I’ve been doing as much reasearch as possible, and it’s looking like we’ll be going with PEX (“cross-linked polyethylene”, err.. “strong plastic”) tubing for our plumbing. PEX has started to become popular with residential plumbing as it’s flexible, cheaper and easier to install than traditional copper.

The tubing itself is a fraction of the cost when compared to copper pipe, however the fittings are incredibly expensive. Luckily you don’t need many of them as you can bend the tubing around corners and run direct lines to each of your fixtures. Installation is apparently quite easy and can be completed in a single day, which is another great benefit as you’ll save on labour costs as well.

There are 3 different methods of installation:

1. A manifold system (pictured above), where you run a direct line to each fixture in the house. This approach obviously requires more tubing, but results in constant pressure throughout the entire system (i.e., the shower will stay strong when you flush the toilet).
2. A hybrid system utilizes smaller manifolds in a variety of places (e.g. between a toilet and a sink), plus direct lines to bigger fixtures (such as shower). This way you still get constant pressure where you’ll need it, but you save on tubing.

1. A tree & branch system is identical to a traditional copper setup wherein smaller tubes branch off of a larger trunk. This will result in less tubing, but more fittings, unbalanced pressure and increased price… If you’re running PEX, this should obviously be avoided.

   I haven’t priced it out yet, but my assumption is that we’ll end up going with a hybrid setup as I expect it’ll be somewhat cheaper.

   Photo courtesy of finehomebuilding.com

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