How Much Does Plumbing Cost in Westchester County? (2026 Guide)

Plumbing in Westchester runs 25 to 35% above the national average. That's not a typo. Licensed master plumbers here charge $85 to $200 an hour, and most of the housing stock was built in the 1940s through 1960s with galvanized steel or cast iron pipes that are now failing.

The result: a simple service call that costs $150 in other parts of the country costs $200 to $500 here. A water heater replacement that runs $800 nationally runs $1,200 to $3,500. And if your home has original pipes from the Eisenhower administration, you're looking at $8,000 to $18,000 to repipe the whole house.

Here's what people are actually paying.

Where you live changes what you'll pay. Not by a little.

Scarsdale and Bronxville have the highest plumbing costs in the county. Homes there were mostly built in the 1920s and 1930s, with 48% of Scarsdale's housing predating 1939. That means original plaster walls, cast iron drain stacks, and galvanized supply lines. Getting to the pipes often means opening up walls in homes worth $1.5 to $2 million, which adds to the care and cost.

Yonkers and Mount Vernon have more multi-family buildings and smaller homes, which keeps individual job costs lower. But the housing is just as old. About 27% of Yonkers housing was built before 1939, and nearly 40% of Mount Vernon's. Pre-war plumbing, galvanized pipes, and lead supply lines are common. The difference is that labor rates run a bit lower than in the affluent southern Westchester towns.

White Plains sits in the middle. The mix of high-rise condos downtown and older single-family homes in neighborhoods like Gedney Farms means prices vary a lot depending on your building type. Condo work often requires board approval and working around shared walls, which adds time.

New Rochelle and Mamaroneck are coastal. Saltwater proximity corrodes pipes faster. Homes built in the 1940s and 1950s near Long Island Sound tend to need earlier repiping than similar-age homes further inland.

Most Westchester homes have plumbing older than their owners. That's the core issue.

Homes built before 1960 typically have galvanized steel supply pipes. These corrode from the inside out. You won't see it happening, but your water pressure drops year after year until one day a pipe bursts inside a wall. Replacing galvanized supply lines in a 2,000 square foot home runs $8,000 to $18,000, depending on whether you go with copper or PEX.

PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) costs 30 to 40% less than copper and is now the standard for repiping jobs. It's flexible, resists corrosion, and installs faster because plumbers can fish it through walls without as many access holes. Copper lasts longer in theory, but PEX has a 50-year warranty and is what most plumbers in the area recommend for whole-house repiping.

Drain pipes are a separate issue. Cast iron drain stacks in pre-1970 homes corrode and develop cracks. You'll know when your drains slow down despite repeated clearing, or you start smelling sewer gas. Replacing a main drain stack costs $2,000 to $6,000.

Sewer laterals are the pipe connecting your house to the street. Clay sewer pipes from the 1940s and 1950s crack, collapse, and get invaded by tree roots. A camera inspection ($200 to $400) before you buy a home here is worth every penny.

Some plumbing issues are emergencies. Others can wait. Knowing the difference saves money.

Call immediately if you have water actively leaking where it shouldn't be, no hot water in winter, sewage backing up into your home, or a burst pipe. These are emergencies and most Westchester plumbers offer 24/7 service, though after-hours calls carry a 1.5 to 2x premium.

Schedule soon (within a week) for a running toilet, slow drains in multiple fixtures, water heater making strange noises, or low water pressure throughout the house. These are signs of bigger problems developing.

Plan ahead for repiping, water heater replacement before it fails, sump pump installation before the rainy season, and bathroom or kitchen plumbing for a renovation. Plumbers have more availability in spring and early fall. Winter is frozen-pipe season and everyone's booked.

We list plumbers across all 47 Westchester towns. Here's how to pick one.

First, verify they're a licensed master plumber in New York State. This is non-negotiable for any permitted work. Ask for the license number and check it. They also need general liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage. If someone gets hurt on your property and they don't have workers' comp, you could be liable.

Get at least three written estimates for anything over $500. Compare what's included, not just the bottom-line number. One plumber's $2,800 water heater quote might include a new expansion tank and ball valves while another's $2,200 quote doesn't.

Ask whether they charge a flat service fee or hourly, and what happens if the job takes longer than expected. Most Westchester plumbers charge a trip fee of $75 to $150 just to show up, then hourly labor on top. For larger jobs, a flat project price is better for you.

References should be from your actual town or a nearby one. Plumbing codes and inspection processes vary by municipality, and a plumber who regularly works in your town already knows the inspector and the process.