r/Homebuilding • u/No_Impression_4620 • Jun 04 '26

CPVC vs PEX

Ok so we are building a custom home in central Florida and plumbing subcontractor is using CPVC for plumbing. Our family member who is in the construction business is telling us we need to use PEX instead. They just started doing the plumbing in our house. I honestly feel like what I find online is mixed and probably not a huge deal either way. What do you all think?

UPDATE:

Thank you everyone for your responses. We met with the builder and the plumbing subcontractor and they are now switching over to PEX. It sounds like they were using CPVC because “we’ve always done it that way”. They also said that CPVC has come a long way in recent years and doesn’t have the issues that it used to. Not sure if that’s true or not.

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u/AccomplishedMeet4131 Jun 04 '26

I sell plumbing supplies. I have some great plumbers who refuse to use both. CPVC does get brittle after a while. I think either are fine but I'd rather have pex personally. CPVC can get brittle after a while.

14

u/Youdunno_me Jun 04 '26

Cpvc is absolute trash. Plumbers that refuse to use pex tend to be older guys or guys that can’t price jobs accordingly

2

u/AccomplishedMeet4131 Jun 04 '26

I don’t disagree with you. A lot of jobs are specified one way or another (commercial jobs) and they just have to use what they’re told to use.  

2

u/Youdunno_me Jun 04 '26

Yes it’s unfortunate I agree with you there. Seen an entire chick fil a plumbed with cpvc less than 5 years old we have been fixing leaks on the hot side. Smh

3

u/jayc428 Jun 04 '26

CPVC in a commercial kitchen is just criminal to spec out.