Short answer
How much does a whole house repipe cost in Santa Ana?
Published Orange County ranges put a PEX repipe at roughly $4,000 to $8,500 for a typical single family house, and copper materially higher. Fixture count, stories and whether drywall patching is included move the number more than square footage does.
The ranges below were compiled from published Orange County contractor price guides and 2026 national cost data. Treat them as a way to sanity check a written quote, not as a price.
Typical published ranges
| Job | Typical published range |
|---|---|
| Whole house repipe in PEX | $4,000 to $8,500 |
| Whole house repipe in copper | $8,000 to $20,000 |
| City plumbing permit, simple replacement | $150 to $400 |
Estimates, not quotes. Ranges below were compiled in September 2026 from published Orange County contractor price guides and national 2026 cost data. They're a starting point for comparing written quotes, not a quote.
What moves the number
Fixture count, not floor area
Repipes are priced off how many things need water. Every sink, toilet, tub, shower, hose bib, laundry connection and the water heater. A compact three bathroom house can cost more than a larger two bathroom one.
One story or two
A second floor means more wall openings, longer runs and harder access. It reliably adds to the number.
PEX or copper
PEX is the common choice in Orange County repipes and it costs less to install because it needs far fewer joints. Copper is still specified by some owners and runs considerably higher for the same house.
Drywall patching
This is the single biggest source of quote confusion. Some contractors include cutting, patching and texture. Some include cutting only and leave you with open walls. Get it in writing.
The water service line
The run from the meter to the house is separate work. If that section is also galvanized, replacing it at the same time is cheaper than coming back later.
Permit and inspection
Santa Ana lists residential repipe on its express permit list, so it can be issued over the counter rather than going through plan check. A proper quote itemizes this rather than hiding it.
Ask every bidder these questions
Print this list or read it off your phone. The answers are what turn three numbers into three comparable quotes.
- How many wall and ceiling openings will you make, and where?
- Is drywall patching and texture included, and is paint included?
- PEX or copper, which brand, and what's the warranty on labor as well as materials?
- Are new angle stops and supply lines at each fixture included?
- Who pulls the permit, and is the fee in this price?
- Are you replacing the water service line from the meter, or only the pipe inside the house?
- How many days, and how many of those will we be without water?
- What happens to the old galvanized pipe?
Signs a quote is leaving something out
- A quote well under the local range that doesn't mention drywall at all
- No permit mentioned anywhere in the paperwork
- A price given over the phone without anyone counting fixtures
- Pressure to sign today for a discount that expires
- A refusal to put the exclusions in writing
Where these numbers came from
Ranges below were compiled in September 2026 from published Orange County contractor price guides and national 2026 cost data. They're a starting point for comparing written quotes, not a quote.
We don't quote and we don't set prices. The plumber who comes out gives you their own number, and these ranges are here so you can tell whether it sits where it should.