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 |  | Small Home: $1,500-$2,500 |  | Larger Home: $5,000-$7,000+ |  | New Home: $5,000-$21,000+ |
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Called PEX or XLPE, cross-linked polyethylene is flexible plastic tubing that is used for hot- and cold-water plumbing systems and for hot-water heating systems. With the price of copper[1] pipes fluctuating but generally increasing, PEX is considered a less expensive alternative. Because it's flexible and can be snaked through walls, PEX takes less time and labor to install, particularly when re-piping an existing house. Sizes range from 1/4" to 4" in diameter, but common residential sizes are 1/2", 3/4" and 1". The Plastic Pipes and Fittings Association provides an overview of PEX.
Typical costs: | - Re-plumbing a house (installing new lines and abandoning the old ones) with PEX can cost $1,500-$8,000 or more. Re-plumbing costs are typically based on the number of fixtures, with each sink, bathtub, shower, toilet, dishwasher, water heater, etc. counting as one fixture. Total costs also depend on the size of the house, whether it's one story or two, if holes in the walls and ceilings are repaired and repainted or left open, if the fittings used are plastic or metal, and whether there's a basement, crawlspace or slab foundation. Re-piping a small 1-bathroom home with PEX might cost $1,500-$2,500; a 3-bedroom, 2-1/2-bathroom, two-story home might be $5,000-$7,000 or more. For example, Repipe1 in California will re-pipe a 2-bathroom home with PEX starting at $3,499, with the walls left paint-ready. Tony Prados of MasterServ[2] in the Southwest estimates that installing PEX in a 2-1/2-bath,room two-story house on a slab foundation (running the PEX through the attic) could cost $4,000-$5,000, with the walls left paint-ready.
- Plumbing a new home using PEX for the water supply lines can cost $5,000-$21,000 or more depending on location, the size of the house and the number of fixtures, or typically about $2,000-$5,000 less than using copper pipes.
- Average pipe prices at home improvement centers are $0.40-$0.50 a linear foot for PEX, $0.50-$0.60 for CPVC (rigid plastic pipe) and $1.50-$2.00 for thin-walled rigid copper, according to Buildipedia.com.
Related articles: PVC or CPVC Pipes, Replacing Copper Pipes, Re-Piping a House, Plumber
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What should be included: | - A company will typically inspect the house before submitting a bid. A PEX system can be laid out in the traditional trunk and branch arrangement (a large main line with smaller branches running off of it) or by using manifolds, which are central control centers for hot and cold water lines. Similar to an electric circuit panel, the hot and cold water lines feed into the manifold, with lines out of the manifold going directly to each fixture. A PEX system can use one central manifold (a "home run" system) or a main manifold plus several smaller remote manifolds throughout the house. ThisOldHouse.com provides a video overview[3] of PEX systems and manifolds, adding that piping a house with PEX is a difficult job best left to the professionals.
- Re-plumbing a house with PEX typically takes one day and might require cutting eight to 20 or more holes in the wall.
- PEX doesn't corrode or develop pinhole leaks like metal pipes, but it can break down after long exposure to UV light rays and can't be used outdoors. Critics of PEX say it doesn't have a sufficient track record in the United States to ensure there won't be future problems; proponents argue that PEX has been used for 30-40 years in Europe, and say there are more than 16 billion feet of PEX successfully in use worldwide.
Additional costs: | - Re-piping a house usually requires a permit from the local planning or building department; fees vary, but typically cost $70-$400. This fee may be included in a re-plumbing contractor's bid or be an additional charge. The company may also charge $50-$150 to be present during required inspections by the local building or planning department.
- Specialized tools are required to cut PEX tubing, install connections and check the tightness of crimped connections. These can cost $50-$200 each, depending on size and type; a basic PEX tool kit typically costs about $90-$150.
Shopping for pex plumbing pipes: | - Get several estimates. Ask about the plumber's experience with PEX. Homewownernet.com explains how to hire a plumber[4] .
- Ask friends and neighbors for recommendations, or search for local contractors through the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association[5] . Make sure the company is properly bonded, insured and licensed; and ask for and check references.
- The written contract should include a detailed outline of the work required and materials to be used, whether the company will be doing all the work or subcontracting out part or all of the project, and the dates within which the project will be done.
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What People Are Paying - Recent Comments |
| Posted by: Cheney in North Richland Hills, TX. | Posted: May 9th, 2020 09:05PM |
| Number of Fixtures: 14 |
So, 3 bathroom sinks, 2 showers (1 w/tub), 2 toilets, 1 kitchen sink & washer/dryer hookup = my 14 fixtures
I received 1 quote for $6000 & 1 quote for $3900.
