When your dream home experiences a plumbing issue, it can quickly become a nightmare. The home you worked so hard for now deals with flooding from broken or old plumbing.
At Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating & Air, we've seen how urgent, serious, and stressful plumbing problems can be. Since 2007, we've helped thousands of homeowners ease their worries after replacing the plumbing in their homes with newer materials.
Before we replace bad plumbing pipes, one of the most asked questions we receive is, "how much is it going to cost to replace the entire plumbing in my home?"
There is no set price for an entire plumbing overhaul because of a few factors, such as the size and layout of a home, the materials required, and the scope of the work required. Once you understand what factors play a role in plumbing overhaul costs, you will understand the pricing a lot better and ensure that you're getting the best value for your home.
How Much Does it Cost to Replace the Entire Plumbing in My Home?
Although there are many plumbing companies in Los Angeles, each can set and change their prices at their discretion. The costs vary from one plumbing company to another, but the average cost range for a plumbing overhaul is between $2,900 to $25,000.
Most of these businesses have financing available to make these necessary repairs more accessible to you and other homeowners. With financing, you can schedule a repair for your home's whole plumbing system and pay it off in payments. Each financial institution has rules and regulations regarding how to qualify for its different financing options.
Factors That Affect Plumbing Overhaul Costs
The $2,900 to $25,000 price range is large because of a few factors that play a significant role in calculating the final price. If you call a couple of plumbing companies, you will notice that they can only give you a set price after performing an inspection first. An assessment will identify the issue and consider the following factors to determine the cost of an entire plumbing overhaul.
Size and Layout of the Home
A plumbing overhaul repair depends on a home's size and layout. The larger your home is, the more you will have to pay for a plumbing overhaul.
A bigger house will have a more extensive plumbing layout than a small home. Larger houses require longer runs of pipe, and their bigger layout may require plumbing pipes installed in hard-to-reach areas.
Here are some other factors a plumber will consider when determining the final cost of plumbing.
- Bathrooms: Bathroom fixtures like toilets and showers rely on plumbing. The more bathrooms your home has, the more you will pay for a plumbing overhaul because the pipes connected to these fixtures must be installed carefully. Badly installed bathroom plumbing can lead to sewage backups or leaks.
- Fixtures: The amount of fixtures you have plays a role too. Extra sinks and washing machines' waterline connections connect to the home's drainage system, which requires more plumbing.
Plumbers require this information to diagnose where the issues could be and what areas of plumbing require more attention than other sections.
Materials Used
An entire plumbing system overhaul requires new pipes to replace the old or broken ones. The types of pipes used and other necessary materials affect the final cost of a major plumbing job.
- Copper: In terms of price, copper pipes have a high installation price. Copper costs $2 to $9 per foot just on materials alone. It can last between 50 to 100 years when installed in your home.
- Cast Iron: These pipes were once standard in plumbing over 50 years ago but became less utilized as plastic pipes were introduced. Cast iron pipes are similar in price to copper, ranging between $3 to $10 per foot.
- Galvanized Steel: If you own an old house, chances are it uses galvanized steel for plumbing pipes. Although durable, these pipes are susceptible to corrosion over time. It also plays a role in the final plumbing overhaul price since it can cost around $8 per foot.
- PEX (Cross-linked Polyethylene): A highly flexible plastic pipe, PEX is cheaper and more reliable than steel pipes. PEX pipes can lower the final price of plumbing overhaul since they're inexpensive. These pipes can cost between .50 cents to $2 per foot.
- PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride): This plastic pipe option is popular for handling water line connections. It is also a less expensive option than copper pipes. It can cost as low as 50 cents to $3 per foot.
- ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene): ABS pipe is another popular plastic option that can replace pipes for drains, waste, and ventilation. It costs slightly more than PVC but is still less expensive than the steel pipe options. Per foot, ABS pipes cost, on average, $1 to $3.
The amount of piping materials required is directly related to the size of your home. A two-story home with four bathrooms will require more pipe installation than a single-story home with one restroom.
Extent of Plumbing Problem
A plumbing overhaul involves replacing old or broken pipes throughout your house. Every home has a plumbing and drainage system designed to receive water and transport waste away from the house.
The first significant pipeline is the main water line, which connects your city's public water supply to your home. It relies on a water connection system to supply your home with water for different fixtures.
The sewage line is the pipeline that carries all the waste from your home and transports it away to the city sewage system. Some houses only require replacing the sewage line rather than an entire plumbing overhaul, so you can learn more about the costs associated with repairing your sewer line.
Both systems are vital to a working home, and replacing them can run up to $25,000. The pipes that connect to these lines may be hard to reach. This can require you to hire another company to excavate a yard or driveway, which can cost several thousand dollars.
Some fixtures in your home are connected to pipes that can be accessed if the wall is removed. Once that part of the plumbing is replaced with new pipes, it can require drywall patching and repainting/touch-ups, which can add to the overall cost of the project.
Is a Plumbing Overhaul Right For Me?
We've touched on how much a plumbing overhaul can cost and what affects that cost. Now, you can confidently request an estimate knowing the going rates in the Los Angeles area and get your home up and running as quickly as possible.
At Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating & Air, we've replaced whole house plumbing systems across Los Angeles County. There isn't a set price for a plumbing overhaul, but we've seen the significant factors that affect pricing for each job site.
If you're thinking about updating your home's plumbing system or have further questions, call us at (310) 773-3882 or book an appointment online. If you’re not sure about a complete overhaul but suspect your home has leaky pipes, learn about the signs and symptoms of a leaking pipe to act fast before it requires an overhaul.
