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Whole-Home Repiping in South Florida
Replace failing polybutylene, corroded galvanized, and pinhole-leak copper with PEX or new copper. Permitted and inspected.
Total’s licensed plumbers repipe South Florida homes without you moving out
A repipe replaces the supply plumbing in your home with new pipe, top to bottom. It’s the answer when the material itself is failing. Polybutylene, corroded galvanized steel, or copper riddled with pinhole leaks. Fixing one leak at a time on failing pipe just delays the next call. Total handles whole-home repipes and partial repipes across single-family homes, condos, and townhomes in Miami-Dade, Broward, and South Palm Beach. Written, flat-rate quote before any work starts.
When You Need a Repipe
Most homeowners don’t wake up thinking about their supply pipe… they wake up to a leaking ceiling. Repiping enters the conversation when the pattern of leaks, discolored water, and pressure loss stops being about one broken fitting and starts being about the material itself. Below is what to look for, why it happens in South Florida homes, and how to tell the difference between “fix the leak” and “replace the pipe.”
Signs Your Home Needs a Repipe
Any one of these is a hint. Two or more together usually means fixing individual leaks is not going to end.
You’ve patched or spot-replaced copper more than once in the last few years. Pinhole leaks in older Florida copper cluster. One leak usually means more are coming.
The polybutylene window. Grey plastic pipe that chlorine slowly degrades. If your home was plumbed in that era with poly-B, replacement is the standard path.
Pre-1970s standard. Corrodes from the inside, narrows the effective diameter, then starts leaking. Almost always due for replacement by now.
Sediment or rust in the water at fixtures is often the interior of aging steel or copper breaking down. Not always urgent, but a signal.
Not one bathroom. Every faucet. When it’s not the main line ([leak detection](/plumbing-service/leak-detection/) rules that out), the interior of the distribution pipe is narrowing.
Some Florida homeowner policies require polybutylene replacement or won’t cover water damage from failing poly-B. If your renewal came back with an exclusion, repiping is the fix.
If drywall is coming down for a kitchen or bath remodel and the supply pipe is old, repiping while the walls are open is much cheaper than doing it separately later.
Multiple slab leak repairs on the same home usually point to the supply lines under the slab being at end of life. A slab bypass or attic reroute during a repipe eliminates the under-slab risk permanently.
Pipe Materials in a Repipe: What’s Failing and What Replaces It
The material in your walls decides both the failure pattern and the replacement plan.
Grey plastic pipe used widely in South Florida from the late 1970s through the mid-1990s. Chlorine in city water gradually degrades it, and fittings tend to fail at joints. Full replacement is the standard fix; repairs buy months, not years.
Standard supply pipe in Florida homes built pre-1970s. Corrodes from the inside, narrows flow, then leaks. Almost all galvanized in South Florida is past its designed life.
Type M copper installed mid-century has thinner walls and is more prone to pinhole leaks in aggressive water conditions. Once pinholes start, they usually cluster. Spot repairs pile up fast.
Cross-linked polyethylene. Flexible, corrosion-resistant, well-suited to Florida conditions. Fewer fittings than copper, faster install, insulated behaviorally against pinhole issues. Common material for repiping today.
Type L or Type K copper. Thicker wall than the older Type M. Legacy standard that still performs well when properly installed. Chosen when local code, HOA rules, or homeowner preference favor copper over PEX.
What a Repipe Actually Looks Like
Repiping sounds disruptive. Done right, it’s less disruptive than most people expect. And vastly less disruptive than continuing to react to leaks.
- Duration: most whole-home repipes on a South Florida single-family home run 2-7 days on-site depending on square footage, number of bathrooms, single vs two-story, and how accessible the pipe runs are. Smaller CBS ranches finish in 2-3 days; larger or two-story homes with complex layouts trend toward 5-7. Partial repipes are often same-day or next-day.
- Water shutoff: water is off for portions of the day while sections are cut over. It’s rarely off for the full duration. We plan the sequence so you have at least one working bathroom overnight.
- You do not need to move out: for nearly every whole-home repipe, homeowners stay in the house. Furniture in work zones gets covered or moved, but the home stays livable.
- Access openings in drywall: repiping requires targeted openings at fixtures, at wall runs, and sometimes in the ceiling. We keep openings as small as possible and located in patchable positions. Drywall patch scope is discussed and quoted separately (paint by others in most cases).
- Permitted and inspected: repipes are city-permitted work in South Florida. Total pulls the permit, installs to code, and the homeowner signs the permit and is present for the final inspection.
How We Repipe
Every repipe call starts with a walk-through. Pipe material, layout, access, and what the homeowner is trying to solve. From there we scope one of the four repipe paths we handle most often.
Whole-Home Repipe
Best for: aging polybutylene, galvanized, or copper across the entire distribution system.
Replace every hot and cold supply line in the home. From the main supply entry through the manifolds or trunk-and-branch, out to every fixture. The most common scope when the material itself has failed. Typically 1-3 days on-site, permitted and inspected, homeowner stays in the house.
Partial Repipe
Best for: one bathroom, kitchen, or a specific wall run where the pipe has failed but the rest of the home is sound.