Keep in mind, this is a slab home; the higher quote was for jackhammering to replumb; while the lower quote involved trenching. I am still getting more quotes... |
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| Posted by: Bonnie Harrell in Burlington, NC. | Posted: November 14th, 2019 05:11PM |
| Number of Fixtures: 7 |
Plumber quoted me 8400 and I'm supplying the sinks toilet tubs fixture etc. And I'm digging the 20' trench basically just need a rough in
And I live in n.c. I feel like that's way too much |
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| Posted by: Complete NoMadness in Louisville, KY. | Posted: October 18th, 2019 02:10AM |
| Number of Fixtures: 2 |
We had zero experience and zero tools, or the cost would have been lower. We installed a shower and a kitchen sink. All ran from a 100 gallon tank to a instant hot water heater, then into a grey tank. Use a composting toilet so that saved us time, money and a big headache I'm sure. All in all holding together great considering our "house" goes through an earthquake every time we move. |
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| Posted by: Slapamidget281 in Baytown, TX. | Posted: September 13th, 2019 08:09PM |
| Number of Fixtures: 7 |
Took me about 4 days to remove all the old galvanized pipe and install pex myself. |
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| Posted by: andy villegas jr in colorado springs, CA. | Posted: May 5th, 2017 12:05PM |
| Number of Fixtures: 10 |
im looking at a 4 bd, 4 bath, 2 story with basement all with quest piping, its already exploded from sink in kitchen to the basement. The house is worth $278k but ill be asking for $250k for these repairs but is this enough to pull equity to re pipe the whole house? just want to know if the re-piping cost also cover the dry wall repair that comes with re-piping? i see that re-piping alone is around $3k to $15k, but no one mentions the dry walls that get removed or cut out. |
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| Posted by: Amanda Marks in Spring, TX. | Posted: June 28th, 2016 09:06AM |
| Number of Fixtures: 1 |
I purchased a Home 8 years ago...in Texas where PEX has been used. No problems, until recently, when I discovered a small wet leak. I called in Masters Plumbers for estimates to fix, each looked and gave an estimate...from $1145 - $2600 which seemed way off. I finally located the Plumbing company that installed the PEX system. The leak occurred in a Kitchen island sink. Estimates from so-called professionals went high as despite a manifold system, and easy access, they wanted to rip through walls and re-route. I should feel relieved that the company that installed the faulty couplings in the first place, only charged me $500 to spend 1 hour to re-loop a hot water pipe with 13' of PEX.
However, even with cheap materials, and labor - $500 is an "Excessive" price to pay for a badly installed coupling...Plumber had the nerve to justify such...stating the coupling managed to last eight years.
Possibly, however, there is no excuse to rip me off for his own shoddy workmanship! |
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| Posted by: Client in Ardmore, OK. | Posted: March 21st, 2016 01:03PM |
| Number of Fixtures: 7 |
40 foot water line ran to house with trench already dug and old galvanized steel cutout.
2 bedroom 1 bath
whirlpool filtration system, water tank, bathroom sink, toilet, tub, kitchen sink, Ice Box, washer line, and outside hose connection.
$800 Labor and $200.00 supplies. |
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| Posted by: rumpelstiltskin73 in Dyer, IN. | Posted: February 12th, 2016 02:02PM |
| Number of Fixtures: 6 |
Replaced all the old galvanized plumbing in a rehab project with PEX. The whole job took them about 8 hours to complete. Definitely ask if there's a cash discount - this brought our cost down about 15%. |
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| Posted by: Phred4368 in Laguna Niguel, CA. | Posted: September 4th, 2015 10:09PM |
| Number of Fixtures: 2 |
I was screwed and so were my parents! |
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| Posted by: mingomania in San Dimas, CA. | Posted: February 19th, 2015 01:02PM |
| Number of Fixtures: 11 |
Repiped 2.5 baths (toilets, showers, and sinks), 1 kitchen (sink, dishwasher, fridge), bar sink, and laundry room.
Decided to repipe after getting a slab leak weeks after getting a pin-hole leak in old copper piping. |
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| Posted by: a user in Acworth, GA. | Posted: January 8th, 2012 07:01AM |
Our main line from the meter to the house burst (poly pipe). We had the line replaced with 60' of Pex installed(crawlspace)for a total cost of $1300. |
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External Resources: | - www.mongabay.com/commodities/prices/copper.php
- 911repipe.com
- www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,,1631516,00.html
- www.homeownernet.com/plumbing-how-to/hire_plumber.html
- www.phccweb.org/tools-resources/find-a-contractor/
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