In New Jersey, expect to pay somewhere between $7,700 and $14,100 to repipe a two-bathroom, 1,800 sq ft house in PEX over a crawl space. Plumbers here make $44.51 an hour, close to 28 % more than the US average of $34.70, so jobs in this state cost more than in most others. New Jersey's median home was built in 1970, so older pipe types are worth checking for when leaks or low pressure appear.
Why do New Jersey pipes wear out?
Half of the homes in this state date back to 1970 or earlier, which puts New Jersey's housing stock seventh oldest among the 50 states and DC. About 37.2 % of the state's houses went up before 1960, back when galvanized steel was the usual material for water pipe. In a home built before 1960, galvanized steel water pipe is worth looking for, especially if you're seeing discolored water or low pressure.
Another 20.4 % of the state's houses went up between 1980 and 1999, when polybutylene pipe (common from 1978 to 1995) and then Kitec (1995 to 2007) were going into new homes. If your house is from that stretch, it's worth finding out which pipe you have. Homes built in 2000 or later make up just 17.3 %.
A national guide (fuseservice.com) recommends a repipe once leaks, low pressure, or discolored water turn up in two or more spots around the house. If that sounds like your home, call and have a local crew take a look. Not sure what's in your walls? The identifier tool on this site names eight types by their color and texture.
Cost by house size
The estimates in the table come from the calculator on this site, which plugs in what plumbers earn in this state. Since labor makes up roughly 70 % of the bill, what local plumbers charge shapes the final number.
| Home | Roughly |
|---|---|
| 1,200 sq ft, one bath, PEX | $4,900–$9,200 |
| 1,800 sq ft, two baths, PEX | $7,700–$14,100 |
| 2,400 sq ft, three baths, two floors, PEX | $9,700–$19,300 |
Bedrooms play no part in the number. Repipes get quoted by bathrooms and square footage, and a 3-bedroom place usually comes with two baths.
Pipe type and foundation
PEX is bendable plastic pipe, red for hot lines and blue for cold. CPVC is stiff plastic in a cream or tan color. Copper is metal pipe that gets soldered together.
For that same two-bath, 1,800 sq ft house, this is how each choice moves the price:
| Choice | Roughly |
|---|---|
| PEX over a crawl space | $7,700–$14,100 |
| CPVC over a crawl space | $8,900–$15,300 |
| Copper over a crawl space | $11,300–$22,500 |
| PEX in a slab house | $10,000–$19,500 |
A crawl space means the low open area beneath a raised floor. A slab means concrete poured right on the ground, with pipe running beneath it or embedded in it, so the plumbing is harder to reach and costs more.
What else should the quote cover?
Ask every company whether its price includes the permit (a national guide, geekpoweredstudios.com, puts permits at $50 to $800) and the patching of any walls they open.
A national guide (geekpoweredstudios.com) found that bids for the exact same job can land $2,000 to $5,000 apart, so a fixed price from a company that has seen your house is the number worth trusting.
Staying home while the work goes on
Most families stay in their home the whole time. A 2-bath house usually needs about 2 to 3 days of work, and a bigger 3-bath, two-story house about 3 to 5 days.
Making sure the plumber is licensed
New Jersey licenses its plumbers through the State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers. Check the plumber there before you sign anything, to confirm the license is genuine and current.
Plumbing permits and the subcode in New Jersey
The plumbing rule for the whole state of New Jersey is the National Standard Plumbing Code/2024. That's a model code, meaning a national group wrote this rule book. It forms the plumbing section of the state's Uniform Construction Code. Permits and inspections come from your local construction office. A town can also pass this duty to the state Department of Community Affairs. State rules say only licensed people may do plumbing, except a single-family homeowner working on their own home.
About 10.8 percent of New Jersey residents get water from a private well instead of city water. Nationwide, the figure is about 15 percent.
Getting a fixed price
When you call, you reach a repipe company that serves your part of the state. Someone comes out, looks at your house, and hands you a fixed price, and the call itself costs you nothing through this site. If leaks or discolored water are already appearing in two or more spots around your home, call today to get your fixed price.
Sources: pay data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics; home ages from the Census Bureau.
