Kitchen remodel plumbing questions, answered

Call before demolition. The plumber can then tell you what the layout allows, whether any lines must move and roughly what it costs. That happens before the cabinets are ordered, while changes are still cheap. A second visit comes at rough-in if lines move, and a finish visit follows once the counters are installed.

If nothing moves, the plumbing is often a single day at the end, after counters are installed. If the sink moves, plan on 1 to 3 days for rough-in, plus time for the inspection, and then a finish visit after the counters. Counter fabrication usually takes one to two weeks after templating, so book the finish visit around that date.

Usually not. A like-for-like faucet or sink swap on the same lines generally doesn’t need a permit. Moving or adding fixtures does, because it changes the drain and vent system. Rules vary between the city of Grand Rapids, nearby cities and townships, so ask your plumber or your local building department if you’re unsure.

Michigan lets homeowners do plumbing on the single-family home they own and live in, with a permit where one is needed. The work still has to pass inspection. Many people hire out the rough-in, where mistakes hide inside walls, and do simple finish work themselves. If you sell the home, buyers’ inspectors look for unpermitted plumbing.

A P-trap is the U-shaped bend under the sink. It holds a little water that blocks sewer gas from coming into your kitchen. Every sink needs one, and it must be vented to work, or the water can siphon out. If you smell sewer gas near a sink, a dry or unvented trap is a common cause, so mention it to the plumber.

Galvanized steel pipe rusts from the inside and narrows over time, which lowers water pressure and can discolor water. If it’s opened during a remodel, replacing the kitchen section with copper or PEX is usually worth it. Ask the plumber to look at the rest of the supply lines too, since pipe of the same age often runs through the whole house.

It can. A bigger sink, a pot filler or a new dishwasher doesn’t add much hot water demand. New bathrooms or a large soaking tub added at the same time might. Ask the plumber to check your water heater’s size and age while they’re there. Replacing an old heater during the remodel is often cheaper than a separate emergency call later.

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