Honestly, I get wanting to save money for the visible stuff, but if you’re already tearing into walls, it feels like a missed opportunity not to swap out old pipes. I’ve had a “looks fine” copper line spring a leak a year after a reno—total headache. Sometimes peace of mind is worth the extra cost, especially if you don’t want to rip things up again down the road.
I totally get the peace of mind angle, but sometimes the budget just doesn’t stretch that far, especially with all the other reno costs piling up. When we did our bathroom, I was worried about the pipes too, but here’s what worked for us:
1. Check the age and type of your pipes. If they’re not super old or showing signs of corrosion, you might be okay leaving them for now.
2. Have a plumber do a pressure test or inspection while the walls are open. Sometimes they can spot weak spots or issues you’d never notice otherwise.
3. Replace only the sections that look sketchy or are most likely to fail (like joints or areas with visible wear). It’s way cheaper than a full swap.
4. Take lots of photos and notes about what’s behind the walls for future reference.
It’s not a perfect solution, but it let us put more money into the stuff we actually see every day. Knock on wood, no leaks yet... but I guess there’s always a bit of risk either way.
Honestly, I’m with you on the “patch what you can see” approach.
That’s exactly what we did in our last place—just tackled the worst bits and hoped for the best. I will say, labeling photos of what’s behind the walls saved my butt when we had to fix a leaky valve later. Not perfect, but sometimes you gotta pick your battles (and your budget).“Replace only the sections that look sketchy or are most likely to fail (like joints or areas with visible wear). It’s way cheaper than a full swap.”
That’s a smart move with the labeled photos—wish I’d thought of that the first time I had to hunt for a shutoff valve behind drywall. I’ve always leaned toward full replacement when budget allows, just because hidden leaks can lead to bigger headaches down the line (especially if you’re thinking resale value). Curious—have you found buyers care about whether pipes are original or not? Or is it more of a “don’t ask, don’t tell” situation in your experience?
I’ve actually had buyers ask about plumbing during open houses, especially if the place is older. One couple even brought a flashlight and checked under the sinks—caught me off guard. I think it depends on the buyer, but in my experience, folks who are eco-conscious or planning to stay long-term care a lot about what’s behind the walls. That said, I’ve also seen plenty of people shrug it off if everything looks tidy and works. Funny how much peace of mind a new shutoff valve can bring, though...
