Galvanized pipe replacement cost: PEX, copper, partial

Do galvanized pipes have to be replaced?

Not always. Galvanized steel supply pipe rusts from the inside, it can hold lead, and most of it in older houses is near the end of its life. Get a plumber to check pressure and flow before you negotiate. A single section is a small job, and a whole-house repipe usually runs $1,500 to $5,000 with one or two bathrooms and more from there.

Key takeaways

• Galvanized pipe fails from the inside, so the report can't tell you how bad it is. A plumber can.
• A partial fix costs hundreds to a couple thousand dollars. A full repipe costs thousands, and PEX is cheaper than copper.
• Ask the seller for a number from a plumber's quote, not a round guess.

Why is galvanized pipe a problem?

Galvanized pipe is steel coated in zinc. Once the coating wears through, rust builds up inside the pipe, narrows it, and eventually leaks. The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) puts its useful life at "approximately 20 to 30 years" and notes that internal corrosion "is not visible in piping and is difficult to detect."

Lead is the other concern. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says "Lead particles can attach to the surface of galvanized pipes. Over time, the particles can enter your drinking water, causing elevated lead levels." If you have young kids or plan to, a water test before closing is cheap insurance.

Signs a plumber will look for:

• Low pressure at upstairs or far-end fixtures
• Brown or rusty water when a tap first opens
• Rust stains or active leaks at joints
• A mix of galvanized and newer pipe, which means someone already patched part of it

How much does it cost to replace galvanized pipes?

Scope drives the price. One pipe run is a small job. A whole house means opening walls, and more bathrooms means more pipe.

The whole-house rows come from one South Carolina plumber, so treat them as a guide, not a national price. Your local quote can land higher or lower.

Your report probably lists more than the pipes. Kept prices every line of an inspection report for $79, usually under 4 hours, so the rest of your list has numbers while you wait on the plumber.

The other big swing is drywall. Some quotes include patching and paint, and some leave the walls open for you to fix. CostHelper lists a PEX repipe for two full bathrooms plus water heater, washer, and kitchen hookups starting at $3,499, with walls left paint-ready and no drywall repair. Always ask which kind of quote you're holding.

Can you replace just part of the galvanized pipe?

Yes, and it's often where plumbers start. If one run is leaking or one bathroom has weak pressure, replacing that section is the partial-run row in the table above.

The catch is that the rest of the galvanized pipe is the same age. A partial fix buys time, but the next section is likely to go too. If the plumber finds heavy buildup throughout, a full repipe usually makes more sense than paying for three partial jobs over a few years.

What does it cost to replace galvanized pipes with PEX?

PEX (flexible plastic tubing) is the cheaper choice. Creative Repipe, a Southern California contractor, prices it at $1.50 to $4.00 per linear foot, material and labor.

The $6,000 to $10,000 row is one Southern California contractor's price for a 1,200 sq ft house. It sits above the South Carolina $1,500 to $5,000 whole-house row because the two contractors price different markets. Anchor on the quote you get for your own house.

What does it cost to replace galvanized pipes with copper?

Copper costs more for the same job. Creative Repipe prices it at $3.00 to $8.00 per linear foot, roughly double PEX. CostHelper puts a copper repipe at $2,500 to $15,000 or more across home sizes.

Copper lasts a long time and some buyers prefer it, but for most houses PEX does the same job for less. If the plumber quotes both, compare them on the same scope.

Who should look at galvanized pipe before you negotiate?

A licensed plumber, not the inspector. Rust inside the pipe doesn't show from outside, so the plumber checks pressure and flow at several fixtures and may run a camera through sections they can reach.

Ask the plumber four things:

• Full repipe or partial section?
• PEX or copper?
• Drywall patch and paint included?
• How many days?

Quotes for the same house can differ by thousands because plumbers answer those questions differently. See how to get repair estimates during the inspection period for ways to get a plumber in fast. If your report also flags gray plastic supply pipe, that's a different problem: see polybutylene pipes on an inspection report.

What should you ask the seller for?

Name the scope, the material, and the quoted number. For example: "Replace galvanized supply lines with PEX, drywall patch and paint included, per attached plumber's quote: $5,500." That's hard to argue with. "Can you knock something off for the old pipes?" is easy to refuse.

What to ask for after a home inspection covers which items are worth asking about, and the buyer repair request letter template has the wording.

A repipe is often a good fit for a credit, since you pick the plumber and control the work. See seller credit vs. price reduction for how each option hits your cash at closing. Your contract and your agent set the deadline for the request.

Is galvanized pipe a reason to walk away?

It depends on what the plumber and a water test find. A repipe is a big cost, but a plumber can put a firm number on it. It becomes a walk-away question when the seller won't move on a confirmed quote and the cost breaks your budget. When to walk away after a home inspection covers that call.

How long does a galvanized repipe take?

A whole-house repipe can take a day or two. We Do Repipes, a Houston contractor, quotes 1 to 2 days from $4,500, drywall patch and paint included. Drywall repair can add time if your quote leaves the walls open.

If your inspection window is closing, upload your inspection report to Kept and get numbers for everything else on it while the plumber quotes the pipes.

Sources

• EPA, Sources of Lead in Drinking Water
• InterNACHI, Plumbing in Older Homes
• HomeAdvisor, How Much Does It Cost to Repipe a House?
• CostHelper, Cost of Replacing Galvanized Pipes
• Creative Repipe, How Much Does It Cost to Replace Galvanized Pipes?
• One Call Plumbing, Galvanized Pipe Replacement Cost and Upgrade Guide
• We Do Repipes, Galvanized Pipe Replacement Houston