Repiping is one of those projects where national cost articles are almost useless: the ranges run from $1,500 to $22,000 because they average slab homes in California with cottages in Ohio. This guide narrows it to one market: single family homes in Wilmington and the surrounding Cape Fear region.
The local numbers
| Project | Typical Wilmington Price |
|---|---|
| PEX repipe, single story 2 bath | $4,000 to $6,500 |
| PEX repipe, larger or two story | $6,000 to $9,500 |
| Copper repipe, typical home | $8,000 to $15,000 |
| Drywall patch and paint allowance | $500 to $1,500 |
Ranges compiled from published regional cost data for coastal North Carolina crawl space homes.
Why our market prices lower than average
The national average whole house repipe runs about $7,500. Wilmington quotes frequently come in under that for one structural reason: crawl spaces. When a plumber can run new PEX under the floor and come up directly beneath each fixture, the job needs a fraction of the wall openings that slab construction forces. Beach homes on pilings are even more accessible. The exceptions locally are slab built homes, common in Brunswick County communities, where under slab lines are abandoned and rerouted overhead, adding labor.
What pushes a quote up
- Second stories and fixtures far from the crawl space access
- High fixture counts: extra baths, wet bars, pot fillers, ice makers
- Copper material choice, roughly double PEX installed
- Finished ceilings below bathrooms that require careful opening
- Simultaneous water service line replacement from the meter
PEX or copper?
On the coast, PEX wins most decisions. It is immune to the salt air corrosion that gives coastal copper pinhole leaks, it tolerates our chlorinated municipal water, and it installs faster, which is most of the price gap. Copper still suits owners who want metal pipe and a long proven record. Ask for both numbers; the spread funds a lot of other home projects.
Questions that separate good quotes from cheap ones
- Is the New Hanover County permit and final inspection included?
- Are new shutoff valves and supply lines included at every fixture?
- Who patches drywall, and to what finish level?
- What pipe brand and fitting system will be installed?
- How long is water off, and is the home livable during the job?
For the full service process, timelines, and what inspection day looks like, see the whole house repiping page. If your home dates to 1978 through 1995, read the polybutylene insurance guide first; it may change your timeline.