A whole-home repipe in Houston typically costs $5,000–$15,000+ and takes 2–5 days, replacing every water supply line in the house — and for most homes here, PEX-A is the material we recommend. Below is how to know you're a repipe candidate, how the two materials compare, and what the week actually looks like.
How do you know it's time to repipe?
- Repeat leaks. One pinhole is a repair. Two or three within a couple of years is a failing system announcing itself — each patch is buying months.
- Original galvanized steel. Common in pre-1970 Houston homes; it corrodes shut from the inside, giving you rusty water and pressure that fades by the year.
- Polybutylene ("poly-B"). Installed widely from the late 1970s to mid-90s and failure-prone enough that its presence alone affects insurability. If your home has it, plan the repipe on your schedule instead of the pipe's.
- Slab leak history. After the second under-slab leak, rerouting or repiping beats breaking concrete again — our slab leak guide covers that decision.
PEX vs. copper for Houston homes
| Factor | PEX-A | Copper |
|---|---|---|
| Installed cost | Lower — flexible runs, faster labor | Higher — rigid runs, soldered joints, metal prices |
| Houston soil movement | Flexes with the house | Rigid; joints take the stress |
| Hard water / scale | Highly resistant | Susceptible to pinholes over decades |
| Freeze tolerance | Expands somewhat without bursting | Bursts when frozen solid |
| Track record | ~30 years in North America, strong | 70+ years, the known quantity |
| UV / exposed use | Must be protected from sunlight | Fine exposed — the better choice there |
After the February 2021 freeze, the flexibility argument stopped being theoretical for Houston homeowners — PEX's tolerance for freeze events and slab movement is why it wins most of our recommendations. We'll still quote copper if you want it; the honest comparison above is the whole pitch.
What does repipe week look like?
- Day 0 — walkthrough and written quote. Fixture count, access points, material choice, exact price. No allowances, no "we'll see."
- Days 1–3 — new lines go in. Crews run new pipe through the attic and walls, cutting small, planned openings. Water is back on every evening.
- Cutover and pressure test. The new system is tested at pressure, then old lines are capped and abandoned.
- City inspection and patching. Permitted, inspected, and drywall openings patched. Texture and paint matching are scheduled per the quote.
Making the budget work
A repipe is real money, but it's also the end of leak-repair roulette — and it protects everything the next leak would ruin. We offer GoodLeap financing (soft credit check until funding, minutes to apply) to spread the cost, and VIP Home Protection Plan members take 15% off the work. Book a walkthrough and we'll tell you plainly whether your system needs a repipe or just an honest repair — that distinction is why Houston has rated us 4.8 stars across 4,180+ reviews since 2007.
Quick answers from the crew
How much does it cost to repipe a house in Houston?
Most whole-home repipes in the Houston area land between $5,000 and $15,000+, driven by house size, number of bathrooms, one story vs. two, and wall/ceiling access. PEX repipes sit at the lower end; full copper costs more in both material and labor. Texas Quality Plumbing quotes the exact number in writing after a walkthrough.
How long does a whole-home repipe take?
Typically 2–5 days for the plumbing itself on an average Houston home, plus drywall patching afterward. You'll have water each evening — crews cut over section by section rather than leaving the house dry.
Should I repipe with PEX or copper?
For most Houston homes we recommend PEX-A: it's flexible (fewer joints, fewer future leak points), tolerant of our soil movement and the occasional hard freeze, resistant to the mineral scaling that attacks copper here, and significantly less expensive. Copper remains a premium option and is still right for some exposed applications.
How do I know if my house needs repiping instead of another repair?
The pattern matters more than any single leak: multiple pinhole leaks within a couple of years, rusty or discolored water, dropping pressure, or original galvanized/polybutylene pipe are all system-level failures. If you're paying for the second or third leak repair in recent memory, get a repipe quote before the next one.