I wonder who told her that. Copper plumbing is excellent. My home was build in 1988 using the same copper plumbing. It has been trouble free.
Copper is now a very expensive commodity and the local police reports show that burgulars are stealing it out of homes that are under construction and ’selling’ it at recycling centers for the money.
Tell your friend to relax and enjoy her home.

the copper pipe will only bust if it gets frozen for a long period of time … typically copper outlasts the standard pvc pipe that is used to pipe homes.

so your neighbour is an idiot.

You’ve got some good answers here, the only problem place is where the two dissimilar materials are connected and that is probably accessible and can be corrected.

Are you sure the neighbor is not a plumber or maybe a sales person for plumbing supplies.

Copper is one of the best piping materials available,however there have been some issues with the type of soldier used .I don’t know the exact dates but lead based soldier was used for almost every job,that has since changed.

Copper plumbing is the best available way to deliver fresh water to a home.
I read an answer that stated you should have die electric couplings between to 2 different types of metal and that is 100 % correct.
A home built in 1988 would not be at risk of lead contamination since the laws changed in 1976 to protect us from such risk.
There are still some concerns about a pipe bursting and it is possible not probable. If the home has slab floors it is possible for the pipes to bend or move with settling. This is rare but it does happen. Another way for the pipes to fail would be if one of the solder joints works loose. This is possible if the pipes are not secured as directed in the UPC ( uniform plumbing code )
You would have a warning before they actually fail. If when you use the hot or cold water from any of the sinks or tubs even the washing machine you hear a rattling noise then you may have a problem.
I must agree with the general census that the neighbor is confused. I am a licensed plumber in California and one of my better sales points is that copper pipes will increase the value of the home.

The only issue that might be a problem is if the copper and galvanized are directly connected to one another. If this is the case you would need to install a dielectric union so that the dissimilar metals do not corrode

somebody is giving you a line of bull — the only point to question is the type of solder used to “sweat” the pipe connections. there is a possibility that lead solder may have been used — a quick check with a sampling kit ( go to your hardware store) will give you an immediate answer — however — that does not mean that significant amounts of lead (if found in the solder) are being leached into flowing water — samples of your actual drinking water can be tested by a private laboratory if you are concerned.

Renovating any room in your home can be quite the undertaking. I would start with the biggest job first and move down the list to the most detail oriented. If you only have one bathroom, remember that you are going to be able to use the bathroom while the renovations are being taken place. If you are redoing the floor, start with that. Next move to the sink replacement. Then move onto the tile detailing you are talking about. In this way you have to work from the ground up and finish the major renovations first.

Sure you can. Don’t mess with the plumbing, it’s too costly. Just leave the toilet bowl to where it is now, and if in the process of moving the toilet the toilet bowl will be located outside of the new toilet location, just buy a huge raincoat to cover your whole body when you use your toilet bowl which is now outside your toilet. If the raincoat is too costly, just use a piece of cloth to cover your face.

That should to it.

I have copper water lines (original) in my 1960 house that still perform well to date. No signs of any leaks or corrosion. Your friend does not need to do anything with his copper lines. They do not devalue a home. Copper is very expensive these days.