Replace old galvanised iron or perished PVC with modern multilayer PEX on accessible manifolds. The end of leaks, low pressure and noisy pipes. 1-year workmanship + 2-year materials warranty.
Access to the existing pipework is the factor that weighs most: brick walls come in much cheaper than stone or concrete. After that it is the area, the number of bathrooms and whether the house is on one floor or several. We look at the job before quoting figures — free site visit and detailed quote, answered within 24 working hours.
There are clear signs that show up before the emergency does. If two or more of these sound familiar, it is time to plan a renovation rather than keep patching:
When we say "replumb the whole house", we mean the complete internal network — from the incoming supply to every outlet. It does not include external connections (those belong to the local water utility) or retiling and decorating (other trades).
No two renovations are alike — the price depends on what is inside the walls. We look at the house and give you the exact figure, no obligation.
80-110 m². Cold water, hot water, waste and manifolds. Stud walls make it easier; stone walls push it up.
120-180 m². The typical Algarve family house. Includes the complete internal networks and rainwater connections.
180+ m². Multiple bathrooms, soil stacks, primary ventilation. Complex coordination.
Our default. Combines the flexibility of PEX with the dimensional stability of aluminium. Excellent for manifold systems. Resistant to UV, corrosion and expansion.
More flexible, ideal for awkward runs or long connections. Used on secondary circuits. Same 10-year warranty.
Used selectively for connections to specific equipment (boilers, cylinders) or where temperature requirements are extreme. More expensive and more labour.
Generic imported PVC for waste (inconsistent quality). PE-X from low-cost brands (they age badly). Those materials are where the next leak starts.
Instead of the old series layout (one pipe feeding several taps in sequence), we always install a central manifold system:
A plumbing renovation is, alongside underfloor heating, the most invasive job we do. But there are practices that reduce the impact:
To be clear: we do not do one-off repairs. If you have a single leak, call a local repair plumber — it is cheaper and faster. We take this work on when you are replacing the whole network, or at least an entire floor or section of the house.
We also do not retile, decorate or do finishing masonry. We make good the chases to screed level, but we do not paint or lay the final tiles — those are for the builder or decorator coordinating the renovation.
On a typical three-bedroom villa, allow 2 to 3 weeks. In small apartments, 7-10 days.
Assessment of the current network, identification of materials, and deciding what to replace. 1-2 hours.
7-10 working days. Itemised room by room, with a diagram of the new network. Valid for 30 days.
Booking the date. Setting the day of the water shutdown. A conversation about logistics (furniture, pets and so on).
Chasing out walls, removing the old pipework. Dust and noise are concentrated in this phase (3-5 days).
Manifolds, pipework, connections to taps. Still no water shutdown. 5-8 days.
1-3 days without water. We connect the new network to the main supply. Pressurisation and testing.
The usual signs are: repeated leaks (more than 2-3 in recent years), low pressure at outlets, discoloured water after the supply has stood, noisy pipes, or simply age — galvanised iron networks over 40 years old should be replaced. If you are planning a large renovation (kitchen plus bathroom), it makes sense to replace all the plumbing at the same time.
What weighs most on the price is access to the existing pipework: brick walls come in much cheaper than stone or concrete, where chasing out is heavy work. After that it is the area, the number of bathrooms, and whether the house is on one floor or several. So we quote case by case, after seeing the job: free site visit and detailed quote, answered within 24 working hours. The quote covers cold water, hot water, waste and accessible manifolds, and excludes retiling and final decoration.
Not necessarily. Wherever possible we reuse the chases the old pipework ran in, which keeps the builder's work to a minimum. In houses with stud walls (plasterboard) there is almost no destruction. In traditional stone houses there is more chasing out, but the work is planned to keep the affected area small.
Usually yes, though with some disruption. Water is off for 1-3 days, while we make the final connections. We plan that with you: we can fill storage tanks beforehand, or you take a couple of nights elsewhere. A working bathroom is available at all times apart from that window.
By default we use PEX-AL-PEX multilayer pipe for cold and hot water — it combines the flexibility of PEX with the dimensional stability of aluminium, and suits manifold systems perfectly. Copper only in specific situations (extreme temperatures, connections to particular equipment). Waste always in German-quality PP or PVC (Geberit, Wavin). No generic imported PVC.
On a typical three-bedroom villa, allow 2 to 3 weeks: one week stripping out and chasing walls; one week installing the new network (pipe, manifolds and connections to every outlet); 3-4 days of pressurising, testing and making good the screed. Retiling and final decoration come afterwards, by other trades.
iStarTec warranty: 1 year on installation workmanship and 2 years on materials. Manufacturers add to that: multilayer and PEX pipe 10 years, brass manifolds 5 years. We always hand over an exact map of the circuits and photographs taken before the walls were closed — essential for any future work.
Plumbing renovation across the Algarve.
Free site visit and quote. Answered within 24 working hours.