How Much Does It Cost to Install or Replace Plumbing?
How Much Does It Cost to Install or Replace Plumbing?
Installing rough-in plumbing pipes for new construction costs $4.50 per square foot while repiping an existing home with PEX tubing costs $0.40 to $2.00 per linear foot. Most homeowners spend $2,280 to $5,120 to install new plumbing in their house. Replacing plumbing for a bathtub, sink, or toilet costs $450 and $1,800 per fixture.
$450 – $1,800 Per Fixture
$2,280 – $5,120 Average Total
Installing rough-in plumbing pipes for new construction costs $4.50 per square foot while repiping an existing home with PEX tubing costs $0.40 to $2.00 per linear foot. Most homeowners spend $2,280 to $5,120 to install new plumbing in their house. Replacing plumbing for a bathtub, sink, or toilet costs $450 and $1,800 per fixture.
Cost to Install or Replace Plumbing Pipes
Installing new plumbing or repiping an entire home costs $2,000 to $15,000. Replacing or installing new fixtures or small sections of piping, like a bathtub, sink, or toilet will cost $450 to $1,800 per fixture depending on if it's a rough-in or full install.
Rough-in plumbing for new construction costs $8,000 to $12,000 or $4.50 per square foot for an average 2,000-square-foot home with 2 or 3 bathrooms.
Repiping an existing home the same size runs $3,100 to $5,500 on average, or $0.40 to $2.00 per linear foot.
| National Average Cost | $4,080 |
| Minimum Cost | $1,500 |
| Maximum Cost | $15,000 |
| Average Range | $2,280 to $5,120 |
You may need to have the plumbing replaced if it’s old and has hazardous piping materials such as lead or polybutylene.
Your overall prices depend on the type of materials used, the home's age, and the square footage of your plumbing project.
Cost to Plumb a New House
The cost to plumb a new 2,000-square-foot home with 2 or 3 baths is $8,000 to $12,000 on average.
New plumbing installation costs depend on:
The type of materials used
How many levels the house has
The number of bathrooms and plumbing fixtures
How far apart the bathrooms are
Plumbing Cost Per Square Foot
Plumbing costs $4.50 per square foot on average when estimating the installation in new construction. Factors such as the variable cost of fixtures and plumbing materials can drastically change the cost of plumbing.
Commercial vs. Residential
The rough-in costs for commercial plumbing a new construction are $4 to $6 per square foot. However, the fixture cost can be considerably higher because of the heavy-duty nature of commercial fixtures for public usage. The difference between commercial and residential plumbing is scale and complexity.
In new home construction, a plumber may install 2 to 3 toilets and sinks, while in new commercial construction, that plumber could install 25 to 50 or more.
Commercial building codes are very different than residential building codes.
Rough-In Plumbing Cost for New Construction
Rough-in plumbing costs $8,000 to $12,000 for a new construction home around 2,000 square feet with 2 or 3 bathrooms. Installing new fixtures, like bathtubs, sinks, dishwashers, or toilets will cost $450 to $1,800 per fixture or $4,000 for all fixtures.
The total cost for rough-in plumbing and installing fixtures is about $12,000 to $20,000. The term “rough-in plumbing” means that all the pipes are installed and connected to each other and the water main, but no sinks, faucets, or toilets have been installed.
Rough-in plumbing costs to install a new kitchen are $1,700 to $4,000 depending on the square footage and how many fixtures it has. Typical fixtures include the kitchen sink, stove, dishwasher, and refrigerator.
| Item or Location | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Dishwasher | $400 – $600 |
| Double Sink & Faucet | $400 – $600 |
| Stove | $450 – $1,700 |
| Washing Machine | $450 – $1,700 |
| Water Heater | $600 – $1,800 |
| Dryer | $450 – $1,700 |
| Furnace | $600 – $1,800 |
| Number of Baths | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| One Bath | $1,500 – $3,000 |
| Two Baths | $3,000 – $6,000 |
| Three Baths | $4,500 – $9,000 |
| Four Baths | $6,000 – $12,000 |
Cost to Replumb a House
Replumbing a 1,500-square-foot home costs $2,280 to $4,080 on average or $0.40 to $2.00 per linear foot depending on the type of pipe used. Costs are based on the number of bathrooms, distance from the kitchen, the laundry room location, and the number of fixtures.
