27 Mar How Much Does Repiping Cost?
The Full Cost Of A Repiping Can Be Hard To Nail Down
If you want to repipe your home or business, you know it will cost you. The only real question to consider is, “How much?”. Replacing a few critical pipe sections may only run you hundreds of dollars, but a whole repipe can cost you a lot more. Before you panic, know that several aspects of the process affect the overall cost of a repiping job. To help you better understand how much repiping might cost you, we’ve compiled a list of crucial factors to consider.
Several Factors Affect The Cost Of A Repipe
When repiping a building, you must consider more than just the cost of your new pipes. Before starting a new repiping project, consider the following:
- The Size Of The Building
- The Cost Of The Replacement Pipes
- The Complexity Of The Original Plumbing
- The Sheer Number Of Pipes To Be Replaced
- The Number Of Connected Plumbing Fixtures
Each of these factors plays a significant role in determining the total cost of your repipe.
Size of The Building
There is a direct correlation between the size of a building and how much plumbing it needs to function correctly. As such, if you plan on repiping a large, two-story building, it will naturally cost more than it would for a single-story bungalow.
Replacement Pipe Material
When it comes to modern options for plumbing pipes, there are generally three options; CPVC, P.E.X., and copper pipes. CPVC pipes are the most affordable option, starting at around $0.50 per foot and ending at about $1.00 per foot. Similarly, P.E.X. pipes cost approximately $0.50-$2.00. On the other hand, copper pipes start at around $2.00 and go as high as $4 or $5 afoot!
You may be wondering about the difference between these three types of pipe. Both being made of synthetic materials, CPVC and P.E.X. pipes are similar. However, CPVC pipes are rigid, while P.E.X. pipes are flexible tubing and easier to install in most locations. That means that P.E.X. pipes may save you money on installation costs.
You’re dealing with a completely different beast regarding copper pipes. These pipes are more malleable than steel ones but can still burst when water freezes. They are also interminably rigid, making them somewhat tricky to install but easy to cut. Then, why is this kind of pipe so desired? Copper is resistant to corrosion, which can make steel pipes fragile and help hot water retain its heat. Copper pipes also add to the value of a home because the metal is valuable.
Access
If your pipes are easily accessible, the chances are that replacing them will be a relatively quick and affordable process. But, of course, if your plumber needs to crawl into tight spaces and break down walls to reach your pipes, the extra labor will significantly increase costs.
Extent Of The Work
Simply put, it costs far less to replace a pipe or two than it does to repipe an entire building. If there are only a few pipe segments with damage, you might be able to get away with a relatively small bill. However, a home that needs to replace an entire system of lead pipes must spend a healthy sum for a repiping.
Number Of Baths, Toilets, and Other Plumbing Fixtures
Most plumbers estimate the cost of repiping based on the number of plumbing fixtures in a given location. The reasoning is that the number of pipes and the overall complexity of a building’s plumbing directly correlate with the number of plumbing fixtures. Therefore, most plumbers base their estimate on each plumbing fixture’s number of water lines.
Total Cost
There’s no set price for a repiping job. You can roughly estimate the cost of a repipe to be around $5,000 for P.E.X. and CPVC or four times that for copper pipes. However, depending on the accessibility and complexity of your lines, the total cost of the job may be higher. The only way to know how much a repiping will cost is to work alongside a trusted and experienced plumber. Trust the experts from S.O.S. Plumbing Rooter for all of your plumbing needs. We provide free estimates for any repiping job in the Houston area. Call us today at (800) 400-4767 to schedule an appointment with a service representative.
We love helping our neighbors with their repiping needs, but our team can only stretch itself so far. This limitation is why we love to recommend quality plumbers whose service we trust. We recommend Albuquerque Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling services for our readers in New Mexico. ABQ provides the best in Albuquerque drain cleaning and other plumbing services to New Mexico, and we’re sure they can help you with all your needs.