Cost to Repipe a House in California: $4,100–$6,200
In California, a PEX repipe of a house with 2 full baths and 11 fixtures costs an estimated $4,100–$6,200, and copper runs $8,200–$10,200. The estimate is based on prices published by two plumbing companies in California, plus one local plumbing permit fee. A fixture is anything a supply line feeds: a toilet, sink, tub, shower, dishwasher, washing machine or hose bib.1,
The California estimate rests on prices published by two plumbing companies, and the copper figure on one company's price. With so few prices, one company's figure moves the range a long way.
Key figures for California
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| PEX repipe estimate (midpoint $5,200, a house with 2 full baths and 11 fixtures) | $4,100–$6,2001, |
| Copper repipe estimate (midpoint $9,200, same house) | $8,200–$10,2002, |
| PEX, per fixture (2 prices from California plumbers) | $360–$5501, |
| Plumbing permit example (City of Los Angeles (LADBS)) | $154–$1943 |
| Mean plumber wage (US mean $34.70/hr, May 2025) | $39.58/hr4 |
| Median year built (housing units, ACS 2024 1-year) | 19775 |
Estimate a repipe in California
Estimate: $4,100–$6,200, midpoint $5,200, for 11 fixtures.1,
| Line item | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Repipe, installed (pipe, fittings and labor)prices plumbers in California publish | $3,960 | $6,0501 |
| Plumbing permitpermit fees published in California | $154 | $1943 |
| Total (rounded) | $4,100 | $6,200 |
Supply lines only. Wall and ceiling patching is not a line here, and some published prices leave it out, so ask whether a quote includes it.
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Repipe cost in California by number of bathrooms
| House | Fixtures | PEX | Copper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 bath | 8 | $3,000–$4,600 | $6,000–$7,500 |
| 1.5 baths | 10 | $3,800–$5,700 | $7,500–$9,300 |
| 2 baths | 11 | $4,100–$6,200 | $8,200–$10,200 |
| 2.5 baths | 13 | $4,800–$7,300 | $9,600–$12,000 |
| 3 baths | 14 | $5,200–$7,900 | $10,400–$12,900 |
| 4 baths | 17 | $6,300–$9,500 | $12,600–$15,700 |
Each full bath adds three fixtures (toilet, sink, and tub or shower) and each half bath adds two. Each row is the California estimate for that house size, permit included.
Where the money goes on a California repipe
| Line item | Low | High | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Repipe, installed (pipe, fittings and labor) | $3,960 | $6,050 | published in this state |
| Plumbing permit | $154 | $194 | published in this state |
| Total, rounded to $100 | $4,100 | $6,200 |
How California compares
The mean hourly wage for plumbers in California is $39.58, 14% above the US mean of $34.70. California's estimate uses prices its own plumbers publish, so the wage does not enter it. None of the states bordering California has a page here yet, so the table compares it with the national estimate only.
| Area | Estimate | Midpoint | Plumber wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $4,100–$6,200 | $5,200 | $39.58 |
| United States | $4,000–$7,500 | $5,800 | $34.70 |
Permits and licensing in California
The Contractors State License Board licenses plumbing contractors in California. The license a plumbing contractor needs is the C-36 Plumbing classification. You can check a plumber's license on the state license search. Permits come from the city or county building department. Los Angeles lists repiping as its own line on its plumbing fee schedule, charged per fixture.
- City of Los Angeles (LADBS): Repipe: $14.00 per fixture, plus a permit issuing fee and 3% and 6% surcharges on the subtotal. For a house with 2 full baths and 11 fixtures, that comes to $154–$194.
Plumbing code in California
California's plumbing code is the 2025 California Plumbing Code, Title 24 Part 5, based on the 2024 Uniform Plumbing Code and in effect from January 1, 2026. Your city or county can add local amendments, so the building department that issues the permit has the final word.
Sources15
Age of California's housing
Half of the housing units in California were built before 1977, by the Census Bureau's ACS 2024 1-year count. 26% were built before 1960, when galvanized supply pipe was common. 25% were built from 1980 to 1999, the two Census decades that overlap the years polybutylene pipe was made. Age alone does not tell you what pipe a house has; a plumber or inspector can.
