In the pipe lining vs repiping choice, New York City has already decided: PC 701.10 of the NYC Plumbing Code says cured-in-place pipe and epoxy spray lining systems shall not be used. Lining is sold widely elsewhere as a no-demolition fix, but in NYC the legal route for failing water pipe is replacement, typically in Type L copper.
NYC Repipe & Repair publishes these figures with named sources so every number can be checked before you call anyone, including us.
Pipe lining is marketed nationally as the way to fix old pipes without opening walls. If you’ve seen the ads, it’s a fair question in an NYC house full of galvanized steel and cast iron. The short answer is that the NYC Plumbing Code rules it out, and the longer answer explains why repiping is the only legal choice here.
What pipe lining is
Two methods are sold under the “pipe lining” name:
- Epoxy coating. The existing pipe is dried and cleaned out, often by blasting, and then an epoxy resin is blown or sprayed through it to coat the inside wall. It’s sold mainly for water supply pipe.
- Cured-in-place pipe (CIPP). A felt liner soaked in resin is pulled or inverted into the old pipe and cured with hot water, steam or ultraviolet light, forming a new pipe inside the old one (WR Environmental). It’s sold mainly for drains and sewers.
Either way, the old pipe stays in the wall and becomes a sleeve for the new coating or liner. Vendors and municipalities that use CIPP on sewers commonly cite a design life of around 50 years, for example the City of Medford, but those are mostly street-sewer figures, not interior plumbing in an occupied building.
Why lining isn’t an option in NYC
The 2022 NYC Plumbing Code is direct. PC 701.10: “Cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) and epoxy spray pipe lining systems shall not be used.” (NYC Plumbing Code ch. 7)
For water supply, the code works the same way through its material list. Table 605.4 allows only brass, copper and copper-alloy pipe, copper tubing Types K and L, ductile iron and stainless steel for water distribution (NYC Plumbing Code ch. 6). Galvanized steel isn’t on that list. Lining a galvanized pipe doesn’t turn it into one of those materials; it’s still galvanized pipe with a coating inside.
Lining also leaves the problems that drive most NYC repipes in place. A coated pipe keeps its old layout, its old threaded joints and whatever undersizing it had. And because lining can’t be filed as code work in NYC, a lined job also misses the DOB filing and pressure test that a legal repair needs. Unpermitted work carries penalties starting at $520 for a one- or two-family house and $6,000 for other buildings.
Pipe lining vs repiping, side by side
| Epoxy or CIPP lining | Copper repipe | |
|---|---|---|
| Allowed in NYC | No (PC 701.10) | Yes (Table 605.4) |
| What’s left in the wall | Old pipe plus coating | New pipe; old pipe abandoned or removed |
| DOB filing and sign-off | Can’t be filed as code work | LAA filed in DOB NOW: Build, pressure-tested |
| Fixes undersized or badly laid-out pipe | No | Yes, resized and rerouted as needed |
| Typical NYC price | Not applicable | $12,000–$35,000 house; $3,000–$8,000 apartment |
| Wall openings | Few | Planned openings, then restored |
Repipe prices are NYC contractor-published ranges; see the repiping cost guide for sources and the repipe cost estimator for your building.
What NYC uses instead
For water supply pipe, the answer is whole house repiping in Type L copper (ASTM B88), joined by solder or permanent press fittings; removable push-fit fittings are prohibited (PC 605.9). In a co-op or condo, it’s apartment repiping back to the building’s risers, or a building riser replacement. Galvanized branches get galvanized pipe replacement, and where new copper meets old steel, an ASSE 1079 dielectric union is required (PC 605.24.1). Type L vs Type K copper explains which copper goes where.
For drains, the answer is cast iron stack replacement. In residential buildings of five stories or fewer, PC 701.9 allows plastic drain pipe, which covers most brownstones and small multifamily buildings in Brooklyn and Queens. The cast iron stack replacement cost guide has the prices.
Repiping doesn’t mean gutting the house. The new copper is run as a parallel system, the old pipe stays live until each section is switched over, and water is normally restored at the end of each working day. How long does it take to repipe a house? covers the schedule.
Bottom line
Pipe lining is a real product elsewhere, but PC 701.10 bars CIPP and epoxy spray lining in New York City, and lined galvanized pipe still isn’t a listed material. The legal fix is replacement: copper for water, and cast iron or, in buildings of five stories or fewer, PVC for drains. Call (929) 659-6658 for a free on-site estimate and a written, itemized price.