Whole-House Repipe Cost Calculator

Estimate what it costs to repipe a house using the prices you enter — fixtures × $/fixture, plus labor, permit and a contingency buffer. No price list is baked in, so the math stays correct in any market.

Planning estimate: this is a planning estimate from the numbers you enter and standard reference quantities — not a bid or a contract. Get itemized written quotes from licensed plumbers and confirm measurements before you commit.

Calculator

fixtures
Toilets, sinks, tubs, showers, hose bibbs, laundry and water heater connections.
$/fixture
From your quote — plumbers often price a repipe per fixture or per connection.
hrs
Crew hours to open walls, run new lines and close up.
$/hr
Your local hourly rate (or blended crew rate).
$
Your building department sets this — a repipe usually needs a permit and inspection.
A buffer for surprises found once the walls are open.
Estimated total$4,521.00
Fixtures$1,800.00 (12 × $150.00)
Labor + permit$2,310.00
Subtotal$4,110.00
Contingency10% ($411.00)

A 12-fixture repipe at $150.00/fixture plus labor comes to $4,110.00; with a 10% contingency, about $4,521.00. These are your numbers — get itemized written quotes.

Repiping replaces the failing water-supply lines in a house — usually old galvanized steel, polybutylene, or corroded copper — with new copper or PEX. It is one of the larger plumbing line items a homeowner faces, and the quotes you get back can vary widely because contractors price it differently: some per fixture, some per connection, some as a flat bid. This tool lets you rebuild any quote from its parts so you can compare apples to apples.

The biggest driver is the fixture (or connection) count: every toilet, sink, tub, shower, hose bibb, laundry hookup and the water heater is a run the crew has to reach and connect. After that come labor hours (opening and patching walls is often most of the job), the permit, and a contingency buffer for the surprises that only appear once drywall is off.

Formula

A whole-house repipe is priced per fixture (or connection), plus crew labor, the permit, and a contingency buffer for what shows up once the walls are open:

subtotal = fixtures × price_per_fixture + labor_hrs × labor_rate + permit
total    = subtotal × (1 + contingency%)

Every dollar figure is yours — from your written quote or your own material and labor research. The calculator holds no price list, so it never goes stale.

Worked example

A 12-fixture house at $150/fixture, 24 hours of labor at $90/hr, a $150 permit, with a 10% contingency:

  • Fixtures: 12 × $150 = $1,800
  • Labor: 24 × $90 = $2,160
  • Permit: $150
  • Subtotal: 1,800 + 2,160 + 150 = $4,110
  • Contingency (10%): $411
  • Total: 4,110 × 1.10 = $4,521

Change any figure to match your quote — a bigger house, PEX vs copper, or harder wall access all move the number.

What moves a repipe number

Two houses with the same fixture count can still land far apart. A single-story slab home with accessible attic runs is quicker than a two-story house with finished ceilings below. PEX generally installs faster and cheaper than copper (see the PEX vs copper comparison), while copper carries a longer track record and a different feel and resale story.

Set the contingency honestly. An older home, a slab leak, or hard access argues for 15–20% rather than 10%, because the crew will find hidden runs, brittle fittings, or drywall repairs the first walk-through missed. Wall and finish repair (drywall, paint, tile) is frequently a separate trade and may not be in the plumber’s number at all — ask.

Once you have a total, run it through the cost-per-fixture normalizer to compare competing bids on the same basis, and the project budget allocator to see how the money splits across labor, materials and permits.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to repipe a house?
It depends entirely on your fixture count, labor rate and material choice — which is why this tool asks you to enter them instead of quoting a figure that would age. The worked example (12 fixtures, $150/fixture, 24 h labor) comes to about $4,521. A larger home, copper instead of PEX, or difficult access pushes it higher. Always get itemized written quotes.
Why price a repipe per fixture?
Each fixture (or connection) is a supply run the crew has to reach, route and tie in, so per-fixture pricing scales with the real work. Some plumbers quote per connection or as a flat bid instead — this calculator lets you rebuild any of those into a comparable subtotal.
Does the estimate include drywall and paint repair?
Only if you enter it. Wall opening and patching, paint and tile are often a separate trade and may be excluded from the plumber’s quote. Add those costs into the labor or contingency figure, or budget them separately, so the total reflects the finished job.
What contingency percentage should I use?
Ten percent is a reasonable default for a straightforward repipe. Choose 15–20% for an older home, a slab foundation, or tight access, where hidden runs and brittle fittings are more likely to add scope once the walls are open.
Do I need a permit to repipe?
Almost always. A repipe is inspected work in most jurisdictions, and permit fees vary by locality — enter your building department’s fee. A permit protects you: the work gets inspected to code, which matters for insurance and resale.

Related calculators

PEX vs Copper CostCompare PEX vs copper repipe cost on your own figures: pipe length times your price per foot, plus labor, side by side with the dollar difference shown.Cost per FixtureNormalize a plumbing quote to a cost per fixture: total cost divided by fixture count, so you can compare competing bids on one consistent, fair basis.Project Budget AllocatorSplit a plumbing project budget across labor, materials, permits and contingency using your own percentages. Labeled typical splits you can override.