Published prices in California
| Published by | Where | Material | Price | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Repipe1 | Tarzana, CA | PEX | $4,000–$6,0001 | whole house, 2 baths |
| All Pro Repipes Inc | San Jose, CA | PEX | $4,000–$6,0002 | whole house, 2 baths |
| All Pro Repipes Inc | San Jose, CA | copper | $8,000–$10,0002 | whole house, 2 baths |
These are the California prices behind the per-fixture figure above, as each plumbing company publishes them. Whole-house prices are divided by the fixture count of the house they describe before they enter the estimate.
Common questions
Do you need a permit to repipe a house in California?
Permits come from the city or county building department. Los Angeles lists repiping as its own line on its plumbing fee schedule, charged per fixture. Under the fee schedule from the City of Los Angeles (LADBS), the fee for a house with 2 full baths and 11 fixtures comes to $154–$194.
Who licenses plumbers in California?
The Contractors State License Board licenses plumbing contractors in California. Its license lookup shows whether a plumber's license is current.
How much more does copper cost than PEX in California?
For a house with 2 full baths and 11 fixtures, PEX is estimated at $4,100–$6,200 and copper at $8,200–$10,200, a difference of about $4,000 at the midpoint. Per fixture, the California figures are $360–$550 for PEX and $730–$910 for copper.
How was the California estimate made?
Two plumbing companies in California publish repipe prices. Their per-fixture prices times the fixture count, plus the permit fee from the City of Los Angeles (LADBS), give the California range. The copper figure rests on one company's price. The methodology explains each step.
For every state side by side and the national figures, see whole-house repipe cost.
Sources
- PEX vs Copper, Repipe1. Accessed November 10, 2026.
- Copper Repipe vs PEX: Which Is Better for Your Home?, All Pro Repipes Inc. Accessed November 10, 2026.
- Permit Fee Schedule for Plumbing Permits (LADBS-Fee Sch.5, 7/2017), Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety. Accessed November 10, 2026. Form dated July 2017. It was the schedule the department published on the access date.
- Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2025: 47-2152 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (state estimates), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed November 10, 2026. Mean hourly wage for each state and for the US, from the BLS public data API (series OEUS{state FIPS code}00000000000047215203 for a state, OEUN000000000000047215203 for the US).
- American Community Survey 2024 1-year, tables B25034 (Year Structure Built) and B25035 (Median Year Structure Built), U.S. Census Bureau. Accessed November 10, 2026. State rows of the summary files acsdt1y2024-b25034.dat and acsdt1y2024-b25035.dat.
- How Much Does It Cost to Repipe My Home?, The Repipe Company. Accessed November 10, 2026.
- How Much Does It Cost to Replumb a 1,500 Square Foot House in 2026?, Repipe Solutions Inc. Accessed November 10, 2026.
- PEX vs Copper Piping: Which Is Better?, Kimco Plumbing & Air. Accessed November 10, 2026.
- Whole-Home Repiping Pricing, Home Therapist Cooling, Heating, and Plumbing. Accessed November 10, 2026.
- Cost to Repipe a House in Florida: 2026 Pricing and Homeowner Guide, Alberto Pro Plumbing. Accessed November 10, 2026.
- Average Cost to Repipe a House with PEX, Action Craft Experts. Accessed November 10, 2026.
- Construction Permit Fees, Effective October 1, 2026 (PG_012_INF Rev 7.2026), City of Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections. Accessed November 10, 2026.
- 2026 Combined Development Related Fee Schedule, City of Columbus Building and Zoning Services. Accessed November 10, 2026.
- C-36 - Plumbing Contractor, Contractors State License Board. Accessed November 10, 2026.
- Initial Statement of Reasons, 2025 California Plumbing Code (Title 24, Part 5), HCD 03/24, California Department of Housing and Community Development, via the Building Standards Commission. Accessed November 10, 2026.
- Galvanized Iron Pipes, East Bay Municipal Utility District. Accessed November 10, 2026.
- Polybutylene Pipes, InterNACHI (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors). Accessed November 10, 2026. Source for the 1978 to mid-1995 production years and the 'up to 10 million homes' figure.
How these figures are built: methodology. Updated November 2026.