copper may not be the best move.

CPVC is a rigid plastic used widely in the South and in many manufactured homes. It costs less than copper, but it becomes brittle with age and cracks if bumped during work. Most repipe specialists now steer people toward PEX instead.

For a full side-by-side on lifespan, freeze resistance and cost, read PEX vs copper.

Repipe cost per fixture

Many repipe companies price the job per fixture instead of per foot. A fixture is any point that gets water: each sink, toilet, tub or shower, the dishwasher, washer box, refrigerator line, water heater and each outdoor faucet. With PEX, expect roughly $500 to $1,000 per fixture, with copper higher.

Worked example. A single-story, 1,800 sq ft house with two bathrooms has 14 fixture points: 3 bathroom sinks, 2 toilets, 2 tub or shower valves, a kitchen sink, dishwasher, fridge line, washer box, water heater and 2 hose bibs.

14 fixtures × $600 = $8,400. Add a $300 permit and $1,200 for drywall patching. Total: $9,900. That sits inside the $7,000 to $12,000 range for a medium home. The same house in copper at about $1,100 per fixture would be 14 × $1,100 = $15,400, plus the same $1,500 in extras, for $16,900.

Per-fixture pricing makes quotes easy to compare. Count your fixtures before you call, so you can check every bid against the same number. Our quote check tool can tell you if a total looks high.

Why homes need repiping

Polybutylene pipe replacement cost

Polybutylene pipe replacement costs the same as any other repipe: about $4,000 to $15,000 to replace polybutylene pipes with PEX, or $8,000 to $20,000 with copper. The supply line from the meter to the house may also be polybutylene. Replacing it adds $1,500 to $5,000, depending on length and depth.

Replacing polybutylene piping is one of the most common repipe jobs in homes built from about 1978 to 1995. Look for pipe stamped PB2110, often with plastic or metal crimp fittings, near the water heater and under sinks. Our polybutylene pipe guide shows how to identify it. Many buyers, lenders and insurers ask about it, so repiping before you sell can save a lost deal or a big price cut.

Repiping a mobile or manufactured home

Repiping a mobile home usually costs $2,000 to $6,000 with PEX. Single-wides land at the low end, double-wides near the top. Pipes in most manufactured homes run under the floor, inside the belly wrap, so the plumber works from below instead of opening many walls. That keeps labor down.

Many manufactured homes from the 1980s and early 1990s have polybutylene, so the cost to replace polybutylene pipes in a mobile home falls in this same range. Budget a little extra to repair or replace the belly wrap and insulation afterward. Freeze protection matters too, since those lines sit close to the outside air. PEX is the usual choice here because it tolerates freezing better than CPVC.

How long a repipe takes, and what to expect

Time is part of the whole house repipe cost, since crews price by the day. A one-bath house can be repiped in 2 or 3 days. Most two-bath homes take 3 to 5 days, and larger or two-story homes up to a week. The crew cuts small openings, usually a few inches to a foot wide, at each fixture and along the route. They run the new lines, connect them and pressure test before turning the water on.

Drywall patching follows, either by the plumbing company or a separate drywall crew. Painting is often your job. Expect some dust, and move furniture away from the walls the crew will open. If you also need a new water heater, doing it during the repipe saves a second visit. See water heater replacement cost.