Third pinhole leak this year, or a second slab leak on old copper? A repipe replaces every supply line in the house, usually overhead through the attic, so the old pipe in the slab can be retired for good.
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Written and fact-checked by John, editor, MBA in marketing
Updated against City, utility and state sources
A whole-house repipe replaces all hot and cold supply lines, usually with PEX or copper run through the attic and walls instead of the slab. It makes sense when leaks keep coming back on old pipe. In Fountain Valley a repipe needs a City plumbing permit and inspection. Angi puts most repipes at $1,500 to $15,000. Call (657) 669-4766.
A whole-house repipe replaces every hot and cold water supply line from the main shutoff to each fixture, and in Fountain Valley slab homes the new lines usually run overhead instead of through the concrete.
A repipe is about the pressurized water lines, the ones that feed faucets, showers, toilets, the water heater and the washer. It does not replace your drains or sewer lateral. Drain problems are a separate job, covered on our drain cleaning and sewer line repair pages.
Most homes in Fountain Valley went up during the 1960s and 1970s build-out the City's history describes. The single-story ranch homes of Central Fountain Valley around Brookhurst St and Warner Ave are typically from those decades. For Orange County slab homes of that era, copper supply lines in or under the slab were typical. A repipe leaves those lines in the slab, disconnected, and runs new pipe through the attic and down inside the walls to each fixture. Nobody jackhammers the floor.
Repair a single leak in pipe that is otherwise sound; repipe when leaks keep coming back, because the same pipe, water and age apply everywhere in the system.
The cost math is simple. HomeAdvisor data published by Angi in April 2024 puts a typical slab leak repair at $630 to $4,400, and that is for one leak. Angi puts a whole-house repipe at $1,500 to $15,000. After two or three slab leaks, a repipe has often cost less than the leaks it would have prevented. Our leak detection and slab leak page covers single repairs and reroutes.
PEX costs less and installs faster with fewer fittings, while copper costs more and takes longer but has a long track record, and both are approved choices for a repipe.
For most households, PEX fits the budget and the shorter schedule. Copper is a fine choice if you prefer it. Either way, the bigger win is moving the pipe out of the slab and into the attic and walls, where any future problem is easy to reach. The City's water averaged about 13 grains per gallon of hardness in 2025, per its 2026 Consumer Confidence Report. Hard water leaves scale in fixtures and water heaters regardless of pipe material, so a repipe is also a good time to look at water softening if hardness bothers you.
A typical single-story repipe runs from protection and access on the first day to City inspection and patching at the end, and you usually have water back each evening.
Every house is different, and the schedule below is a typical sequence for a single-story slab home, not a promise. Two-story homes, more bathrooms, tight attics and tile walls all add time. You get the expected schedule in writing with the price.
We walk the house, map every fixture, plan the attic route, agree on PEX or copper, and give you a written price. We apply for the City permit through the Permit Center.
Floors and furniture are covered. Small openings are cut in drywall at each fixture and where pipe drops from the attic. The new main manifold or trunk is started near the main shutoff.
New hot and cold lines are run through the attic and down the walls to each bathroom, the kitchen, laundry, water heater and outside hose bibs. Water is shut off during the work and restored at the end of the day where possible.
Fixtures are switched to the new lines with new shutoff valves. The old slab lines are disconnected and capped. The system is pressure tested.
The City inspector checks the new piping before walls are closed. We schedule this through the Permit Center.
Once the inspection passes, wall openings are patched. Texture and paint are listed in the written scope so you know what is included.
Yes, a whole-house repipe needs a City of Fountain Valley plumbing permit and inspection, because it replaces a regulated plumbing system.
Angi lists repipe permits at $50 to $500, with reinspections at $25 to $150. We pull the permit as part of every repipe. A permitted, inspected repipe is also a clean item to show buyers and insurers later. Our Fountain Valley permit guide explains what the inspector looks at.
A repipe needs small openings in walls and ceilings to run and connect pipe, and patching them is part of the job you should see spelled out in writing.
