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Plumbing Rough-In Inspection Tips for GCs

Construction Plumbing Rough In

Construction Plumbing Rough-In Inspection Tips for General Contractors

If you have been running jobs for any length of time, you know the rough-in phase is where projects either stay on track or start bleeding time and money. The plumbing rough-in sits right in the middle of that critical window between framing and drywall, and once those walls close up, whatever is behind them stays there.

As a GC, you are not the one sweating pipe or pulling fittings. But you are the one who catches the fallout when something fails inspection, when a drain line is sloped wrong, or when a supply line runs through a structural member it should not touch. Your job is to know enough about what your plumbing sub is doing to keep the project moving and catch problems before they become expensive.

This guide breaks down what to look for during the plumbing rough-in, how to manage your plumbing subs through this phase, and how to avoid the common mistakes that lead to failed inspections and costly rework.

Understanding the Plumbing Rough-In Phase

The plumbing rough-in covers everything that goes inside the walls, under the floors, and above the ceilings before finish work begins. We are talking about supply lines, drain lines, waste lines, vent stacks, and all the connections that tie them together. No fixtures get installed yet. No faucets, no toilets, no sinks. Just the bones of the plumbing system.

For most residential projects, the rough-in happens after framing is complete and before insulation and drywall. On commercial jobs, you might have multiple rough-in phases depending on the building’s complexity. Either way, the sequence matters. Your plumbing rough-in needs to coordinate with electrical rough-in, HVAC rough-in, and any structural work that affects the same wall and floor cavities.

If you have ever dealt with a plumber and an electrician fighting over the same stud bay, you know how important sequencing is. Getting this right starts with your project schedule, and it requires clear communication with every trade on site.

The rough-in is also where the permit process gets real. Your plumbing sub should have pulled permits before any work started. If you are fuzzy on how permits work for your jurisdiction, our construction permits guide covers the process in detail. The inspection that follows the rough-in is a formal checkpoint, and your local building department will not let you move forward until it passes.

Here is the thing most newer GCs miss: you should not wait for the inspector to find problems. By the time the inspector shows up, your plumbing sub should have already done their own quality check, and you should have done your own walkthrough. The inspector is a final confirmation, not your quality control program.

What to Check During Your Pre-Inspection Walkthrough

Before you call for the official inspection, walk the job yourself. You do not need to be a master plumber to spot the common issues that fail inspections. Here is what to look for, system by system.

Drain, Waste, and Vent (DWV) Lines

Start with the DWV system because it is where most failures happen. Drain lines need proper slope to move waste by gravity. The standard is 1/4 inch of fall per foot of horizontal run for pipes 3 inches and smaller, and 1/8 inch per foot for 4-inch pipe. Grab a level or a smartphone app and check a few runs. If the slope looks flat or inconsistent, flag it.

Check every trap arm length. The distance between a fixture’s trap and its vent connection has code limits based on pipe size. A 1-1/2 inch trap arm cannot exceed 6 feet in most codes. If the trap arm is too long, the trap can siphon and lose its water seal, which means sewer gas in the building. This is a common fail point.

Look at the vent system. Every fixture needs a vent, and vents need to rise above the flood level rim of the highest fixture they serve before running horizontally. Wet vents and circuit vents are allowed in many codes, but they have specific sizing and distance rules. If something looks off, ask your plumber to explain the venting strategy. A good plumber should be able to walk you through it without hesitation.

Check all cleanout locations. Codes require cleanouts at specific intervals and at every change of direction. Make sure they are accessible. A cleanout behind a wall with no access panel is useless. On renovation projects where existing sewer lines are in poor condition, trenchless sewer line replacement can save significant time and disruption compared to traditional dig-and-replace methods.

Supply Lines

Supply lines are simpler but still need attention. Check that hot and cold lines are properly separated and labeled. Look at pipe sizing. Undersized supply lines cause pressure problems that your client will complain about for years.

