Check your mechanical room, under sinks, near the hot water tank, and along exposed basement ceilings. Poly B pipes are typically grey and flexible, stamped with the codes “PB2110” or “CSA-B 137.8.” Fittings in Alberta homes are usually copper or brass; BC homes more commonly used plastic fittings. If your home was built between 1985 and 1998 and has never been repiped, there is a high probability poly B is still in place.

The pipe itself poses no direct health risk from the water flowing through it. The danger is structural: poly B degrades from the inside out, and there is no external way to assess how far deterioration has progressed. Pipes that look intact on the outside can rupture without warning. A failure inside a wall or ceiling can cause extensive water damage, mould, and structural issues before it is discovered.

Yes — and this is increasingly common. Insurers across Alberta and BC are issuing non-renewal notices and mid-term cancellations for homes with confirmed poly B. If your renewal notice includes a condition requiring poly B replacement, your insurer has flagged the risk and replacement is the only resolution they will accept. We provide a Certificate of Completion and a copy of the closed permit after every job — these two documents satisfy every insurer we have encountered in Alberta and BC.

No. Home insurance does not cover the cost of proactive poly B replacement — it is treated as a maintenance issue, not an insurable event. However, completing the replacement restores your coverage eligibility. Most of our Calgary and Edmonton clients report their insurer reinstates or renews their policy once documentation is received. If a poly B pipe fails and causes water damage, coverage depends on your specific policy and whether the insurer classifies the failure as sudden or the result of long-term neglect.

No. Insurers require confirmation that all poly B has been removed — not a portion of it. Partial replacement also leaves failure risk in the pipes that were not replaced. Full whole-home replacement is the only approach that resolves the insurance condition and eliminates the underlying risk at the same time.

If you want to protect your home from leaks and water damage of varying severity, removing Poly B in your home is imperative. Although you may deem it an inconvenience, we can assure you that our skilled and experienced team will remove it promptly, so your home can be maintained without the threat of water damage!

Most Calgary detached homes built between 1985 and 1998 fall into the following ranges based on size:

• Condo or apartment (under 1,000 sq ft): $4,500–$6,500
• Small bungalow or townhome (1,000–1,400 sq ft): $6,500–$9,000
• Standard detached home (1,400–2,200 sq ft): $8,500–$12,500
• Large home or home with finished basement (2,200+ sq ft): $12,000–$16,000+

These figures include full poly B removal, PEX installation, and complete drywall restoration. All quotes are fixed-price — the number on your quote is the number on your invoice.

How much does poly B replacement cost in Edmonton?

Edmonton replacement costs are consistent with Calgary. Edmonton’s chloramine water treatment and freeze-thaw climate accelerate poly B degradation, making replacement more urgent as pipes approach the 30-year mark.

• Condo or apartment (under 1,000 sq ft): $4,500–$6,500
• Small bungalow or townhome (1,000–1,400 sq ft): $6,500–$9,000
• Standard detached home (1,400–2,200 sq ft): $8,500–$12,500
• Large home or home with finished basement (2,200+ sq ft): $12,000–$16,000+

Homes in Leduc, Spruce Grove, and St. Albert fall within these same ranges. All work is completed to Alberta Safety Codes Act standards.

Metro Vancouver projects carry higher costs due to labour rates and the complexity of strata coordination.

• Strata condo or apartment (under 1,000 sq ft): $5,500–$8,000
• Townhome or smaller detached (1,000–1,600 sq ft): $8,000–$12,000
• Standard detached home (1,600–2,400 sq ft): $11,000–$16,000
• Large home or complex strata unit (2,400+ sq ft): $15,000–$20,000+

Insurance pressure from BC carriers including Intact, Wawanesa, and Economical makes replacement more time-sensitive in Vancouver than anywhere else in Western Canada. Strata jobs require advance scheduling — contact us early if you are coordinating a multi-unit replacement.

Every job is priced on the same core variables:

• Home size and total pipe run. A 900 sq ft condo may require 150–250 feet of new PEX. A two-storey with a finished basement can exceed 800 feet.
• Number of bathrooms and fixtures. Each bathroom, laundry connection, and kitchen fixture adds labour time and materials.
• Basement finishing level. Unfinished basements with exposed plumbing are fast to access. Finished basements require opening drywalled ceilings and restoring them — included in our fixed price.
• Storey count and layout. Bungalows are typically faster than two-storey homes.
• Fittings. Homes with acetal plastic fittings require more careful removal than those with copper crimp fittings.

Every quote covers the complete job:

• Full removal of all poly B supply lines throughout the home
• Installation of PEX-A or PEX-B with brass fittings at all connections
• Pressure testing of the completed system before we leave
• Drywall patching and mudding at all access points
• Ceiling and wall texture restoration to match your existing finish
• Job-site cleanup
• Certificate of Completion and closed permit copy for your insurer

We do not bill hourly. If we open a wall and find additional poly B that was not visible during the walkthrough, we address it — no change orders.

Most Calgary and Edmonton detached homes are completed in one to two days for the plumbing, followed by one to two days for drywall, texturing, and paint. The full process from initial quote to closed permit typically spans 10 to 14 days. Strata units in Vancouver are usually completed in a single day for the plumbing portion. We work as a single dedicated crew — your job is not split across multiple visits.

Yes, in most municipalities. In Calgary and Edmonton, permits are required for full repiping work. We handle all permit applications and inspection requests as part of the project — you receive a copy of the closed permit when the job is done. In BC, permit requirements vary by city, and we confirm what is required during the quoting process for every Vancouver-area job.

PEX-A is more flexible and handles Alberta’s freeze-thaw cycles better than PEX-B, making it the preferred material for Calgary and Edmonton homes. It costs slightly more in materials but the labour difference is minimal. We confirm the replacement material in every quote and explain the difference where it is relevant to your specific home and climate.

Yes — directly and indirectly. Buyers and home inspectors flag poly B during every inspection, and homes with poly B in place routinely face price negotiations or conditional offers requiring replacement before closing. Completing the work before listing removes the issue entirely, restores full insurer coverage, and satisfies the plumbing conditions most mortgage lenders now require.

A fair poly B replacement quote is fixed-price, not hourly. It includes drywall restoration. It specifies the replacement material (PEX-A or PEX-B) and confirms full removal of all poly B — not a partial replacement. If a quote is hourly only, or excludes drywall work, the final cost will be higher than the number you were given. Get the complete scope of work in writing before agreeing to anything.

If your home was built between 1985 and 1998 and the poly B has not been replaced, your insurer has either already flagged it or is likely to do so at your next renewal. The Poly B Plumbing Guys serve Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Red Deer, Kelowna, and Central Alberta. Our Red Seal certified plumbers carry a 4.9-star Google rating and complete every job with the same single crew from start to finish. Call or request a quote online — you will have a fixed price within 24 to 48 hours of our on-site visit, at no charge.