Signs you need this fixed
- Sputtering taps after a cold snap
- Grey, soft pipe entering at the meter
- Brown ring spreading on a ceiling
- Meter dial creeping with every tap off
When patching is not enough
- Galvanized steel supply lines more than 50 years old, with low pressure and rusty water.
- Copper with repeated pinhole leaks in different spots.
- Polybutylene, the grey plastic pipe from the 1980s and early 1990s, known for fitting failures.
- A renovation that opens most walls anyway.
- An insurer asking about pipe type before renewing your policy.
If two or more of these apply, a full repipe is worth pricing.
PEX or copper
Both are allowed under the Ontario Building Code for water supply. Copper is long-lasting and recyclable, with joints that are soldered or pressed. PEX is flexible, uses fewer fittings, resists freezing better and installs faster with less wall opening. We often use PEX in walls and copper where pipe stays exposed or near heat sources. Our essay on PEX vs copper goes deeper.
Planning the routes
Good repiping starts with a map. We trace every fixture, decide the shortest sensible route, and plan access through closets, basements and existing chases. A manifold system, with one line to each fixture, makes for even pressure and easy shut-offs. A trunk-and-branch layout uses less pipe. Old pipes are often left in place but disconnected, to reduce demolition.
Living at home during the work
Most homes stay livable. Water is shut off during the day and turned back on each evening, and the old system stays connected until the new one is tested. A typical detached Toronto house takes three to six working days of plumbing. Drywall patching and painting follow, and can be done by our crew or by your own trades. We cover floors and furniture, and keep dust down with plastic sheeting.
What is included on the visit
Tools on the truck
- Moisture meter and thermal camera
- Pipe cutters, torch and lead-free solder
- Crimp and press tools for PEX and copper
What we open
Drywall at the leak line, the access panel or the meter shut-off
How we test it
Static pressure test and a dry-paper check on every new joint
How the job runs
Ring the line
Say what is dripping, backing up or banging. Water still flowing? We guide your hand to the valve first.
Find the cause
The plumber traces the fault, with a scope or gauge where one earns its keep.
Pick the fix
Options come in everyday language, and nothing starts until you choose.
Repair & prove it
We finish, run the water to prove it, wipe up and leave a short written record.
Calls we field, answered plainly
Do I need a permit for repiping?
Yes, a plumbing permit is usually required, with an inspection before walls are closed.
Will my water pressure improve?
Usually, especially when replacing old galvanized pipe that has narrowed with rust.