Make sure supply lines are properly supported. Copper needs support every 6 feet on horizontal runs and 10 feet on vertical runs. PEX has different requirements depending on the manufacturer. Unsupported pipes sag, vibrate, and eventually fail.

If the project uses PEX, check that there are no kinks. A kinked PEX line restricts flow and is a defect. Also verify that PEX is not exposed to direct sunlight, which degrades the material. This matters on jobs where the rough-in sits open for weeks before drywall.

Pipe Protection and Clearances

Anywhere a pipe passes through a stud or joist, check for nail plates. Steel nail plates protect pipes from drywall screws and finish nails. If your plumber skipped them, make them go back and install every single one. This is not optional, it is code, and it prevents the kind of leak that shows up six months after closing and destroys a ceiling.

Check clearances from other systems. Plumbing lines should not contact electrical wiring. Hot water lines near electrical should have proper separation. And no pipe should compromise a structural member beyond what the engineer allows. If you see a joist that has been notched too deep or a load-bearing stud with an oversized hole, stop work and get your engineer involved. Our blueprints guide covers how to read the structural details that tell you what is allowed.

Pressure Testing

Your plumbing sub should pressure test the entire system before calling for inspection. DWV systems typically get a water test or air test. Supply lines get a pressure test, usually at 1.5 times the working pressure for a minimum of 15 minutes. Some jurisdictions require longer.

Do not skip this. Do not let your sub skip this. A pressure test catches leaks before they are hidden behind drywall. If you walk the job and see no evidence of testing, send the sub back to do it properly. The inspector will require it anyway, and showing up unprepared wastes everyone’s time.

Common Reasons Plumbing Rough-Ins Fail Inspection

Knowing why inspections fail helps you prevent those failures. Here are the issues that come up over and over again.

Wrong slope on drain lines. This is the number one failure. It looks right to the naked eye, but 1/8 inch over a 10-foot run is barely perceptible. Use a level. Every time.

Missing or incorrect venting. Venting rules are complex, and shortcuts here always get caught. If your plumber tried to wet-vent a bathroom group but got the sizing wrong, it fails.

No nail plates. Inspectors love catching this one because it is so easy to spot and so easy to fix. Just make sure it is done before they show up.

Unsupported pipe. Sagging pipes are obvious and always get flagged. Proper hangers and strapping are cheap. There is no excuse for missing them.

No cleanouts or inaccessible cleanouts. Your plumber knows where these go. If they are missing, it is either a rushed job or a sloppy crew.

Failed pressure test. If the system cannot hold pressure, nothing else matters. Fix the leaks first.

Wrong materials or unapproved fittings. Codes vary by jurisdiction. Some areas do not allow certain types of PEX or specific fitting methods. Your plumber needs to know the local code, not just the national standard.

Pipes through structural members without engineering approval. This is a structural and plumbing issue combined, and it can trigger involvement from your engineer and a correction that affects framing.

Not sure if Projul is the right fit? Hear from contractors who use it every day.

A solid quality control process catches most of these before the inspector ever sets foot on site. Build the walkthrough into your standard workflow and you will pass inspections consistently.

Managing Your Plumbing Subs Through the Rough-In

Your relationship with your plumbing sub during the rough-in sets the tone for the rest of the project. Here is how to manage it without micromanaging.

Set Clear Expectations Before Work Starts

Before your plumber touches a single pipe, make sure you are aligned on the scope, the schedule, and the standards. This means a pre-work meeting where you cover the plans, the spec, any unusual conditions, and the inspection timeline. If there are coordination issues with other trades, address them now.

Your subcontract should spell out who is responsible for permits, inspections, material procurement, and cleanup. If it does not, fix that for next time. Our subcontractor management guide goes deeper on how to structure these relationships so they work for both sides.

Use Photo Documentation

Take photos of the rough-in before drywall goes up. Every wall cavity, every drain run, every vent stack. These photos become invaluable if there is ever a warranty claim, a leak investigation, or a dispute about what was installed.

