Cost estimate for replacing 30 ft pipe in crawl space

**vijay** · 02-11-2008, 07:19 PM

I am in the process of buying a home in SF Bay area. The home has all
copper plumbing, except for the one that runs to the backyard sprinklers.
My home inspector tells me I may need to replace 30ft length of galvanized
plumbing in the crawl space with copper plumbing. Apparently, that is
the cause for rusty water when the plumbing is not used for a while.

My questions are

1. Does that sound right?
2. If so, what would be a ballpark cost of putting a new 30 ft copper plumbing
in crawl space?

Thanks
Vijay

**krow** · 02-11-2008, 07:23 PM

1) definetly, yes

2) Depending on the area you live $200 minimun and up

**brownizs** · 02-11-2008, 08:19 PM

Pex would be more ideal, and cheaper in the long run. Also due to living in Earthquake country, it would allow for more flexing, due to Copper stiffens with age.

**vijay** · 02-12-2008, 07:19 AM

Is that really $200 and up? I was asking for both labor and material. Unlike the
pros who hang out here on this site, I am not a DIY when it comes to stuff
like this.

**Gary Swart** · 02-12-2008, 08:03 AM

Welcome to the real world of plumbing. Actually the cost will likely be more than $200. Two men, a truck, time to and from the job, time on the job, insurance, etc.. Then add in the material costs and you perhaps can see why professional plumbers charges are what they are. This is why many of us are DIYers. It is not that the plumber charges are unreasonable, but they are high. As a DIYer, we don't have all of that overhead. True, we may take longer to do the work, it may not always look professional, and we sometime may waste a bit of material, but we can avoid those charges. All that said, there are times when my favorite movie quotation is applicable: "A man's got to know his limitations." Dirty Harry. Some of us are able to do more than others, but we all need to know when to pick up the phone and call the professional. Hopefully, that will happen before we foul up the job so bad it will cost an arm and leg to correct we we screwed up.

**krow** · 02-12-2008, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by vijay

Is that really $200 and up? I was asking for both labor and material. Unlike the
pros who hang out here on this site, I am not a DIY when it comes to stuff
like this.

I hope I didn't scare you

It will also depend on the access of your project. The harder it is to get to, the price will increase proportionatly

In these cases, expect the unexpected.

$200 would be your best case scenario. (assuming everything is easy to get to)

**Lakee911** · 02-12-2008, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by Gary Swart

Two men, a truck, time to and from the job, time on the job, insurance, etc..

Two men? Two lazy men? C'mon .. it's 30ft of pipe.

I'd find a reputable handy man to do it.

Jason

**krow** · 02-12-2008, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by Lakee911

I'd find a reputable handy man to do it.

Jason

Is there such a thing??

J/K

:

Hopefully he/she will know what they are doing

**mikept** · 02-12-2008, 02:58 PM

Originally Posted by krow

Is there such a thing??

J/K

:

Hopefully he/she will know what they are doing

I think theres a formula for that. X many boxes of ductape on hand.. Y... drives a truck.. etc.

**Lakee911** · 02-12-2008, 03:17 PM

C'mon ... not every handyman is bad ... there are at least four out there that are good! Maybe 5, but that's pushing it!

**Marlin336** · 02-12-2008, 04:14 PM

I've fixed many a handyman hack job. And I've been yelled at for trying to rip someone off because I pointed out a handy mans mistakes and suggested fixing them. Example, I went to fix a faucet that had no pressure. I explained to her while I was there that it wasn't normal to have the kitchen sink fed by copper tubing strung through the cabinets, and suggested she have me re-do the waste under the sink because she had two traps, a flex line, and a bunch of fernco clamps.

Handymen also are not licensed and insured to do this. Should a handyman flood your house, you're SOL, their insurance will not cover it.

**vijay** · 02-14-2008, 03:46 PM

I had a real world plumber come-in. He said it will take 2 guys, 3-4 hours
and about 30-35 feet of new pipe. Cost estimate around $650. Does that
sound reasonable in SF bay area?

Thank you all for virtual plumbing consultation.

**Marlin336** · 02-14-2008, 03:53 PM

Is he doing it in copper or pex?
$650 is probably about right. San Fransisco probably has pretty high labor rates, I think everything there is pretty closely priced to Long Island where I live. Here it's about $200/hr for two men.