Plan Your Plumbing Project

The plumbing in your house can make your quality of life extraordinary, but only if you have a plan.

I've spent the last number of years constructing (and, yes repairing) plumbing systems (water, drainage, and heating).

Over this time I have noticed the traits of a successful building project.

1) Enough money to do the job (because things do happen to increase costs along the way).

2) A set of drawings that have been agreed to, by all the different trades involved.

3)Competent trades people (plumbers, electricians, carpenters, lather interior systems
 mechanics,etc).  How do you know they are competent?  Start by asking for their Journeyman cards, then see what other work they have done.

4)Flexibility by all involved, to solve building challenges  (things that each trade does often affects  what other trades need to do -  example, a standard rough-in for a tub is usually 60 inches, but the carpenter should double check before building the walls where the tub goes).

5)General safety and Code compliance.  Believe it or not, even in this very safety enlightened time we live, there are still quite a few contractors that may talk the talk, but don't walk the safety walk.  As a home owner (building owner), you are ultimately responsible for what goes on in your building.  This is probably the one factor that you can use to screen through all the possible contractors that want to do work for you.  Contractors should be bonded (otherwise they can't get permits).  Trades people (especially plumbers, electricians, hvac) must be Journeymen.

 I am pretty sure books and articles have been written about this already, but it bears reminding.

Thank you,

Jay Bortnik
Journeyman Jay Plumbing
780-266-3939