Better yet, have your plumbing sub take photos as they work and submit them through your project management system. Photo documentation tools make this simple and keep everything organized by project and date. When you can pull up a photo of exactly what is behind a wall from 18 months ago, that is worth its weight in gold.

Coordinate the Schedule Tightly

The rough-in phase is a traffic jam of trades. Plumbing, electrical, HVAC, low voltage, and fire protection all need access to the same spaces at roughly the same time. As the GC, you are the traffic cop.

Build your schedule so trades are not stacking on top of each other. Give your plumber enough time to complete their work and test it before the next trade moves in. If you compress the rough-in window too tight, quality suffers and you end up with failed inspections that cost more time than you saved.

This is where good scheduling software pays for itself. When you can see all your trades mapped out and adjust in real time, you make better decisions about sequencing. If you are still managing this on paper or in spreadsheets, you are making it harder than it needs to be.

Handle Problems Directly

When you find an issue during your walkthrough, bring it to your plumber directly. Do not wait, do not assume they will catch it, and do not let it slide because the inspector might not notice. Inspectors are good at their jobs, and even if one issue slips through, it will cause problems eventually.

Be specific about what you found and what the code requires. “The trap arm on the master bath lavatory looks longer than 6 feet” is a lot more productive than “something looks wrong in the master bath.” Your plumber will respect you more for knowing the specifics, and they will take your walkthroughs more seriously.

Coordinating Plumbing with Other Rough-In Trades

The plumbing rough-in does not happen in isolation. It shares space with electrical, HVAC, and sometimes fire protection. Managing these intersections is one of the GC’s most important jobs during the rough-in phase.

Plumbing and Electrical Coordination

Plumbing and electrical lines often compete for the same wall cavities and floor penetrations. The general rule is that plumbing gets priority because drain lines have slope requirements and cannot be easily rerouted. Electrical is more flexible. But this only works if both trades communicate, and that communication flows through you.

Set up a quick coordination meeting with your plumbing and electrical subs before either one starts. Walk the plans together, identify conflict points, and agree on who goes where. This 30-minute meeting can save days of rework. If you managed the electrical rough-in recently, you already know the drill from our electrical rough-in guide.

Plumbing and HVAC Conflicts

HVAC ductwork is bulky and inflexible. When a 6-inch drain line and a 10-inch duct both need to fit in a floor joist cavity, something has to give. Usually it is the duct that gets rerouted, but not always. Check the mechanical plans and the plumbing plans side by side for conflicts before anyone starts installing.

In commercial work, these conflicts get resolved during the coordination drawing phase. In residential, it often happens in the field, which means it happens too late unless you are paying attention.

Sequence and Timing

Most GCs run plumbing first in the rough-in sequence because of the slope requirements for drains. Plumbing lines cannot be moved easily once they are in place. Electrical and HVAC can typically work around them.

A common sequence looks like this:

  1. Plumbing rough-in (drains and vents first, then supply)
  2. HVAC rough-in (ductwork and refrigerant lines)
  3. Electrical rough-in (wiring and boxes)
  4. Low voltage (data, security, audio)
  5. Insulation
  6. Pre-drywall inspections for all trades

This is not a rigid rule, and your specific project might require a different approach. The point is to have a deliberate sequence and communicate it to every trade, not just hope everyone figures it out on their own.

Setting Yourself Up for a Passed Inspection

Passing the plumbing rough-in inspection is not about luck. It is about preparation, and most of that preparation is process.

Build a Pre-Inspection Checklist

Create a standard checklist that you or your superintendent walks before every plumbing rough-in inspection. Include every item we covered above: slope, venting, nail plates, support, pressure test results, cleanouts, and clearances. Run through it the day before the inspection and give your plumber time to fix anything you flag.