With PEX, openings are usually small and placed behind fixtures or in closets where possible. Copper often needs a few more because rigid pipe cannot bend around obstacles. Here is what to ask about before you sign:
Drywall patching is often priced separately from the plumbing, so ask whether patching is included in your quote.
The City of Fountain Valley completed its service line inventory and states that no lead or galvanized service lines requiring replacement were observed.
Under the U.S. EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Revisions, every water system had to complete a service line inventory by October 16, 2024. The City's Water Quality Reports and FAQs page says Fountain Valley completed its initial inventory and found no lead or galvanized service lines requiring replacement. The inventory targets lines that contain or possibly contain lead.
The City's 2026 Consumer Confidence Report also gives at-the-tap results from its most recent round of sampling, collected in 2024. For lead, the 90th percentile was 6 parts per billion and none of the 33 sites tested exceeded the 15 ppb action level. For copper, the 90th percentile was 0.14 parts per million and none of the 33 sites exceeded the 1.3 ppm action level.
Angi puts a whole-house repipe at $1,500 to $15,000 and those are published national estimates, not our prices.
| Item | Published estimate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Whole-house repipe | $1,500 to $15,000 | Angi |
| PEX pipe, materials | $0.40 to $2 per foot | Angi |
| Copper pipe, materials | $2 to $8 per foot | Angi |
| Permits | $50 to $500; reinspection $25 to $150 | Angi |
| Rerouting lines around a slab (single line or more) | $1,500 to $15,000 | HomeAdvisor via Angi, April 2024 |
Since labor is most of the cost, the price follows the house: number of bathrooms and fixtures, one story or two, attic space, and how much patching is included. Angi's repipe page does not state a data year, so treat these as general guidance. Our plumbing costs guide has more published Fountain Valley figures. You get a written price before work starts.
A little preparation makes a repipe faster and protects your things: clear access, plan for water outages, and secure pets.
If the water heater is near the end of its life, replacing it during the repipe saves a second visit. See water heater repair and replacement or, if you are thinking about switching, tankless water heaters.
We repipe homes in every part of the city, and the house's age and layout matter more than the neighborhood name.
The 1960s and 1970s ranch homes in Central Fountain Valley are classic single-story slab repipes with attic routing. The established tracts in North Fountain Valley are older homes where updates are often due. West Fountain Valley mixes older homes with newer custom builds on larger lots, so pipe runs can be longer. Condos and townhomes, common in East Fountain Valley, may involve an HOA and shared walls, so check your association's rules before scheduling.
All of our work is performed by independent CSLB-licensed C-36 plumbing contractors. Ask for the license number and check it with the Contractors State License Board; our license check guide shows how.
A real person answers 24 hours a day. You get an honest arrival window and a written price before any work starts.
Repeat leaks are the clearest sign. Two or more pinhole or slab leaks in a few years, leaks on both hot and cold lines, corrosion at many fittings, or pressure dropping at several fixtures all point to a repipe. A single leak in otherwise sound pipe is usually just a repair.
Angi puts a whole-house repipe at $1,500 to $15,000. Labor is about 70% of the total, so the number of bathrooms, stories and wall openings drives the price. You get a written price before work starts.
Both are approved. PEX costs less, about $0.40 to $2 per foot per Angi, needs fewer fittings and installs faster. Copper costs about $2 to $8 per foot, takes longer, and has a long track record. Either one gets the pipe out of the slab.
A typical single-story slab home takes a few working days, plus the City inspection and patching. Two-story homes, more bathrooms and tight attics add time. You get the expected schedule in writing with the price.
Yes. The City requires a permit to install, alter, repair or replace a plumbing system, and the new piping is inspected before walls are closed. We pull the permit. Angi lists repipe permits at $50 to $500.
Water is off while the crew is working on connections, and on most jobs it is restored at the end of each work day. We tell you the outage plan before work starts.
The City says its service line inventory found no lead or galvanized service lines requiring replacement. Its 2024 tap sampling had no sites above the lead action level. That finding covers service lines, not the plumbing inside your home.
Not necessarily. Some quotes include patching, texture and paint, and some include patching only. Ask before you sign.
Facts on this page come from these public sources, checked October 31, 2026.