Repiping
Repiping in Matthews, NC
When a house has had one too many pinhole leaks, or the water's running rusty out of every fixture at once, patching stops making sense. A repipe replaces the supply lines for good, done in phases so you're not living in a construction site.
Copper or PEX, and why we usually recommend PEX
Both are code-approved and both last. PEX runs faster because it snakes through joist bays and walls without the fittings copper needs at every turn, which usually means less drywall opened and a shorter job. Copper still makes sense in certain exposed runs or for homeowners who want it specifically, and we'll do either. The recommendation comes down to your house, not which pipe sounds more premium.
Homes we see most often needing a full repipe are older sections of Matthews and Pineville still on original galvanized, and houses across the service area built in the polybutylene era that are now on their second or third fitting leak. If you're only dealing with one leak so far, leak repair might be the right call instead of a full repipe, and we'll tell you which situation you're actually in.
What's typically in the walls, by era
| Galvanized steel, pre-1960s and some later builds | Corrodes from the inside out, narrowing over decades until water pressure drops even with no visible leak. |
|---|---|
| Copper, 1960s through today | Reliable but not immune to pinhole leaks, especially with acidic water or poor original soldering. |
| Polybutylene, late 1970s through mid-1990s | Gray plastic pipe common in this era's construction that becomes brittle at fittings with age and chlorine exposure. |
| PEX, common in newer builds and most repipes today | Flexible, resistant to freezing splits, and what we use on most repipe jobs unless a homeowner specifically wants copper. |
How a repipe actually happens in a lived-in house
- Walkthrough and access planWe map every fixture and figure out the smallest number of access points, ceiling, wall, or crawlspace, to reach them all.
- Price for the whole jobThe full repipe priced and explained before any wall is opened, not a per-fixture surprise.
- Permit pulledRepiping is permitted work in every town we serve, with an inspection before walls close back up.
- Water staged room by roomWhere the layout allows, at least one bathroom stays working through most of the job so the house stays livable.
- Pressure test before closing wallsEvery new line gets tested under pressure before drywall or crawlspace access points get closed up.
- Fixture reconnection and final walkthroughFaucets, toilets, and the water heater get reconnected, and we run every fixture in the house before calling it done.
Questions we get on the phone
How do I know if I need a repipe instead of another leak repair?
If you've had two or more unrelated pipe failures in the past couple of years, or the whole house is on original galvanized or polybutylene, that's usually a sign the material itself is failing, not bad luck. One isolated leak in an otherwise sound system is more often just a leak repair.
Will I have water during a repipe?
Mostly, yes. The work is usually staged so at least one bathroom stays functional through most of the job, and the water only goes fully off for short stretches during connection and testing, which you'll hear about in advance each day.
Copper or PEX, which is better?
Both are code-approved for supply lines. PEX is what we recommend for most repipes because it needs fewer fittings and less wall opening to install, but copper still makes sense for certain exposed runs or if you specifically want it, and we'll do either.
Do you repair drywall after a repipe?
We patch what we open where we reasonably can, but full drywall finishing and paint matching is outside what we do. We'll tell you exactly what gets opened before the job starts so you can line up a painter if needed.
How much does a whole-house repipe cost?
It depends on house size, number of fixtures, number of stories, and access; a single-story ranch off Park Rd is a different job than a two-story with a finished basement. The price for the full job comes after the walkthrough, before any wall opens.