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Ledger note

Planning Plumbing for a Renovation

Of all the trades in a renovation, plumbing bends least. Water can be piped almost anywhere, but drains need slope, vents and a path to the stack.

  • About 2 minutes to read
  • Best timing: before you sign or open a wall
  • Tools: flashlight, bucket, rags, adjustable wrench
  • Written for homeowners, not trades
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Spacious contemporary bathroom featuring a luxurious bathtub, shower, and adjacent walk-in closet
Spacious contemporary bathroom featuring a luxurious bathtub, shower, and adjacent walk-in closet.

Open 7 daysEmergencies any hour

  • Licensed plumbers, details on request
  • Quote before any work starts
  • Pickering and Durham Region
  • Residential and commercial

The routine, in order

  1. Decide on fixtures and get their specification sheets.
  2. Have a plumber look at the existing drains and vents before the design is final.
  3. Apply for a City of Pickering permit where plumbing changes.
  4. Book rough-in after framing, before insulation and drywall.
  5. Arrange the plumbing inspection before walls close.
  6. Set finished fixtures after tile, counters and paint.
Bench note: take photos of every open wall before drywall goes up, with a tape measure visible in each shot. Years later, they tell you exactly where the pipes are.

Why this matters in Pickering

In Pickering's older homes, renovation is often the first time anyone has looked at the pipes in decades. That is a chance to replace galvanized supply, old cast iron and undersized drains. In newer homes the rough-ins are known, but moving fixtures still has limits set by the building code.

Call us before the design is final, not after demolition. Sometimes a small change to the layout saves thousands in drain work.

Slips worth avoiding

  • Designing a layout that puts a toilet far from the stack
  • Choosing a shower valve without checking it fits the wall depth
  • Closing walls before the inspection
  • Forgetting access panels for valves and tub drains

Basements

Basement bathrooms need a drain low enough or an ejector pump. Basement bathroom rough-in covers the options. Find out where your main shut-off valve is located before any work starts.

Time to ring a plumber

Call us before the design is final, not after demolition. Sometimes a small change to the layout saves thousands in drain work. See kitchen plumbing and bathroom plumbing for what we handle.

Questions callers ask

How long does a plumbing rough-in take?

For a single bathroom, often a day or two, plus the time to book inspection.

Related pages

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