The cost to replumb a house depends on the house size and materials used.
Most homes more than 50 years old need to be replumbed due to damaged pipes.
| Pipe Material | Cost Per Linear Foot | 2,000 SF Home |
|---|---|---|
| Install PEX Tubing | $0.40 – $0.50 | $2,000 – $4,000 |
| Install Copper Pipe | $3 – $8 | $8,000 – $16,000 |
| Replace Galvanized Pipes | -- | $2,000 – $15,000 |
| Replace Lead and Polybutylene Pipe | -- | $2,000 – $15,000 |
| Remove Existing Pipes | -- | $1,000 – $5,000 |
| Replace Water Main | $32 – $53 | $800 – $2,000 |
| Install Water Main (Meter to Home) | $50 – $150 | $1,700 – $3,000 |
Cost to Re-pipe a House with PEX
The cost to re-pipe a house with PEX tubing is $0.40 to $0.50 per linear foot depending on the size of the house and the extent of replumbing you’re doing.
Re-piping a 2,000-square-foot home with PEX costs $2,000 to $4,000. PEX is plastic tubing or hose with many beneficial characteristics. However, PEX has only been used for about a decade, and any health risks of using plastic water supply lines are unknown.
It is easy to install due to its flexibility.
It can be snaked behind drywall, eliminating the need to remove the drywall.
Because of the flexibility of PEX, it won’t burst if frozen.
PEX cannot be installed outside because the UV light breaks down the plastic tubing.
It is suitable for both hot-water and cold-water lines.
It’s noncorrosive.
Rodents can chew through it.
Average Cost to Replace Galvanized Pipes
The cost to replace galvanized pipes is $2,000 to $15,000 depending on if you use PEX, copper, or another material. Replacing galvanized pipes in older homes is important because galvanized pipes degrade over the years.
Galvanized pipe is made by coating steel pipe with zinc that erodes over time, exposing the steel.
The exposed steel rusts.
Blockages can develop.
Water pressure drops due to the blockages.
Your water can become discolored due to the rust. Rusty water is unsafe to drink and stains clothes in the laundry.
Lead and Polybutylene Pipe Replacement Cost
Lead and polybutylene pipe replacement costs $2,000 to $15,000. PEX would be the cheapest, and copper is the most expensive. The pipes must be replaced because they crack and leak from years of water treatment chemicals.
Once the pipe gets cracked, your water is no longer safe to use.
Polybutylene pipes and lead pipes are not repairable. Lead is toxic, and it needs replacing.
They cannot be installed into any new construction, as they are not recognized as safe and reliable by any building code in the United States.
Re-pipe a House with Copper Pipe
The cost to re-pipe a house with copper pipe is $8,000 to $16,000 or $3 to $8 per linear foot. Replacing galvanized drain, waste, and vent pipe with copper costs $13 to $15 per linear foot.
Copper pipe is more expensive than PEX, but has some benefits:
Copper is naturally resistant to bacteria.
It is recyclable and easy to install—not as easy as PEX, but still manageable.
If you live in an area prone to earthquakes, copper is very resilient and may not break during an earthquake, saving your home from expensive water damage.
Cost to Remove Existing Plumbing Pipes
Removing existing plumbing in an older home costs $1,000 to $5,000. Usually, it’s included in the price of re-piping a home rather than treated as an individual cost. It’s a “remove as you go” type of repair to replace the plumbing in an entire house, so it’s not a DIY project.
The cost to repair the drywall that was cut to gain access to the plumbing will add $200 to $750 to the final costs.
Cost to Replace Plumbing in an Old House
Replacing the plumbing in an old house has a minimum cost of $2,000 and a maximum of $15,000. The wide price range is due to the size of the house, the pipe type, and additional repairs needed.
How long do plumbing pipes last before they need to be replaced?
Brass pipes last 40 to 70 years.
Copper pipes last 50 years.
Galvanized steel pipes last 20 to 50 years.
Replacing the Water Main from Meter to Home
Replacing the water main will cost from $32 to $53 per linear foot or $800 to $2,000 on average. New construction costs to install a water main and hook it up from the meter to your home are $1,700 to $3,000 or double the replacement costs.
If you have an older home, it’s possible that the water main may hook into your home somewhere underneath it. Yard work and trenching is often necessary. The cost will vary depending on local prices and the obstacles between the street and the home hookup.
