How much does plumbing cost ?

Plumbing problems can be a nightmare for any homeowner. After all, it easy to pop a breaker to turn off electricity, but stopping the flow of water from a broken pipe is nearly impossible. If it has come time to make repairs to pipes that are leaking or broken, then obtaining an estimate from a licensed contractor is highly recommended. Although many home improvement projects can be done by the homeowner, plumbing repairs are highly complicated and getting the flow of water correct should only be done by a skilled professional.

When looking to replace plumbing in your house, there are two kinds that you can go with. The first is copper and the second is PVC. PVC is the white or black colored plastic pipe and the copper pipe is made from real copper. To know what kind of pipe you already have, look under your sink or at the ceiling of your basement. This will give you a good indicator of the type of plumbing that you have in the majority of your house.

PVC Pipes Costs.

PVC pipe is inexpensive as compared to copper and also easier to work with. PVC is easily cut into the length of pipe needed and you can find it in all sizes to meet your needs. A benefit to PVC is that it is lighter and less expensive so purchasing the material and having it installed is a little easier than copper. However, PVC pipe will generally not last as long or be as strong as copper pipe. To install PVC pipe plumbing in your home, plan on spending approximately $3 to $18 per foot which includes the price of installation. The overall price will depend on how hard the pipes are to access (e.g., they could be exposed or behind drywall) and how large of pipe is needed.

Copper Pipes Costs.

Copper is more expensive than PVC but is stronger and will last longer. Copper is more expensive as the price will fluctuate with scrap metal prices. That is why you should try to purchase copper pipe when the scrap metal price is down as you will often save money when making your purchase. Copper is also harder to cut (you will need a torch) than PVC which makes the installation process longer and more difficult for your contractor. If you plan on installing copper pipe in your home, you can figure to spend approximately $9 to $30 per foot.

Installation Cost.

If for some unknown reason you purchase your own pipe and just want to have it installed, a contractor will normally charge you approximately $3 to $6 for PVC and $7 to $15 for copper installation. Keep in mind that not many plumbers will install pipe that is supplied to them as they must guarantee their work and therefore insist on installing piping that they supply.

Additional Price Consideration.

If your plumbing repairs involve piping that is hidden behind walls, consider repairing larger sections. As you will need to pay to replace any cuts in the wall anyway, it is a good idea to make the repairs to the entire length of pipe while the drywall is open.

This cannot be stressed enough….if you are removing old copper pipe from your home, it is definitely worth money. Contact your local scrap yard to determine how much they will pay for it. You will often get it hauled away for free and also receive a pretty good sum of cash in the process.

To get a better idea of costs, here are some plumbing estimates from professionals.

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