Is PEX or copper cheaper to repipe with?

PEX is cheaper on both material and labor. It costs less per foot, bends around corners without fittings, and installs faster with fewer wall openings. Copper prices swing with the commodity market and take longer to install, so a copper repipe of the same house is typically 30 to 60 percent more.

Does the repipe price include drywall repair?

Usually not. Plumbers open the walls and ceilings needed to run pipe, and drywall patching and paint are typically done by a separate contractor after the plumbing inspection passes. Ask every bidder whether drywall is included, and budget for it separately if not. PEX repipes need far fewer openings than copper.

How long does a repipe take?

Most single-family repipes in Houston take two to five working days for the plumbing. Water is generally on again each evening. Inspection and drywall repair follow.

Can I repipe just part of the house?

Yes. If only one run is failing, or a bathroom remodel opens one area, a partial repipe can make sense. If the failures are pinhole leaks in copper or the pipe is polybutylene or galvanized, the same failure is coming everywhere else, and a whole-home repipe is usually the better spend.

How Much Does It Cost to Repipe a House in Houston? (2026 Ranges and What Drives Them)

Q: How much does it cost to repipe a house in Houston?

As of September 2026, whole-home PEX repipes in the Houston area commonly run from about $4,000 for a small single-story home to $15,000 or more for a large two-story with several bathrooms, and copper repipes run meaningfully higher because of material and labor. The final number depends on square footage, stories, fixture count, pipe material, attic access, and how much drywall must be opened. Hugo Plumbing quotes the exact price in writing after a free walkthrough.

A repipe is one of the biggest plumbing jobs a Houston homeowner will ever buy, and it’s also one of the hardest to price from a distance. Two houses with the same square footage can be thousands of dollars apart because of what’s in the attic, how many bathrooms there are, and what the walls are made of. Here’s what the market looks like as of September 2026, what actually moves the number, and how to compare quotes without getting burned.

Typical Houston-Area Ranges (September 2026)

These are market-wide ranges for the plumbing work, not Hugo Plumbing’s price list. Your quote comes after a free walkthrough.

Home	PEX repipe	Copper repipe
Small single-story, 1–1.5 baths	roughly $4,000–$7,000	roughly $7,000–$11,000
Mid-size single-story, 2–2.5 baths	roughly $6,000–$10,000	roughly $10,000–$16,000
Two-story, 3+ baths	roughly $9,000–$15,000+	roughly $15,000–$25,000+
Gas repipe (black iron/CSST, whole home)	priced on site	—

Drywall repair, painting, and any slab or tunneling work for under-slab lines are extra. Hugo Plumbing’s $300 repipe coupon applies to water or gas repipes, and several financing options are available.

What Drives the Price

Square footage and stories. More pipe, more runs, more wall openings. Two-story homes add vertical runs and ceiling access.

Fixture count. Each sink, toilet, tub, shower, hose bibb, washer box, ice maker, and water heater is a run. A house with three full baths and a wet bar has far more pipe than a house with one and a half.

Pipe material. PEX is cheaper on material and installs faster. Copper costs more per foot, swings with the commodity market, and takes longer to solder or press. Our PEX vs. copper guide covers which is right for a Houston home (for most, PEX).

Attic access. Houston homes are slab-on-grade, so a repipe runs through the attic and down the walls. A walkable attic with decking is fast. A low, blown-insulation attic with trusses is slow and hot, and the labor reflects it.

Wall and ceiling construction. Drywall opens and patches easily. Plaster, tile, and brick veneer take more time to open and more money to restore.

Under-slab lines. If a supply line under the slab has to be abandoned and rerouted, that’s normal and included. If a drain line under the slab is the problem, that’s a different job — see cast iron pipes in older Houston homes.

Water heater and fixtures. If the water heater is old, replacing it during the repipe saves a second setup. Same for corroded shutoff valves and old fixtures. Ask for it as a line item so you can decide.

Permit and inspection. Required inside Houston and most surrounding cities. Hugo Plumbing pulls the permit and schedules the inspection; it’s in the quote, not an add-on.

What Usually Isn’t Included

Drywall repair and paint. Most plumbers, including us, leave patching to a drywall contractor after inspection. Budget for it; PEX repipes need far fewer openings.
Tile or plaster restoration.
New fixtures, unless quoted.
Insulation replacement in the attic, if it’s disturbed.

Any quote that seems far lower than the others is usually leaving one of these out, or is missing the permit, the expansion tank, or proper fittings. Compare written total to written total, and ask what happens to the price if they find galvanized or polybutylene where they expected copper.

Whole House or Partial?

If the problem is pinhole leaks in copper, polybutylene (gray pipe in homes built 1978–1995), or galvanized steel (pre-1970), the material is failing everywhere and a partial fix just moves the next leak. Repipe the house. If it’s a single damaged run, or a remodel is opening one bathroom anyway, a partial repipe is reasonable. The signs are covered in signs you need to repipe your Houston home.

Timeline

Most single-family repipes take two to five working days of plumbing. Water is typically off during working hours and on again each evening. The inspection follows, then drywall and paint. Total disruption is usually a week to ten days, and you’re never without water overnight.

How to Compare Quotes

Is the price in writing and exact, or an estimate that can grow?
PEX or copper, and which brand and fitting system?
Is a manifold or labeled shutoffs included so future repairs don’t shut the whole house off?
Permit and inspection included?
Drywall included or separate?
What’s the warranty? Hugo Plumbing’s work carries at least a one-year warranty, extended by job type, and a repipe is one of the jobs where it’s extended.
Financing available?

Hugo Plumbing repipes are quoted after a free walkthrough, in writing, with the permit and inspection included and a pressure test before the walls close. See the repiping service page for what’s involved, and for the whole picture of plumbing pricing in the area, how much does a plumber cost in Houston.

If your pipes won’t hold, call Hugo.