Pipe removal

When pipe removal is needed

• Full apartment renovation — all old pipes come out and a new run is laid with modern materials.
• Replacing rusty galvanised lines with PEX or copper — a hygiene upgrade on the same routing.
• Layout change — walls are removed, bathroom/kitchen relocated.
• Riser replacement for the building (under a Vaad Bayit program).
• Emergency section replacement — a burst pipe, part of the line must be ripped out for access.
• Removing unused branches — an old dead-end branch from a previous layout change that is now leaking.

What "pipe removal" actually involves

1. Shutting off the water. The apartment valve for local work, the riser for work near the entry point.
2. Draining the system. Residual water is bled through the lowest points (radiator drain, main drain tap, bathroom floor mixer).
3. Disconnecting fixtures. Mixers, flexi hoses, toilet cisterns, washing-machine and dishwasher connections come off.
4. Locating and marking routes. For pipes in screed — a thermal camera (on the hot line), acoustic tracing (with water flowing), or builder's drawings (if preserved).
5. Opening the screed or chase. Rotary hammer with chisel. Large chunks of concrete go into rubble bags, fine dust into the vacuum.
6. Separating pipes from joints. Threaded joints unscrew, plastic is cut, copper is desoldered.
7. Carrying the pipe out. In an Israeli apartment that can be 30–80 metres — often cut into 1.5 m pieces.
8. Capping the remaining outlets. Where pipes stay (riser, apartment entry) — caps go on so no one accidentally opens the line.
9. Disposal — off to scrap metal or construction-waste collection.

Removal complexity tiers

Easy (surface-mounted)

Pipes run exposed — along the wall, inside a false box, behind drywall. Quick, little dust.

• Time — 2–3 hours to 1 day.
• Cost — 400–1,200 ILS.

Medium (in chases)

Pipes in plaster or concrete chases. Rotary hammer and vacuum needed.

• Time — 1 day.
• Cost — 900–2,500 ILS.

Hard (inside the floor screed)

Pipes in the floor screed, sometimes fully encased. The floor has to be opened up and 100+ kg of concrete hauled out.

• Time — 1–3 days.
• Cost — 1,800–5,000 ILS (plus waste removal).

Very hard (in load-bearing walls or slabs)

Seen in old buildings. Requires an engineer's approval, shoring, and a serious budget.

• Cost — 4,000+ ILS.

Dealing with what is left behind

Screed and chases

After removal you are left with a "channel" where the pipe used to sit. If new pipework will run in the same place — just lay it in. If not, you need to:

• Clean dust from the edges.
• Fill with cement mortar or polyurethane foam (where it will be plastered over).
• Plaster and smooth for the final finish.

Old metal pipes

Steel and copper — off to the scrap dealer. Copper is particularly valuable: up to 30–50 ILS/kg. The plumber often keeps it as a discount on labour.

Galvanised steel and cast iron — disposed of as construction waste. 100 ILS per local drop-off point in Israel.

Plastic pipes (PVC, PEX)

Goes in household waste or the construction skip. Not accepted for recycling in most municipalities.

How much it costs in Israel

• Removing hot+cold water distribution in a 2-room flat (exposed walls, PEX) — 600–1,500 ILS
• Removal from chases — 1,200–3,000 ILS
• Removal from screed — 2,000–5,000 ILS
• Riser removal inside an apartment (with building shutdown) — 600–1,500 ILS
• Drainage pipe removal (horizontal in floor + vertical) — 800–2,500 ILS
• Removing a single local section (e.g. under a sink) — 150–400 ILS
• Waste removal (2–3 m³ skip) — 400–1,200 ILS

How to prepare before the crew arrives

• Clear working space — furniture out or covered with plastic.
• Arrangement with the Vaad if the riser will be shut.
• Permission to remove waste (some buildings do not allow elevators for construction debris).
• Power — rotary hammers draw serious current. Old apartments can trip the breaker.
• Ventilation — concrete dust, copper soldering fumes.
• "Before" photos — useful to keep a map of the old routing even if everything is being replaced.

Typical mistakes

• "Quick removal" without shutoff. Someone breaks a pipe "for speed" without closing the water — and the floor gets flooded.
• Leaving part of the old pipe. A section stays in the screed, gets paved over, starts dripping a year later — and must be opened up again.
• Damaging a structural element. Rotary-hammer enthusiasm punctures rebar in a load-bearing wall. Load-bearing members cannot be opened without an engineering check.
• Forgetting about the drains. Water lines come out, but nobody prepped for the sewer smell from the open stack. Temporary plugs are a must.
• Scrap metal "gone walking". The plumber keeps the copper but doesn't discount the labour. Agree on scrap terms up front.