Repiping cost per square foot
| Pipe material | Installed price | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| PEX (flexible plastic) | $1.50–$2.75 | The usual choice for a repipe: flexible, quick to run through walls |
| Copper | $4–$8 | Long-lasting but costs several times as much as PEX |
No cost guide prints a price per square foot for a repipe, so these rates come from the totals they do print: HomeGuide's repipe of an existing 2,000 sq ft home at $3,100 to $5,500, its PEX and copper totals for 2,000 sq ft, and Fixr's whole-house rate of $2 to $6 per sq ft. Square footage is only a stand-in for how much pipe a house needs. Angi puts a repipe at $1,500 to $15,000, with most homeowners paying around $7,500, but gives no home size, and its summary box says $1,250 to $22,000. Its average is higher than the PEX total below because it mixes materials and home sizes. HomeAdvisor's headline figure of $373 to $2,121 belongs to a partial job, and its $4.50 per sq ft table is for new construction, so neither is used.
Cost by home size
| Home size | PEX | Copper |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft | $1,500–$2,750 | $4,000–$8,000 |
| 1,500 sq ft | $2,250–$4,130 | $6,000–$12,000 |
| 2,000 sq ft | $3,000–$5,500 | $8,000–$16,000 |
| 2,500 sq ft | $3,750–$6,880 | $10,000–$20,000 |
| 3,000 sq ft | $4,500–$8,250 | $12,000–$24,000 |
CPVC is not in the table because no guide prices a whole house in it. Angi gives it $0.50 to $1 per linear foot, between PEX and copper.
What changes the price
- Pipe material. This is the biggest choice. Copper costs several times what PEX does.
- Number of bathrooms and fixtures. Every sink, shower, toilet and appliance needs its own line, so a small home with many bathrooms can cost more than a large one with few.
- Stories and layout. Angi says larger and multistory homes cost more; pipes that run through finished walls cost more than pipes in an open basement or crawl space.
- Access. Opening walls and ceilings takes time, and the holes then need patching and painting.
- Old pipes. Removing the old lines is usually part of the price. HomeGuide puts it at $1,000 to $5,000 when it is billed separately.
- Where you live. The calculator adjusts the labor share for your state's plumber wages.
Extras to expect
| Item | Typical cost | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Opening and patching walls | $300–$1,200 | When the quote leaves out drywall repair and paint |
| Permit | $50–$500 | Most cities require one; Angi says fees vary by region |
| Reinspection | $25 to $150 | Only if the first inspection finds a problem, according to Angi |
A water heater is often replaced during a repipe; see water heater replacement cost. If the problem is one leak under a slab, see slab leak repair cost. For the lines that carry water away, see sewer line replacement cost and drain cleaning cost. After the walls are open, drywall repair cost shows what the patching adds.
Questions to ask before you hire
- Which pipe will you use, and what is the warranty on the pipe and on the work?
- Is the price for the whole house, and does it include removing the old pipes?
- Who repairs and paints the walls you open, and is that in the quote?
- Who pulls the permit and schedules the inspection?
- How long will the water be off each day, and where will we be able to wash and use the toilet?
Methodology and sources
We turn the totals the guides print into a price per square foot for each pipe material, take the middle of them, and adjust the labor share for your state's wages. Forbes Home and Homewyse are used as independent cross-checks. Read how we estimate costs.
- HomeGuide: install new house plumbing pipes cost — repipe totals, PEX and copper for 2,000 sq ft, drywall repair
- Angi: cost to repipe a house — range and average, price per foot, labor share, permit
- Fixr: plumbing cost — whole-house price per square foot and size table
- Forbes Home: install or replace plumbing cost — used as an independent cross-check
- Homewyse: cost to repipe a house — used as an independent cross-check
- BLS OEWS May 2025, State (SOC 47-2152, Plumbers) — state labor index
What each source reports
Our estimate does not rely on any single page. This table lists each page we used and the figures it reports, so you can see where the ranges come from.
| Source | What it reports |
|---|---|
| HomeGuide |
|
| Fixr |
|
| Angi |
|
Common questions about whole-house repiping costs
How much does whole-house repiping cost?
A typical job (2,000 sq ft, pex) comes to about $4,000 nationally, within a range of $3,000 to $5,500. Use the calculator above to adjust for your state, the options you choose and any extras.
What is the average cost to repipe a house?
Angi puts a repipe at $1,500 to $15,000, with most homeowners paying around $7,500, but it gives no home size. For a 2,000 sq ft home the calculator shows $3,000–$5,500 in PEX and $8,000–$16,000 in copper.
How much does it cost to repipe a 1,500 sq ft house?
About $2,250–$4,130 in PEX and $6,000–$12,000 in copper, before wall repair and a permit.
How much does it cost to repipe a 2,000 sq ft house?
About $3,000–$5,500 in PEX and $8,000–$16,000 in copper. Fixr puts a 2,000 sq ft house at $4,000 to $12,000 and HomeGuide puts a repipe of an existing 2,000 sq ft home at $3,100 to $5,500.
Is PEX or copper cheaper to install?
PEX, by a wide margin: about $1.50–$2.75 per sq ft against $4–$8 for copper. Per linear foot, Angi puts PEX at $0.40 to $2 and copper at $2 to $8.
Does the price include fixing the walls?
Not always. Plumbers often make small access holes and patch them, but repairing and painting drywall is usually a separate cost: about $300–$1,200.
How much of the cost is labor?
Angi says about 70% of the total. The calculator uses that to adjust the price for your state's plumber wages.
How much does it cost to repipe just one part of a house?
Plumbers price a partial repipe by the fixture: HomeGuide gives $450 to $1,800 per fixture, and Angi an average of $1,200 per fixture. The calculator covers whole-house jobs.
How long does repiping take?
Guides do not agree on a time, and it depends on the size of the house and how easy the walls are to reach. Ask your plumber how long the water will be off each day.
Where do these prices come from?
They come from 3 published cost pages from 3 publishers, last checked Oct 14, 2026. We report what those pages say and do not invent figures; the table above shows each source.
How does my state change the estimate?
The labor part of the price is scaled by the average wage for the relevant trade in your state, using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Materials and equipment are not adjusted.
Why might a contractor's quote differ from this estimate?
A quote reflects your specific scope, access, local demand and what the contractor includes. Ask for line items rather than a single total so you can compare bids on the same basis.
All 3 sources behind these prices
Every figure in the calculator comes from one or more of these pages, with the number each one supports in the link text.
- HomeGuide: repiping an existing 2,000 sq ft home $3,100-$5,500, about $1.55-$2.75 per sq ft (our arithmetic; byline Aug 2025)
- Fixr: an 800 sq ft home with PEX pipes $1,600, $2 per sq ft (our arithmetic; updated Jan 2025)
- Angi: labor is about 70% of the total, around $5,250 on its $7,500 average (updated Aug 2026)