PEX piping to increase appraisal. Does it matter ?

Question

I am currently doing a rehab on a foreclosure. 1300 sqft SFR. The plumbing on this house is all old galvanized pipes. I got two quotes from plumbers which one is to replace the whole thing with PEX and doing drainage, and the other is to replace from the risers up with PEX. Of course to redo the whole thing costs a lot more than just doing the risers up.

If i plan on doing a refinance on this home(BRRRR) which one should i do ? Could i get away with just doing from the risers up with PEX? This house is outside city limits so no permits needed.

John Underwood · Answer

@Maugno Mora You can always abandoned the current main water line in place and just run a new line so that you don't have to break up the cement driveway.

A Ditchwitch can be rented from Home Depot tool rental for not too much money. It makes it easy to drop in a new line.

Jon Holdman · Answer

Once you get a look at the insides of those galvanized pipes you'll replace it.   You probably won't want to drink the water after seeing the insides.

Kadeem Wells · Answer

@Maugno Mora That was a great investment and now that you did it with him you understand how plumbing works so it will save you in the future. Plumbing is mostly labor its not a technical skill if your not using copper.

Maugno M. · Answer

@Jon Holdman

@Chris Masons @John Underwood @JD Martin@Scott Rogers@Kadeem WellsUpdate. So the plumber i ended up going with ended up giving me a good deal. We were initially going to do risers up for $700. Saturday, he told me if i wanted to do all the hot water new to go get material and he'd charge me 900. I ended up going to get ALL the material, hot and cold(Red/Blue) and we ran it ALL brand new PEX. The main is coming in, is the only one i would have to do now. He ended up charging me 800. I busted my butt with him too though, all under the house and running the lines. I spent about 1100. I think its safe to say it was a good investment. Glad i did it all.

Chris Masons · Answer

@Maugno Mora

I would have the opposite view that you do.. If I was going to keep this long term and rent I would be replacing as much of the galvanized steel that I could while the opportunity is there - so later on you won't have to deal with it. As mentioned that steel pipe builds up scale and corrodes from inside and the diameter of the inside hole will continue to shrink over time. You will at some point be forced to at the least snake it which can be challenging sometimes or at worst replace it.

If it is a flip I wouldn't be as concerned and just replace from risers up or whatever currently needs to be done. Nobody is going to OOOOH and AHHHH about the fact that inside the wall plumbing has been replaced as it is not visible and long as it is currently working as it should I would not put money here but put it elsewhere to attract buyers to get property sold ASAP

Just my .02 cents..

Chris

JD Martin · Answer

Man, if you could invent a snake that could clear 1/2" galvanized you'd be a rich man! :D

JD Martin · Answer

Unless of course you're iron deficient :D :D

John Underwood · Answer

@Maugno Mora I really like Pex, it is easy to install is resistant to breaking from freezing. I personally don't think any of the plumbing will affect the appraisal. It might help you sell the house since you can indicate that it has been upgraded.

I would do what is necessary but not go overboard.

If you have galvanized, replacing the water line from the street to the house makes a hug improvement on water pressure as galvanized will rust and restrict the flow of water over time.

I believable you just need to have working plumbing with good water pressure for the appraisal.

I would be more worried about plumbing issues or old piping showing up on a buyers inspection than it affecting an appraisal.

Chris Masons · Answer

Maugo,

Replacing all plumbing with Pex VS. just replacing from risers up will almost have no bearing on appraised value. If the difference in price isn't astronomical I'd try to replace as much as you can with all the pipes exposed.

You will thank yourself later when you don't have to open a wall to replace galvanized piping that is full of scale and clogged.

Thx,

Chris

Chris Youssi · Answer

JD Martin (Moderator) - Investor from Northeast, Tennessee

replied about 11 hours ago

Man, if you could invent a snake that could clear 1/2" galvanized you'd be a rich man! :D

Shark tank!

PEX piping to increase appraisal. Does it matter ?

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