Repiping a house costs most homeowners around $7,500 according to Angi, within a published range of $1,500 to $15,000.[1] HomeGuide puts repiping an existing 2,000-square-foot home at $3,100 to $5,500 – $0.40 to $2.00 per linear foot – while Forbes Home averages $6,500 for replacing the plumbing in a typical 2,000-square-foot home, ranging from $3,000 to $16,000.[2][3] PEX, CPVC and copper also price out very differently per linear foot.[1][2][3]
If your home has lead pipes, repiping is a health decision, not just a budget one. The EPA and CDC agree there is no known safe level of lead in a child’s blood, and the EPA has set its maximum contaminant level goal for lead in drinking water at zero. Lead enters drinking water when lead-containing plumbing corrodes, and in homes with lead service lines those pipes are typically the most significant source; lead pipes are more likely in homes built before 1986.[4]
Repiping cost by source
| Source | Average (per house) | Typical range (per house) | Scope as published |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angi | $7,500 | $1,500 – $15,000 | Whole-house repiping; about $1,200 per fixture for single-fixture work |
| HomeGuide | (not listed) | $3,100 – $5,500 | Repiping an existing 2,000 sq ft home; $0.40 to $2.00 per linear foot |
| Forbes Home | $6,500 | $3,000 – $16,000 | Replacing the plumbing in a typical 2,000 sq ft home |
Angi, HomeGuide and Forbes are separately owned publishers, and their pages state no shared sourcing. Angi’s own summary box gives a wider spread – $1,250 to $22,000 – than its body’s $1,500 to $15,000; both are reported as published. HomeGuide also prices whole-home new plumbing or repiping at $2,000 to $15,000 per job across all sizes.
Cost per linear foot by pipe material
| Pipe material | HomeGuide (per linear foot) | Angi (per linear foot) | Forbes (per linear foot, labor included) |
|---|---|---|---|
| PEX | $0.40 – $0.50 | $0.40 – $2.00 | $1.50 – $4.00 |
| CPVC | (not listed) | $0.50 – $1.00 | $1.50 – $3.25 |
| Copper | $3 – $8 | $2 – $8 | $4 – $12 |
Repiping cost per linear foot by material, as published. Forbes’ figures include labor while the other publishers’ figures are as published without that scope stated, so the columns are not directly comparable. No publisher’s range is presented as the right one.
Labor, removal and add-on costs
| Cost item | Cost as published |
|---|---|
| Labor share (Angi) | About 70% of the project total, around $5,250 per house on a typical job |
| Repiping labor rate (Forbes) | $60 – $200 per hour |
| Old pipe removal and disposal (Forbes) | $1,000 – $4,500 per job |
| Permits | Angi $50 – $500 per permit; Forbes $50 – $500 per project – identical ranges, and the pages state no shared sourcing |
| Drywall repair | Angi $300 – $900 per job; Forbes $40 – $120 per hour |
| Reinspection (Angi) | $25 – $150 per inspection if required |
| Water main install or replace (Forbes) | $30 – $60 per linear foot |
| Drain, waste and vent replacement (Forbes) | $4 – $8.50 per linear foot |
| Mobile home repiping (Angi) | $1,500 – $4,000 per job |
| Water heater replacement add-on (Angi) | $850 – $1,750 per job, commonly paired with repiping |
Labor and add-on costs. Sources: Angi, HomeGuide and Forbes Home. Access is the swing factor every publisher names: pipes under concrete or in tight crawl spaces cost far more to reach than pipes behind drywall.
When repiping stops being optional
Lead is the clearest case. The EPA explains that lead enters drinking water when plumbing materials containing lead corrode, with lead pipes, faucets and fixtures the most common sources; the agency’s health goal for lead in drinking water is zero, and it notes lead pipes are more likely in homes built before 1986.[4] On the cost side, HomeGuide prices replacing galvanized, lead or polybutylene piping at $2,000 to $15,000 per job depending on the replacement material, and describes galvanized pipes as degrading over time as their zinc coating erodes.[2] Age and repeat failures are the other signal: Angi’s guidance is that if you frequently pay for plumbing repairs, it might be time to get new pipes.[1]
PEX or copper?
Angi reports that many plumbers prefer PEX because it does not corrode and is flexible enough to snake through smaller wall openings.[1] On the caution side, a 2014 NSF-funded Purdue University study of six PEX pipe brands sold in the U.S. found all six caused drinking water to exceed the EPA’s maximum recommended odor limit – an aesthetic, not health, standard – and one brand caused water to exceed the ETBE health standard set by New Hampshire and New York; no federal ETBE standard exists, and effects varied by brand.[5] HomeGuide notes PEX cannot be installed outdoors because UV light breaks down the tubing, and describes copper as recyclable.[2] Local code governs what materials you may use; the per-foot table above shows what each publisher says each material costs.
DIY or hire a plumber?
Every publisher treats repiping as professional work: permits are required in most cases ($50 to $500), an inspection follows, and the job means opening walls, floors or slabs to reach the lines.[1][3] This guide carries no DIY procedure and no shopping link; the figures above are estimates for hiring a licensed plumber.
Related cost guides
See our guides to water line replacement cost, slab leak repair cost, plumber cost, drywall repair cost and water heater installation cost.
Sources
- Angi – How Much Does It Cost to Repipe a House? (updated August 3, 2026)
- HomeGuide – How Much Does It Cost to Install or Replace Plumbing? (August 29, 2025)
- Forbes Home – Average Cost to Install or Replace Plumbing (audited October 31, 2024)
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water
- Purdue University – Drinking Water Odors, Chemicals Above Health Standards Caused by ‘Green Building’ Plumbing (October 20, 2014; NSF-funded study published in Water Research)