This article is part of our ongoing home construction specification plan series.
Assembling a Home Construction Specification Plan — Spec Plan G: Plumbing
We take indoor plumbing for granted as we go about our daily lives. Using the toilet, taking a shower, running the dishwasher or operating the washing machine are tasks that our near ancestors could only dream about. Outhouses, public baths, and wash basins were once commonly used across America, indeed the whole world. Even today there are hundreds of millions of people worldwide who do not have indoor access to drinking water or even basic plumbing.
As you move forward in your home building process, you’ll find yourself being asked many questions about plumbing including:
Does your home site have access to city sewer and water? Or, will you be relying upon a septic tank and well water?
How many baths will be in your home? What types of fixtures will be in each bathroom (e.g., full or half bath, double sinks, sauna, etc.)?
Where will you be placing the dishwasher? The washing machine? Will you need a slop sink for the basement?
How many outside spigots will you need and where should they be placed?
Will you need an outside sprinkler system for irrigation? Are you considering an indoor sprinkler system for fire safety?
Besides answering these questions, understanding uniform plumbing codes will determine how your plumbing is set up. Specifically, your licensed plumber will be keeping in mind the following about your new home’s plumbing:
- The types of materials to be used.
- The required diameters for the pipes.
- The types of joints that can be used.
- Length of pipes, angle at which they will lay, and the supports needed for the pipes.
- And, many more details specific to your home.
Of course, I haven’t even touched on the specific fixtures you’ll be installing as these items will dictate just how the plumbing connects to your hot tub, refrigeration, swimming pool, and year round water fountain. Your home may not be that extravagant, but all of the behind the scenes work done by the plumber will make your home’s plumbing work effortlessly every single time you use it.
Aren’t you glad that modern conveniences have done away with outhouses?
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