Over time, this checklist becomes part of your company’s DNA. New superintendents learn what to look for, and your plumbing subs learn that you check everything. The quality goes up across the board because everyone knows the standard.

Keep Your Documentation in Order

When the inspector shows up, they want to see the permit on site, the approved plans, and the pressure test results. Have these ready and accessible. Nothing annoys an inspector more than standing around while someone digs through a truck looking for paperwork.

Digital documentation makes this simple. When your permits, plans, photos, and test results all live in one system that you can pull up on a phone, the inspection goes smoothly. This is not about being high tech. It is about being organized.

Know Your Inspector

Every jurisdiction is different, and every inspector has their areas of focus. Some are sticklers for vent sizing. Others zero in on pipe support. Pay attention to what your local inspectors care about and make sure those items are perfect every time.

This does not mean you only fix what the inspector checks. It means you go above the minimum on everything and pay extra attention to the areas that get the most scrutiny in your market.

Plan for Re-Inspections

Even with perfect preparation, sometimes inspections fail. Maybe the inspector interprets a code section differently than your plumber expected, or maybe there is a legitimate deficiency that everyone missed. It happens.

The key is response time. When you get a correction notice, get your plumber back on site that day or the next morning. Fix the issue, document the correction with photos, and schedule the re-inspection immediately. Every day between a failed inspection and a passed re-inspection is a day your schedule slips.

Invest in the Right Tools

Managing all of this, the scheduling, the documentation, the coordination, the inspections, gets complicated quickly, especially when you are running multiple projects. The GCs who pass inspections consistently are the ones with systems in place that keep everything visible and organized.

If you are looking for a project management platform built for contractors who actually build things, take a look at what Projul offers. It is built by contractors, for contractors, and it handles the scheduling, documentation, and communication that make rough-in phases run without drama.

Pipe Material Selection and Code Compliance

One of the decisions that affects your rough-in more than most GCs realize is pipe material. Your plumbing sub will have preferences, but as the GC you need to understand the tradeoffs because material choice affects cost, schedule, inspection outcomes, and long-term performance.

DWV Material Options

For drain, waste, and vent lines in residential work, you will mostly see ABS, PVC, and cast iron. Each has its place.

ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) is the black plastic pipe common in many western states. It is lightweight, easy to cut, and uses a one-step solvent cement process. No primer required, which saves time in the field. ABS handles cold temperatures well and is less likely to crack in freezing conditions than PVC. However, some jurisdictions do not allow ABS, so your plumber needs to verify local code before ordering material.

PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) is the white plastic pipe that dominates in most of the country. It requires a two-step connection process: primer first, then solvent cement. PVC is slightly more rigid than ABS and handles chemical exposure better, which matters in commercial applications. The two-step glue process is actually an advantage during inspection because the purple primer leaves a visible mark that confirms proper bonding. Inspectors can see at a glance whether connections were primed.

Cast iron is the old standard that is still required or preferred in many commercial applications and some residential jurisdictions. Cast iron is heavy, expensive, and slower to install, but it is quieter than plastic. In multi-story residential buildings where drain noise through walls and ceilings bothers occupants, cast iron on vertical stacks makes a noticeable difference. If your project spec calls for cast iron, make sure your plumber has the right no-hub couplings and torque wrenches. Improperly tightened no-hub bands are a common inspection failure.

CPVC and copper show up occasionally on DWV systems in specific applications, but they are not typical for residential rough-ins. If your plans call for something unusual, verify it is approved under your local plumbing code before material gets ordered.

Supply Line Materials

On the supply side, the big three are copper, PEX, and CPVC.

Copper has been the standard for decades. It is durable, proven, and accepted everywhere. The downsides are cost and installation time. Copper requires soldering or press fittings, both of which take longer than PEX connections. Copper is also subject to theft on job sites, which is a real concern on projects that sit open for extended periods. If you are running copper, secure the site.

