Pipes and fittings for water, heating and drainage: how to buy
First decide what the pipes are for
The pipe material depends on the purpose. For cold and hot water in a flat people often take polypropylene (PPR), CPVC or multilayer pipe, for underfloor heating PEX or multilayer pipe, for outdoor water supply polyethylene (PE or HDPE), and for drainage PVC. Copper and steel are costlier but have their own uses. So say in your request what you are carrying: cold water, hot water, heating or waste water.
Diameter, pressure and reinforcement
- Diameter — given in millimetres or inches, for example 20 and 25 mm; fittings must match the pipes.
- Pressure class (PN) — hot water and heating need pipes with a higher PN, for example PN20.
- Reinforcement — fibreglass or aluminium reduces the expansion of hot pipes and makes them more stable.
- Wall thickness — affects flow capacity and strength.
Fittings and valves
A big separate part of the cost is fittings: elbows, tees, couplings, reducers, taps, manifolds. PPR is usually welded with a special machine, and multilayer pipe uses press or compression joints. Count them for each joint: it is easy to see on a diagram. You need a margin, but not a random one.
What to put in your request
- Type of pipes — PPR, CPVC, multilayer, PEX, PE, PVC drainage, copper, steel.
- Purpose — cold/hot water, heating, underfloor heating, drainage, outdoor water supply.
- Diameter — in mm or inches.
- Quantity — metres of pipe, number of fittings.
- Fittings and taps — elbows, tees, ball valves, manifolds.
- Class and reinforcement — PN20, fibreglass.
- Make — if you have a preference.
- Address and budget.
Example: “I need 300 m of PN20 polypropylene pipes, 20 and 25 mm, fibreglass-reinforced, plus fittings: elbows, tees, couplings, ball valves and 4 manifolds. For the water supply of a house. Delivery to Jaipur, budget up to ₹12,000.”
How it works on BlaBlaPrice
Pipes and fittings come to dozens of items, and it is hard to tell “expensive” from “good value” without comparing several sellers. You write one request with a list, and sellers in the chat offer their price for the whole set: availability, make, delivery. Each seller sees where their offer ranks and can improve the terms. BlaBlaPrice shows the best offer first, and the seller's reviews are next to it. Your phone number is not sent to everyone; only the seller you choose gets it. More in how it works.
What to compare and what to ask
Check that everyone offers the same system: pipes and fittings from different makers are sometimes compatible and sometimes not. Ask whether there is a certificate and a warranty, what fittings are in stock and whether unused ones can be returned. For PPR, ask whether the welding machine and nozzles are sold. Typical mistakes are not counting elbows and reducers, mixing up inner and outer diameter, or taking thin-walled pipes for heating.
Related topics: plumbing for the fixtures themselves, heating for boilers and radiators and fasteners for clamps and fixings.