Cost to Replace Pipes Under a House
The cost to replace pipes under the house is $2,000 to $15,000 or more. Install new copper pipes for $3 to $8 per linear foot, or $0.40 to $0.50 per linear foot for PEX hose.
Pipes do run under houses, many times in concrete. It is quite common to leave the old pipes in place after disconnecting them. The new pipe is simply installed in the path of least resistance. Depending on the style of the home, the pipe can be installed in the attic or under a crawl space.
Cost to Re-pipe a Mobile Home
Replumbing a mobile home costs $2,000 to $4,000 depending on the size and model. The plumbing setup in a mobile home is different than that in a stick-built home. In a mobile home, all the plumbing is in the floor rather than the walls, so it has different costs and will be less expensive.
New Plumbing Pipe & Materials Prices
To put new pipes in a home, there are three types of new plumbing pipe available that are building-code approved for homes:
Copper
PEX
CPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride)
PEX and CPVC are both plastics and are excellent alternatives to the pricey copper piping.
| Material | Price Per Linear Foot |
|---|---|
| Copper, ½” | $1.03 |
| Copper, ¾” | $1.75 |
| Copper, 1” | $3.04 |
| PEX, ½” | $0.30 |
| PEX, ¾” | $0.60 |
| PEX, ¾” | $0.82 |
| CPVC, ½” | $0.40 |
| CPVC, ¾” | $0.66 |
| CPVC, 1” x 5 ft. | $1.56 |
PEX Plumbing & Tubing Costs
PEX piping costs $0.30 to $0.82 per linear foot. PEX piping is very affordable for plumbing jobs, and being flexible is easy to install. It’s noncorrosive and is a popular pipe for radiant heating setups.
Copper Pipe Prices
Copper pipe prices range from $1 to $3 per linear foot and are the best kind of pipe to have in your home. Copper resists bacteria and extremely durable, but it is becoming an increasingly difficult material to source and thus valuable.
1 ½” to 2” type DWV copper pipe costs $6.70 to $8.40 per linear foot with fittings. Type DWV has the thinnest wall section and is only for unpressurized applications, such as drain, waste, and vent (DWV) lines.
½” to 3/4” type M copper pipe costs $1.89 to $2.28 per linear foot for pipe and proper fittings. Type M has thinner pipe wall sections for residential and commercial low-pressure heating applications.
CPVC Pipe Material Cost
Chlorinated Polyvinylchloride Piping (CPVC) piping materials cost $0.40 to $1.56 per linear foot. A popular replacement material for metal pipes, CPVC pipe is rigid plastic piping that has thick walls for hot and cold drinking water pipes. CPVC is easy to install and meets the most rigorous building codes.
Polybutylene, Galvanized, Lead, and Cast-Iron Piping
Some pipes used in old homes are not the best kind and have been discontinued. If you find these types of pipes in your home, they should be replaced as soon as possible.
Galvanized pipes lose their zinc coating, making them unhealthy.
Lead is poisonous.
Cast iron is prone to breakage.
Polybutylene pipes are very prone to leaking.
Whole-House Plumbing Cost Factors
The cost of new plumbing or replumbing a house is affected by many different factors simply because every home is different in size, layout, and water features within the house.
Home Size – The bigger the house, the more the plumbing or replumbing will cost. Each fixture adds to the cost of the plumbing.
Number of Appliances – Water-using appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines, and water heaters will add to the cost. Some homes have two kitchens, which means two dishwashers and two or more sinks.
Layout – Once you add a second floor and even third floor, pipes need to be run up to it. This is more complex than plumbing the ground floor and is more labor intensive.
Location – The amount of excavation that needs to be done to connect to city water and sewer lines will affect the cost.
Materials Cost – The piping material used will lower or add to your cost.
Permits and Inspections – If you’re dealing with new construction, inspections will need to be done. Costs of inspections vary based on the area you live in and your city’s building codes.
Hire a Licensed Professional Plumber
Before hiring a plumber near you, be sure to:
Collect at least 3 estimates.
Check that they are licensed, bonded, and insured.
Request a warranty on their work.
Find a contractor with more than 5 years of experience.
Ask if they know local building codes.
Get a detailed estimate in writing.
Never make a full payment until the work is complete.