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Repiping is one of the most significant plumbing jobs a home can need — and one of the most consequential to get right. If your house still has polybutylene supply lines, galvanized steel from a pre-1970 build, or copper that’s developing pinholes, you’re no longer dealing with isolated failures. You’re dealing with a system that’s failing throughout. MQ Plumbing handles whole-home repiping for residential properties across Mint Hill, Charlotte, and the surrounding metro — permits pulled, inspections scheduled, work done start to finish.

Polybutylene (gray plastic pipe)

Polybutylene was installed in hundreds of thousands of homes across the Charlotte metro between roughly 1978 and 1995. It was fast and inexpensive to install — and it fails, often without warning. The pipe degrades when it reacts with chlorine and oxidants in treated municipal water. The fittings fail first. If your home has polybutylene, it's not a question of if it will fail, only when. Most insurance carriers in NC and SC now require disclosure, and some won't renew coverage on homes with polybutylene still in service.

Galvanized Steel Pipe

Standard in homes built before the 1960s. The zinc coating that prevents rust wears off over decades, and the pipe corrodes from the inside out. The corrosion narrows the interior diameter, reducing water pressure throughout the house. You'll notice it as rust-colored water, low pressure at fixtures, or leaks at threaded joints. By the time symptoms appear, significant corrosion has already happened throughout the system.

Copper — Pinhole Leaks

Copper is generally excellent pipe and can last 50+ years under good conditions. But in certain soil and water chemistry conditions present in parts of the Charlotte area, copper develops pinhole leaks — small, scattered failures that occur at multiple points simultaneously. If you've had two or three pinhole leak repairs in the past few years, patching individual failures no longer makes sense. The whole system is affected.

WHAT MATERIAL DO WE REPIPE WITH?

For most residential repiping, we use PEX (cross-linked polyethylene). PEX has become the standard for new residential construction because it’s flexible — fewer fittings, fewer potential failure points — resistant to freeze damage, compatible with modern water chemistry, and significantly less expensive than copper for a whole-home job.

For clients who want copper, or where copper is required by code or HOA, we install copper. We’ll give you a straight comparison of cost and long-term performance for your specific situation so you can make the right call.

Not sure which fits your situation?

Call us and we'll walk through it — no obligation, no sales pitch.

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Homes in Union County and eastern Mecklenburg County built before 2000 are the most likely candidates for polybutylene replacement. Mint Hill, Matthews, Waxhaw, and Pineville all have significant housing stock from that era. If you’ve bought a home in the last few years and haven’t confirmed the pipe material, it’s worth checking — your home inspector may have noted it, but not all inspectors call it out clearly.

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Day 1–2 — Supply line rough-in

We run all new supply lines through the walls. This requires small access holes at each fixture location. Water is off during working hours and restored each evening — you have water overnight throughout the project.

Inspection

The rough-in is inspected before walls close. We schedule this, coordinate with the inspector, and make sure it passes. This is non-negotiable — it's how the work gets on record and protects you at closing.

Wall patching

We patch the access holes we opened. The patches are clean and functional, but finish-ready drywall work is outside a plumber's scope. Plan to have a painter or drywall contractor follow up if you want a seamless surface. Most homeowners use this as an opportunity to repaint anyway.

Final connections and testing

All fixtures, valves, and appliances are reconnected. We run the system and check every connection before we leave.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does whole-home repiping cost in Charlotte, NC?
A whole-home repipe for a typical 3-bed, 2-bath house with PEX runs roughly $4,000–$8,000 depending on home size, number of fixtures, accessibility, and whether drain lines are also being replaced. We provide a detailed written estimate after assessing your home — the range is wide enough that a phone quote isn't meaningful.
How long will I be without water during a repipe?
Water is shut off during working hours and restored each evening. Most homes are fully repiped in 1–3 working days.
Do I need to repaint after a repipe?
We patch the access holes, but the finish isn't paint-ready. Most homeowners have a painter follow up. It's a good time to repaint anyway.
Does insurance cover repiping?
Insurance typically doesn't cover preventive repiping. If a pipe failure causes water damage, that damage may be covered depending on your policy. Some insurers offer premium discounts after a documented repipe — worth asking your agent.
Is PEX as good as copper?
For residential supply lines, PEX performs as well or better than copper in most conditions — more flexible, fewer joints, resistant to freezing, compatible with modern water chemistry. Copper can last longer under ideal conditions (50+ years vs. 25–50 for PEX), but for most homeowners, PEX is the right choice. We'll tell you if your situation is different.

Poly-b in the walls? Rust in the water?

MQ Plumbing handles whole-home repiping across Charlotte, Mint Hill, Matthews, Waxhaw, Weddington, and the surrounding metro. Permitted, inspected, done right.