Rough plumbing - under metal building HELP! :-)

[Kays Supply]

I understood that you were going to put rough plumbing for a bath, kitchen and laundry. If so $1200 isn't that far off. It also depends on how far apart they are.

 

[gerard]

Can't comment too much on the price but as an avid "do it yourselfer," in your position at this time I'd have a pro do the rough in. Pipe size, pitch, and pipe placement are all according to code for a good reason - they work. Too little pitch and you'll get toilet backups. Not fun. The rough has to be done right the first time unless you feel like jack hammering up your new slab. You can save $ by doing the finish plumbing, running the pipes above the slab etc. That'll still save you a lot of $, BUT if you scew it up it's easily fixed.

 

[jake98]

How about put a sand box under the area so that the concrete is only 2" thick? Then you can relax. Except for the waste pipe going out the other side..

 

[ustmd]

To echo everyone here...get the professional. If you make a mistake on the rough in, it will be verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry difficult to fix later.

$1200 is a little high, but not out of the range, especially if there is a drive involved for the plumber

 

[AHNC]

With respect, you are simply not prepared to do this. You are out of time. But, here you go, if you choose. What fixtures are you going to use? If you know the fixtures you are going to use you can get the fixture dimensions and rough-in dimensions off their web site. What lay-out for the fixtures? You have to start with your exterior wall string lines. Make sure the lay-out is square with the world. Measure to the center of your "fixture wall(s)" from those exterior marks , set your petition centerline with string and that is your center for your waste lines. String lines work and have for centuries, but I guess they use lasers today. AS far as elevations, how far from the most remote fixture to the invert of your foundations wall exit? From there to the invert of your septic tank/city sewer? That will set your grade for the first qtr bend at the base of the drop from your fixture. Run it 1/4"/ft. For a 2' level tape a 1/2" block on one end and run everything to level.

$1200 is cheap compared to the costs if this doesn't go well. At this late date, I would suggest that you hire this done. The job has gotten ahead of you for now and you will end up holding up your contractor, which will end up costing more.

in fact there isn't a lot to this type of job, but when you don't know precisely what you want and need to do it takes forever. I offer this tale in proof. When I was a first year apprentice in Local 109 we did lead and oakum soil pipe. I was working with a first rate journeyman. He wore pressed kacki shirt and pants. Neat as a pin. He went home that way too, which I could never figure out, and he just got a lot of work done. We were doing the rough-in on a Voc Tech school. I was working with Lou and we did a couple of the bathrooms. At lunch one day, the conversation came around to me, and never missing an opportunity to make an a** of myself (yes, I still never miss an opportunity), I said I could do this work as well and as fast as Lou. Well, the forman jumped on this and as we had a couple identical back to back bathrooms he got us both set up. Lou was encouraging me and telling me he was sure I could do it. The day came and i was on fire. I was so ready to go. Well, you know how this ends. Lou never broke a sweat. He came out of the ground clean and pressed. His work was done. It was perfect. I don't think I've ever worked a harder day, or gotten less done. In addition to failing miserably, I was soaked with sweat and they almost had to pick me out of that hole with a cherrypicker. 40 yrs later I'm still trying to work like Lou. I have a ways to go yet. My point here is, of course, to ensure that you not end up like me on your job Good luck!

 

[Raspy]

KS - THANK YOU!!!! We intend to bring in the water on the one side - we didn't think about taking the waste outward - now that you mention it - the other side would be better for waste...

just considering last minute plumbing in case the next owner might want to do living quarters or if we get bored one summer and decide to do it ourself




Don't ever build your own house with the excuse that you are doing it for the next owner!!!!!!! Unless it's just a tract spec house that you will be selling soon.

The next owner is someone you will never meet and you have no idea of what he might want. You will probably be gone by then and why would you plan for something you know nothing about?

If you like it, someone else will too. BUILD IT FOR YOURSELF! Not some mystery person from the future.

 

[JimRB]

I have found that you do not do plumbing with a trip to Home Depot, especially if you do not know what you are doing. Maybe 2 or three trips. Also what a pro can do in 4-8 hours will take an amateur a few days and the amateur will probably screw it up. Of course the plumber works faster when working off blueprints. Yes, I plumbed my barn for a half bath, washing machine and wash rack. I may have had help from a guy that had done plumbing, I forget. I do not recall it as a particularly fast task. Permit pulled.

 

[doxford jim]

If it was me, I would plan where I would want to put the pipes (sewage, water , drains etc) and get them installed by the plumber. If you decide to hold off on the bathroom, sinks etc., you still have the essentials already there. Re septic - you will need to consider a septic tank and drain field at some time as well.

Now is the time to do the work - cheaper and much quicker now, than later down the road.

Jim

 

[ITHINKICAN]

Ok. I get it My bad. I should have been more prepared - I should have done my research further in advance. Given the right circumstances we could have read more on DIY books/websites, then visited HD and Lowes a few times, spoke to a few plumbers and then brought out the pipes and gotten started - then called a plumber to assist with making sure it was right... it would have taken several trips to HD/Lowes but would have been worth the savings and the learning experience. I'm not sure how we overlooked this item. Oh well. There's always the next time - I sure would like to try it at least once - just for the satisfaction.

Now - for the million dollar - I want to sound relatively intelligent (he doesn't know I'm a dummy yet) when I speak to the plumber that quoted the $1200 - first thing I want to find out is if he understands all we want is the bare minimum - I guess that would be waste water pipes and vent pipes? He might have thought we want it tied to septic and or tied to water supply lines... this would require lots of material = lots of money.

During my conversation with this plumber and atleast a second opinion - what are the exact plumbing terms for what I will need? The bare minimum? What would each item be called?

We want one shower, one toilet, one sink (bathroom) & then one sink (kitchen). Based on my google search - it looks like we can get away with what appears to be one large waste pipe to exit the structure - I am needing my toilet to have a p-trap under slab and then it can tie to the waste pipe - I am needing the sinks to tie in too. But how do I say it intelligently?

Can someone help me illustrate the items - he and I can decide on location - but going in to it - I'd like to state the items using plumbing terms and sound like I've done some research.

Thanx!

It's only an implement barn/workshop/metal building. We'll put everything along a wall so we have plenty of storage and workshop space remaining.

 

[MikeInEburg]

Can someone help me illustrate the items - he and I can decide on location - but going in to it - I'd like to state the items using plumbing terms and sound like I've done some research.

.

I would simply describe what you want and let the plumber do his job. Don't make this any harder than it needs to be.
Mike