PLUMBING
Cost to Repipe a House: PEX vs Copper in 2026
Estimate whole-home repiping cost — with the free plumbing cost calculator.
Old galvanized or copper pipes fail eventually — and a whole-home repipe is the fix that lasts 50 years. Here's the real 2026 cost by material.
THE SHORT ANSWER
The short answer
A whole-home repipe runs $4,500–$9,000 for PEX on a 1,500–2,000 sq ft home, or $8,000–$14,000+ for copper. PEX runs $3.50–$7 per sq ft; copper $8–$14. Accessible crawlspaces are cheaper than slab homes.
PEX vs copper
PEX-A is the modern standard: $0.40–$2 per linear foot, flexible, freeze-resistant and fast to install. Copper runs $2–$8 per linear foot, lasts decades and costs 40–60% more installed.
- PEX repipe, 1,500 sq ft: $4,500–$9,000
- Copper repipe, 1,500 sq ft: $9,000–$12,000
- PEX per sq ft: $3.50–$7
- Copper per sq ft: $8–$14
What changes the price
Slab foundations cost more (tunneling or rerouting). Two-story homes add labor. Bathroom count drives fixture work. Wall repair and paint after repiping add $1,000–$3,000.
Try the plumbing calculator
Enter your fixture count, material and labor per unit to estimate the job.