PEX (Cross-Linked Polyethylene) has taken over residential supply lines in most markets. It is flexible, fast to install, freeze-resistant, and cheaper than copper. PEX comes in rolls, so long runs can be made with fewer connections, which means fewer potential leak points. There are three types: PEX-A (expansion fittings), PEX-B (crimp or clamp fittings), and PEX-C (similar to PEX-B but made differently). Your plumber will have a preference based on the fitting system they use.

The main thing to watch with PEX is UV exposure. PEX degrades when exposed to direct sunlight, and some manufacturers void their warranty after as little as 30 days of UV exposure. If your rough-in sits open with sun hitting PEX lines through window openings, that is a problem. Cover the lines or close up the openings.

CPVC (Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride) is still used in some regions, especially in the Southeast. It is rigid like copper but glued like PVC drain pipe. CPVC is cheaper than copper but more brittle than PEX. It does not handle freezing well and can become brittle over time, especially around water heaters where temperatures are high. Fewer plumbers prefer CPVC these days, but you will still see it on jobs.

Code Compliance by Jurisdiction

Here is where it gets tricky. The United States does not have a single plumbing code. Most states adopt either the International Plumbing Code (IPC) or the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), and then local jurisdictions add their own amendments. What is perfectly legal in Phoenix might fail inspection in Portland.

Your plumbing sub should know the local code inside and out. But as the GC, you should at least know which code your jurisdiction follows and any major local amendments. For example, some areas prohibit specific PEX fitting types. Others require fire-stopping at every floor penetration that goes beyond what the base code mandates. A few jurisdictions still require copper for the first five feet off the water heater, even if the rest of the system is PEX.

When you are working in a new jurisdiction for the first time, schedule a pre-construction meeting with the building department. Ask about their specific requirements and inspection expectations. This 30-minute conversation prevents surprises on inspection day. Many contractors skip this step and then wonder why they keep failing inspections in a new market.

Rough-In Plumbing for Renovation and Remodel Projects

New construction rough-ins are relatively straightforward because you are working with open framing and a clean slate. Renovations are a different animal entirely. Existing conditions, hidden problems, and limited access make renovation plumbing rough-ins more complex and more likely to fail inspection.

Dealing with Existing Systems

When you open up walls on a renovation, you often find plumbing that does not match the plans, does not meet current code, and sometimes does not make any logical sense. Galvanized drain lines, lead waste pipes, S-traps that were banned decades ago, and venting configurations that only worked by accident are all common discoveries.

The question that comes up immediately is: how much of the existing system do you have to bring up to current code? The answer varies by jurisdiction and scope of work. Most building departments apply the “like for like” rule for minor repairs, meaning you can match existing materials and methods as long as the scope is limited. But once you start altering the system significantly, adding fixtures, rerouting drains, or tying into new vents, the altered portions need to meet current code.

Get clarity from your building department on this before your plumber starts cutting into existing pipes. A quick phone call or email to the plan reviewer can save you from a nasty surprise when the inspector shows up and says the entire bathroom needs to be re-piped because the scope triggered a code upgrade requirement.

Access Challenges

Renovation rough-ins often happen in tight spaces with limited access. Crawl spaces, finished basements with low ceilings, and wall cavities that are already packed with wiring and old plumbing make the work slower and more difficult.

Your plumber needs to plan their approach before they start opening walls. Random exploratory demolition wastes time and creates unnecessary repair work. Use a camera scope to look inside wall cavities before cutting. Check the original plans if they are available. And budget extra time in your schedule because renovation plumbing almost always takes longer than the estimate.

On projects where the sewer lateral or underground drains need attention, camera inspection of the existing lines should happen before you finalize your plumbing plan. Finding a collapsed sewer line after you have already framed and started rough-in is a schedule killer. Get it scoped early. If the existing underground is compromised, our guide on trenchless sewer line replacement covers the options that minimize disruption to finished spaces.

