A repipe sounds like a major disruption, and done badly it is. Done well, most single-family homes are repiped in one to three days with water back on each night, small drywall openings, and a permit and inspection that protect you when you sell.
Signs it is time to repipe
- Rust-colored water first thing in the morning or after a vacation
- Low pressure that gets worse when two fixtures run at once
- Pinhole leaks that keep showing up in different places
- Galvanized steel pipe visible in the basement, often with rust at the threads
- Water that takes a long time to reach a far bathroom
- Greenish stains around copper fittings or on fixtures
- Old shutoff valves that no longer close
- A home inspection or insurance review that flagged the supply piping
Repiping services
Whole-house repipe
Every hot and cold supply line from the main shutoff to each fixture, with new shutoff valves at every stop and a new main valve at the entry.
Partial repipe
One bathroom, one floor, or the basement mains only. A sensible choice when the worst of the old pipe is concentrated in one area.
Galvanized to copper or PEX
Removal of rusted galvanized lines and replacement with the material that fits your house and budget. We explain the trade-offs rather than pushing one.
PEX manifold systems
A central manifold with a home-run line to each fixture, so you can shut off one shower without touching the rest of the house.
Copper repiping
Type L copper, soldered or pressed, for homeowners who want a rigid, proven system, especially where pipe is exposed in a basement or utility area.
Water heater and main valve replacement
A repipe is the right time to replace a tired water heater, add an expansion tank, or install a pressure-reducing valve if your street pressure runs high.
What a repipe looks like from start to finish
- 1
Walk-through and firm quote
We map every fixture, look at how the existing lines run, and give you a by-the-job price for PEX and, if you want it, copper.
- 2
Permit and scheduling
We file the plumbing permit with your town and set the dates. You will know which rooms we need access to and when water will be off.
- 3
Repipe day
We protect floors, open small access points, run the new lines, connect fixtures and pressure-test the system. Water is back on before we leave each day.
- 4
Inspection and patching
The town inspector checks the rough work. After the pass, the access openings are patched and ready for paint.
PEX versus copper: an honest comparison
PEX is what most repipes in our area use today, and for good reason. It bends around obstacles, so fewer fittings and fewer wall openings. It does not corrode or develop pinholes, it expands slightly if it freezes instead of splitting, and it is quieter under flow. Its limits are that it cannot be exposed to sunlight and it must be kept a safe distance from the water heater flue.
Copper costs more in material and labor, needs more openings to route, and can still pinhole in the wrong water conditions. In its favor: it has been in walls for seventy years and behaves predictably, it looks clean where exposed, and it is not affected by UV. Either material, installed correctly and inspected, will outlast the fixtures it feeds.
Drywall, permits and inspections
Every repipe we do is permitted through your town's construction office. The inspector looks at the rough piping before walls are closed, which is why patching happens after the inspection and not before. We schedule that inspection and meet the inspector so you do not have to take another day off.
Why Master’s Plumbing
Why homeowners repipe with Master's Plumbing
- Whole house or partial, in PEX or copper, with an honest recommendation
- New shutoff valves at every fixture and a new main valve
- Water back on every night during the job
- Permit, inspection and drywall patching included in the plan
- Licensed NJ Master Plumber, insured and bonded
- Upfront by-the-job pricing, no hourly surprises
Repiping across North Jersey
Master’s Plumbing is based in Roselle and provides piping & repiping throughout Union County, Essex County, Bergen County, Passaic County, Hudson County, Morris County. Not sure if we cover your town? Call and ask, or check the full service area.
