Building a new home is a great accomplishment. But, when you’re waiting for your construction to be finished, any amount of time feels like an eternity. This is particularly true if you’re waiting to move into your dream home. Furthermore, for a more successful project, the construction must go through several stages.
That is why you must hire a reputable plumbing company to complete the task. An experienced local plumber will know when to begin working on each component to complete the house construction successfully. And one aspect of any construction project, whether residential or commercial, that is fairly essential is the plumbing.
When it comes to rough-in plumbing, it’s all about the right timing. However, hiring a dependable plumber is not enough. As a homeowner, it is also crucially important to understand how the process, particularly the plumbing, works.
Here’s what you need to know when plumbing a house after construction.
Why a High Quality Plumbing is Essential During a Home Build
Plumbing is not as simple as installing any hardware during the construction process. Aside from the complicated system of pipes, plumbing is also quite expensive to install and maintain.
Understanding the fundamentals of a plumbing system can help you anticipate the types of issues that may arise. It can also assist you in designing a system that is both functional and compliant with plumbing codes.
Although this may appear technical, having a basic understanding of how plumbing works is beneficial, here’s why:
- A well-designed system efficiently deliver water to various faucets, fixtures, and other water-using appliances
- Carrying wastewater away without clogging
- Potentially saves you money by strategically placing bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms near one another and sharing parts of the plumbing system
- Significantly reduces overall plumbing costs
How Plumbing Works
The primary goal of plumbing is to provide a sufficient and safe supply of hot and cold water to the residents. Furthermore, plumbing drains all wastewater and sewage from fixtures into a public sewer or a private disposal system.
The plumbing in your home is made up of a variety of systems that each serve a different purpose. For instance, freshwater is delivered to the home through water supply pipes from a utility or a well. Then, the water will be distributed to sinks, toilets, bathtubs, and other fixtures.
On the other hand, a drain-waste-vent system transports waste and used water to sewers or septic tanks. In a sense, the plumbing system aids in the facilitation, transportation, and delivery of water and drainage to their respective locations.
Here are the different plumbing systems installed in your home:
- Water Supply System
- Drain-Waste-Vent System
- Kitchen plumbing System
- Bathroom Plumbing System
When Should Plumbing Begin?
Local authorities in Melbourne must approve and issue permits for any residential or commercial construction. So, before a builder even considers putting a shovel in the ground, there are considerations that should be done.
They include:
- Septic systems
- Electrical works
- Plumbing system
Physical construction can begin once the necessary permits have been obtained. Following that, the site will be prepared and foundation work will be carried out.
But before we move on to plumbing, here are the stages of house construction:
- Stage 1: Preparation of the construction site and foundation
- Stage 2: Rough framing
- Stage 3: Finish rough plumbing and electrical/heating/cooling
- Stage 4: Home insulation installation
- Stage 5: Interior and exterior finishes
- Stage 6: Installation of interior and exterior fixtures e.g. doors, window sills, walkways, driveways, etc.
- Stage 7: Installation of exterior finish grading
All plumbers in Melbourne must follow the building regulatory framework set in Victoria. This includes following the 2 following Building Acts:
Once all of the necessary installations have been completed, the contractor will conduct a final walk-through. This allows for adjustments and corrections. Moreover, let’s focus on the house plumbing project.
As you can see, finishing the plumbing in your home is important before moving on to the flooring and walls. The reason for the delay is that when a wall or stud needs to be moved, relocating pipes becomes much more difficult.
Otherwise, the plumber will be forced to return at your expense.
What Happens During Plumbing Rough-In?
The locations are marked out on the floors and walls during the rough-in such as sinks, bathtubs, counters, etc. This enables the plumber to install the pipes correctly. In addition, the contractor will also visit the job site ahead of time. This is to ensure that there is enough room to install all of the necessary pipes and ductwork.
So, if any issues are discovered, there will be enough time to make changes to the plans. After the rough-in is complete, the plumber will conduct a spot inspection to ensure that everything is placed properly such as:
- Water lines
- Drains
- Toilet flanges
- …and more
After the rough-in, the HVAC contractor will conduct pressure testing and final inspections as well. If there are no issues, the plumbing rough-in should take 3–5 days.
Bottomline
Entrust your house plumbing project to a reputable local plumber to ensure the highest level of plumbing standards is met. Not only will you save money, but you will also avoid any potential leaks or burst pipes in future.