Replace the supply lines in a targeted section. Often a single bathroom, kitchen, or one run of wall behind repeated failures. Same materials, same permit process, smaller scope. Works when the failure is isolated to a known section and the rest of the pipe still has years of life.
Slab Bypass / Attic Reroute Repipe
Best for: homes with a history of slab leaks or under-slab pipe that’s at end of life.
Instead of tearing up floors to replace under-slab supply lines, we reroute the new pipe overhead through the attic and drop down into walls at each fixture. Eliminates the under-slab pipe entirely. No more slab leaks, no floor demolition, and the new lines are accessible for the next generation.
Polybutylene Repipe Replacement
Best for: any home identified as having poly-B supply lines. Whether insurance-driven, sale-driven, or preventive.
Poly-B replacement is a specific project type. We identify every poly-B run, plan access, replace with PEX or copper, and document the replacement for insurance and future-buyer disclosure. Reduces homeowner risk, often removes an insurance exclusion, and eliminates the ticking clock on poly-B degradation.
Repiping FAQ
How much does a whole-home repipe cost?
Every repipe is different, so pricing is quoted on site rather than published up front. The cost depends on the home’s square footage, number of bathrooms and fixtures, pipe material chosen (PEX vs copper), accessibility (single-story vs two-story, slab vs crawlspace), and drywall access scope. Call (954) 900-6767 for an honest range for your specific situation, or schedule a walk-through and we’ll give you a written, flat-rate quote before any work starts.
How do I know if my home has polybutylene?
Poly-B is grey plastic pipe, typically installed in South Florida homes built between the late 1970s and mid-1990s. It’s often visible at the water heater connection, under sinks, and at the main supply entry. Look for grey (not white) plastic pipe with plastic fittings. If you’re not sure, we can identify it during a walk-through. It’s a quick visual for a licensed plumber.
How long does a whole-home repipe take?
Most South Florida single-family homes run 2-7 days on-site depending on square footage, bathroom count, single vs two-story, and how accessible the pipe runs are. Smaller CBS ranches finish in 2-3 days; larger or two-story homes with complex layouts trend toward 5-7. Partial repipes are often same-day or next-day. We give you a realistic day count when we walk through your home and scope the job.
Do I need to move out during a repipe?
No. Homeowners stay in the house for nearly every whole-home repipe we do. Water is off for portions of the day while sections are cut over, but we plan the sequence so you have at least one working bathroom overnight and running water for most of every day.
PEX or copper. Which is better for my house?
Depends on the home, the code, and your preferences. PEX is flexible, corrosion-resistant, faster to install, and well-suited to Florida water conditions. Copper is the legacy standard, generally longer-lived when installed correctly, and sometimes preferred by HOA rules or specific building codes. We walk you through the trade-offs on site and quote both when both make sense.
Do you patch the drywall after the repipe?
Repiping requires targeted wall openings at fixtures and along runs. Drywall patch scope is discussed and quoted separately from the repipe itself. Total can coordinate patch and mud work in most cases; final paint is typically handled by the homeowner’s painter of choice to match existing wall color and finish. Everything is spelled out in your written quote.
Do you pull permits for repiping?
Yes. Repiping is city-permitted work in South Florida. Total pulls the permit, installs to code, and the homeowner signs the permit and is present for the final inspection. That’s the correct process. A repipe done without a permit creates a headache at insurance renewal and at future home sale.
Will insurance cover a repipe?
Homeowner insurance typically does not pay for a preventive repipe on its own. Insurance may pay for water damage caused by a sudden pipe failure, and some policies effectively require polybutylene replacement as a condition of coverage or renewal. If your insurer has flagged your pipe material, that’s often the strongest financial driver for a repipe. We can provide documentation of the completed replacement for your policy file.
Can you finance a repipe?
Yes. Total offers financing through multiple programs with same-day approval. Most whole-home repipes qualify. Ask the plumber during the walk-through or call (954) 900-6767 for options before you schedule.
How fast can you get out to quote a repipe?
Usually within a few business days across Miami-Dade, Broward, and South Palm Beach. Repipe quotes are a walk-through visit, not a same-day emergency dispatch. If you’re mid-crisis with active leaks, call (954) 900-6767. We can send a plumber the same day to stop the immediate problem and schedule the repipe quote separately.
Areas We Service
Whole-home and partial repiping across Miami-Dade, Broward, and South Palm Beach County. Click any city page to learn more about our services within the area.
Miami-Dade County
- Aventura
- Bal Harbour
- Coral Gables
- Cutler Bay
- Doral
- Hialeah
- Homestead
- Kendall
- Miami
- Miami Beach
- Miami Gardens
- Miami Lakes
- North Miami
- North Miami Beach
- Pinecrest
- Sunny Isles Beach
- Surfside
Broward County
- Coconut Creek
- Cooper City
- Coral Springs
- Davie
- Deerfield Beach
- Fort Lauderdale
- Hallandale Beach
- Hollywood
- Margate
- Miramar
- Pembroke Pines
- Plantation
- Pompano Beach
- Sunrise
- Tamarac
- Weston