Matching Old and New

Connecting new plumbing to existing systems requires transition fittings and careful material compatibility. Connecting PVC to cast iron, PEX to copper, or ABS to PVC all require specific adapters and methods. Rubber no-hub couplings, dielectric unions, and push-fit transition fittings each have their place, and using the wrong one is an inspection failure.

Your plumber should also consider what happens at the transition point over time. Dissimilar metals in contact with each other cause galvanic corrosion. Copper connected directly to galvanized steel will corrode at the joint. Dielectric unions or brass adapters prevent this, and skipping them is a rookie mistake that creates callbacks years later.

Cost Control and Budget Management During Rough-In

The rough-in phase is where plumbing costs either stay on budget or blow up. Material prices fluctuate, change orders appear, and scope creep is constant. Managing costs during this phase takes discipline and visibility into what is actually happening on the job.

Tracking Change Orders in Real Time

Plumbing change orders during rough-in are common. The homeowner wants to add a bathroom. The architect moves a kitchen island. The structural engineer requires a beam that conflicts with the planned drain route. Each of these changes has a cost, and you need to capture that cost before the work happens, not after.

When a change comes in, get a written price from your plumber before authorizing the work. Document the reason for the change, the cost impact, and any schedule impact. If you are tracking changes manually on paper or in email threads, things fall through the cracks. A proper change order system keeps everything documented and approved before money gets spent.

The GCs who lose money on rough-ins are usually the ones who say “just do it, we will figure out the cost later.” Later never comes, or it comes as a dispute at the end of the project when nobody remembers what was agreed to. Handle changes in real time and you stay in control of your budget.

Material Waste and Theft Prevention

Plumbing material, especially copper, has real resale value. Job site theft is not just a big-city problem. It happens everywhere, and it happens more often than most GCs want to admit.

Beyond theft, material waste adds up. Copper drops, PEX scraps, and unused fittings left scattered around a job site are money in the dumpster. A good plumbing sub keeps their material organized and returns unused stock. A sloppy one treats your job site like a supply house where everything is free.

Set expectations early about material management. Require your sub to submit material lists before ordering so you can verify quantities against the plan. On larger projects, require material to be stored in a locked area. And do a visual check during your walkthroughs. If you see excessive waste or material sitting unprotected, address it immediately.

Comparing Bids Accurately

When you are pricing the plumbing rough-in, comparing bids from different subs requires more than looking at the bottom line number. A low bid that excludes permit fees, testing, or specific materials is not actually a low bid. It is a setup for change orders.

Make sure every bid covers the same scope: permit and inspection fees, all materials including hangers and nail plates, pressure testing, debris removal, and coordination time with other trades. When the scope is apples-to-apples, the price differences between qualified subs are usually smaller than you expect. And the cheapest option rarely turns out to be cheapest when the job is done.

For more on how to evaluate plumbing bids and build accurate estimates, our plumbing estimate template breaks down the line items you should see on every bid.

Technology and Documentation That Keeps Rough-Ins on Track

Running rough-in phases across multiple projects at once is where things get chaotic if you do not have systems in place. The GCs who consistently pass inspections and stay on schedule are not necessarily better builders. They are better organized.

Digital Scheduling and Trade Coordination

When you are juggling three or four active jobs, each with their own rough-in timelines and trade schedules, keeping everything straight in your head or on a whiteboard stops working. One plumber running late on Job A pushes the electrical start on Job A into the same week as the plumbing rough-in on Job B, and suddenly you have scheduling conflicts everywhere.

Digital scheduling tools built for construction let you see all your projects, all your trades, and all your inspections in one view. When something shifts, you adjust it once and everyone who needs to know gets notified. Compare that to making six phone calls and hoping everyone checks their voicemail.

The other benefit is historical data. After a year of tracking your rough-in timelines, you know exactly how long each phase takes with each sub. Your estimates get more accurate. Your schedules get tighter without being unrealistic. And when a client asks why the plumbing phase takes two weeks instead of one, you have data to back it up.

