Pipe installation: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering pipe installation

New piping is where layout mistakes become permanent. The best installers plan the vent, the slope and the supply sizing first, then build exactly what the plan shows.

What customers ask

  • Can you run a new line from the existing bathroom to the new kitchen?
  • Will the new drain work with the current vent?
  • How long will the walls be open?
  • Do I need a permit for this?
  • Is PEX or copper better for a remodel?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, get the fixture list, the layout, and photos or measurements of the current supply and drain. Ask where the main drain exits the house.
  • Bring a route sketch that shows the vent and slope, so the customer sees the plan before any wall is opened.
  • Quote the supply material, the drain material, the vent and the restoration as separate lines so changes are easy to see.
  • Check the fixture drain sizes against the plan before you cut, and mark the slope on the framing.
  • Pressure test the supply and water or air test the drain before the walls close, and photograph each run.
  • Give the customer a written map of the new routes and shutoffs, so future work does not cut into a line by mistake.

What to put on your profile

  • Photos of rough-in work before the walls close, showing the supply and drain runs
  • List the materials you install, such as PEX, copper, PVC and ABS
  • List new-construction and remodel work, including bathroom and laundry rough-ins
  • Photo of a finished job with the routes labeled on a plan or photo

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer a final inspection and a photo record of the new work for the customer's files
  • Recommend a check of the water heater and supply pressure once the new fixtures are in use
  • Suggest a drain check after the first month when the new drain serves a heavy-use fixture such as a kitchen sink

Licenses and permits

New supply and drain piping is commonly work that requires a plumbing license, and it usually needs a permit and inspection. Confirm the exact rules with your state or local licensing agency before you take it.

Questions

How should I handle a customer who wants a drain moved with no vent plan?

Show the vent route on the plan first. If the route cannot be made, say so before work begins and explain the options.

Can a drain line run under a slab?

Only with a proper plan, slope and cover. Under-slab work often needs an inspection before the concrete is poured, so set the timing with the customer and the inspector.

What do I do when the existing line is undersized for the new fixture?

Show the sizing and the upgrade route, and quote the upgrade as its own line. Do not connect a new fixture to a line you have not checked.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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