Has anyone else seen the shift in copper pipe pricing over the last year?

I've been doing commercial plumbing for about 15 years now, mostly restaurant work in the Dallas area. Around this time last year I was paying $3.20 a foot for 1/2-inch type L copper. This week the same pipe cost me $5.60 a foot. That's a 75% jump in 12 months. Meanwhile, I've started seeing more engineers spec PEX for jobs where they used to demand copper. Some contractors are pushing PEX hard, saying it saves money and is easier to install. But other guys I know swear copper lasts longer and handles higher temps better in commercial kitchens. I'm torn - what are you all seeing on your jobs? Are you switching materials or sticking with copper?

2 comments

2 Comments

grace_fox31mo ago

Copper lasts longer" isn't really accurate for commercial kitchens anymore. PEX has come a long way and actually handles the high temp cycles just fine nowadays, plus it won't corrode like copper can with acidic water.

michael5191mo ago

My 2018 PEX install still looks brand new, @grace_fox3.