PEX Repipe due to Kitec-Layout design

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David S

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Hello everyone,

First I have to say this is a great site with many helpful people! I had another thread and have gotten all my questions answered so thank you to everyone! With that said we added on to the back of our home and come to find out we have kitec plumbing.... Many google searches later we have decided we should replumb our home before I close up the ceiling and fix patches from the addition. The plumber quoted a ballpark of $5000 to pipe our home!! I love doing things myself and learning along the way as long as I don't flood anything and I am certain I can do this with a little layout help. With that said I am seeking advice on how to layout my system. I have an idea in my head of what to do but could really use some direction here on what size pipe to use and how to efficiently lay it out the right way. I do have a softener in the garage I plumbed in years ago that is next to my water heater. I have access to both the hard water coming in and soft coming out right there. See my attached pics for the layout of my home. I could put a manifold in the garage or run a branch system? My master bath is the furthest from the hot water so we have to wait for it to warm up in the morning a few minutes and I started reading today about putting in a loop so we would not need to do that? I am in Austin TX so freezing in the garage is non existent.. I can fairly easily fish the pipes from the garage in between floors as the trusses run front to back. Let me know what I can clarify or take pics of! I greatly appreciate your help!
Also, is there a way to do this in stages? I would love to be able to lets say pipe the master bath area first and move on from there since I'm doing it myself I know I will not be fast and don't want to be without water for several weeks at a time. If so what is the best cap to put on a kitec pipe?
 

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Reach4

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David S

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Thanks Reach, you helped me on my other post too!! I will use PexA, the cost I'm fine with and it seems more user friendly for a novice.
I have a section of the kitec ready to send them and start my claim. It states homeowners can do the re-plumb and I am also going to bill them for my time as well, not what a plumber would charge but something. It states they only pay for 50% at the beginning and if money is left over you may get more. I'm hoping with my labor I can at least cover the cost of the supplies and my time will be donated.
Any thoughts on a layout? I have been reading 3/4 supply with sub manifold might be good to branch off to each set of fixtures?
 

David S

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I am in the middle now of pulling my pipes and cutting holes in drywall to get everything set up. I have a question on the shower valve. There is not much room to solder a connection on unless I get a flame protector mat but I don't think there is even enough room to for a small cutter to spin around the copper line on the left. Would a recip saw vibrate it to much or leave to rough of a cut? Or should I just cut it out and buy a new one to start over? I guess I could also cut it out and solder my connections on it for my pex a and reinstall and that would also only leave me to solder in the pipe running to the shower head? Any thoughts and tips are always appreciated.. Posting pic below.
 

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Pics below
 

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Reach4

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If you use the saw, I would use a blade with more than 30 TPI. Hold as square as possible. Clean and square the cut up end with a file and aluminum oxide (or similar) sandpaper.

Something like a Sharkbite connector could let you connect to the cut cleaned up pipe with no soldering. http://www.sharkbite.com/product-category/push-fit/ I am not a plumber.
 

David S

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Thanks Reach4! I thought about the sharkbites but would rather not bury one of those in the wall. I'm sure it would last forever but I would feel better with something more permanent.
 

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