What to Expect From a Poly-B Replacement Start to Finish

Almost every homeowner asks some version of the same question before we start a poly-B job: "how bad is this going to be?" Fair question. Having someone in and out of your house for several days sounds disruptive, and if you've heard horror stories about renovations, it's natural to brace for the worst.

The honest answer is that it's a bigger job than a repair, but it's more manageable than most people expect. Here's exactly what happens, day by day.

Before anything starts

We come out for a free in-home walkthrough first. We check every accessible area for poly-B, confirm the scope, and give you a fixed quote — so you know the full cost before anything is booked. Once you're ready to go, we pull the permit and lock in a start date.

Day by day

1
Day 1 — Setup and access

We lay tarps down to protect your floors and furniture, then open up the walls and ceilings needed to reach the poly-B piping. This is usually the messiest-looking day, even though the actual mess stays contained.

2
Days 2–3 — Removal and repipe

Old poly-B comes out, new PEX goes in throughout the home. We keep at least one bathroom with running water working each day, so you're never fully without water.

4
Day 4 — Pressure test and close-up

Before anything gets covered back up, we pressure test the new lines to confirm every connection is solid. Once that passes, we close up the walls and ceilings.

5
Day 5 — Drywall, paint, and walkthrough

Drywall gets patched, textured, and painted to match. We clean up fully, walk the home with you, and answer any questions before we call it done.

Most Kelowna homes fall in the 2 to 5 day range depending on size and how much of the home is affected — a condo or smaller house can sometimes be done in 2 to 3 days.

What we take care of along the way: Furniture and floors stay covered with tarps for the whole job, and we clean up at the end of every single day — not just at the end of the project. A lot of homeowners tell us afterward they expected a much bigger mess than what they actually got.

Plan around this: Water will be shut off at points during the job, usually for a few hours at a time while we work on a section. We'll give you a heads up on timing each day so you can plan around showers, laundry, or anything else that needs water.

After the work is done

Once everything's closed up and inspected, you'll get a Certificate of Completion and a copy of the closed permit. That's the documentation your insurer needs to update your policy and confirm the poly-B is gone for good.

What if something doesn't go as planned?

Things occasionally come up mid-job — an unexpected fitting, an area that needs more access than planned. If that happens, we tell you before we do anything, not after. And if you ever have a question once the job is done, we're a phone call away — not the kind of plumber who goes quiet once the invoice is paid.


M

Written by Marc — Connexion Plumbing Ltd.Marc's a Red Seal certified plumber with 10+ years in residential and commercial plumbing across the Okanagan. Connexion Plumbing is a family-owned, licensed, insured, and incorporated company based here in Kelowna.

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