Ever had to solder copper upside down? Not my favorite afternoon.
Yeah, that’s rough. I tried it once and ended up with flux everywhere—definitely not something I’d want to repeat. PEX might have its quirks, but it’s so much easier to snake around tight spots, especially in weird old houses. Copper’s solid, but I get why more folks are switching over for remodels like this. Sometimes convenience just wins out.
- Soldering upside down? Been there, burnt my hand, cursed a lot, and still had a leak to fix later.
- Swapped to PEX for the last bathroom reno. Way cheaper on material and tools—plus, didn't have to torch anything near old wood framing.
- Copper's great for resale value, but honestly, PEX saved me both time and stress. Just needed the crimper and a bit of patience.
- Only thing I worry about is if it holds up for 20+ years... but short-term, my wallet definitely prefers PEX.
Copper’s still my go-to for showers, especially if you’ve got hard water or plan to stay in the house long-term. PEX is great for speed and cost, no doubt, but I’ve seen a few jobs where rodents chewed through it or fittings started to drip after a few years. Soldering’s a pain, but once it’s in, copper just feels more “set it and forget it” to me. That said, PEX is definitely less stressful around old framing—burn marks on joists are never fun to explain...
I hear you on copper being solid, but honestly, PEX saved me a ton when I redid my bathroom last year. I had my doubts about the plastic at first, but the price difference was just too good to ignore. Haven’t had rodent issues (yet…), and swapping out fittings was easy when I messed up a cut. For me, it’s worth the risk for the savings, especially since I’m not planning to be here forever. If I was staying long-term, maybe I’d spring for copper—just not sure the extra cost is worth it right now.