Photo and Video Documentation

We mentioned photo documentation earlier, but it is worth emphasizing how much this matters over the life of a project. Photos taken during the rough-in phase are the only record of what is behind the walls once drywall goes up.

Best practices for rough-in photo documentation:

  • Photograph every wall cavity before it gets closed up, from multiple angles
  • Capture pipe labels and markings that show material type, manufacturer, and rating
  • Document pressure test gauges with the reading and a timestamp visible
  • Photo the permit and approved plans posted on site
  • Take video walkthroughs of complex areas like mechanical rooms or multi-fixture bathrooms

Store these photos in your project management system, tagged to the specific project and phase. When a homeowner calls 14 months later with a leak behind a wall, you pull up the photos and know exactly what is back there before you cut a single hole. That kind of documentation saves time, reduces liability, and builds trust with your clients.

Using a system with built-in photo management means photos are automatically organized by project, timestamped, and accessible from your phone or office. No more digging through camera rolls or asking your super to email 47 pictures from three weeks ago.

Inspection Tracking

Keeping track of which inspections have been called, which have passed, and which need re-inspection across multiple projects is a management headache that grows with every job you add. Missed inspections delay projects. Forgotten re-inspections create bottlenecks. And none of it is visible to you until someone on site mentions it in passing.

Build inspection tracking into your project workflow. Every inspection should be a scheduled event with a status: not yet called, called and scheduled, passed, or failed with corrections needed. When an inspection fails, the correction items should be documented immediately with photos and assigned back to the responsible sub with a deadline.

This level of tracking sounds like overhead, but it is actually less work than the alternative: scrambling to figure out what passed and what did not, making last-minute phone calls to the building department, and explaining to clients why their project just slipped another week.

Wrapping It Up

The plumbing rough-in is not glamorous work. Nobody posts Instagram videos of drain slope verification. But getting it right is what separates GCs who run smooth projects from GCs who spend their careers fighting fires.

Know what your plumbing sub is installing. Walk the job before calling for inspection. Document everything with photos. Coordinate with your other trades so nobody is tripping over each other. And build a process that makes quality the default, not the exception.

Want to see this in action? Get a live demo of Projul and find out how it fits your workflow.

The pipes behind the walls are the ones your clients will live with for decades. Make sure they are right before those walls close up.

If you are pricing plumbing work and want a head start on your numbers, check out our free plumbing estimate template with real line items and pricing built in.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a plumbing rough-in inspection?
A plumbing rough-in inspection is a code review performed after all supply, drain, waste, and vent piping is installed but before walls and ceilings are closed up with drywall. The inspector checks pipe sizing, slope, material, support, and overall compliance with the local plumbing code.
How long does a plumbing rough-in inspection take?
Most residential plumbing rough-in inspections take 30 to 60 minutes. Larger commercial projects can take half a day or more depending on the number of fixtures and the complexity of the system. If the inspector finds issues, you will need to correct them and schedule a re-inspection.
Who is responsible for scheduling the plumbing rough-in inspection?
Typically the plumbing subcontractor pulls the permit and schedules the inspection, but the general contractor is ultimately responsible for making sure it happens at the right time. If the inspection gets missed or delayed, it is the GC who deals with the schedule fallout.
What happens if a plumbing rough-in fails inspection?
The inspector will issue a correction notice listing what needs to be fixed. Your plumbing sub makes the repairs, and you schedule a re-inspection. Failed inspections can delay the project by days or weeks depending on inspector availability, so catching problems during your own walkthrough is critical.
Can drywall be installed before the plumbing rough-in passes?
No. Installing drywall before passing the plumbing rough-in inspection is a code violation in virtually every jurisdiction. If drywall goes up too early, the inspector can require you to tear it out so they can see the piping. This is an expensive mistake that is completely avoidable with proper scheduling.
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