It’s finally here! The time of your life you’ve been dreaming of for so long—planning your new home construction project.
Building a new home is very exciting but can also be overwhelming, especially if you are developing a customized floor plan for your new home.
Our residential plumbing service professionals at Watters Plumbing compiled eight new home construction plumbing considerations to think about when planning your new home’s plumbing to help you avoid expensive plumbing mistakes.
1. Your future home plans
It can be easy to be laser-focused on the “now” and look simply at how you plan to use your house immediately. Taking the time to plan for the future and list potential ways your home usage may change over the years can reduce plumbing expenses over the life of your home.
For example, if you plan to finish your basement once you start a family or retire, put plumbing stubs in the basement now for when you want to add a bathroom. In addition, if you plan to stay in your home for years to come, consider adding Universal Design or Aging in Place bathtubs, showers, an toilets.
Adding future-focused plumbing needs like this during construction is much cheaper than excavating and renovation work later on.
2. Outdoor needs
Think through how you will use your garage and yard to determine your outdoor plumbing needs. These discussions will help you make sure you have enough faucets around the exterior of your home, as well as ensure your plumbing near exterior walls will last in cold Wisconsin winters.
If you think an outdoor kitchen or in-ground pool is in your future, let your plumber and home builder know. They can make sure water line connections are ready for future use.
3. Number of people
Are you expecting your family size to fluctuate over time? Or possibly have frequent visitors?
Whether you grow your family, have aging parents move in, or host extended family and guests for a long period of time, our plumbing experts can help. We’ll make sure you have the right-sized water heater, appropriate number of bathrooms, and septic or sewer line connections to meet your needs.
4. Kitchen Needs
Odds are high that your kitchen will be a central gathering place for your family or when entertaining guests. Make sure your kitchen is planned in an efficient and functional way.
Keeping the sink and dishwasher close can reduce the number of water supply and drain lines needed. Don’t forget to think through where your refrigerator will go, especially if you need to add a water supply line for a built-in ice/water machine.
You’ll also consider in-sink garbage disposals when picking out what sinks and faucets you want in the space.
5. Bathroom Needs
Determine how many bathrooms your home will need and what plumbing each room might need. Will you have two full baths and one half bath? Will there be a double-sink vanity?
List your needs for each bathroom separately so you don’t miss anything important. Consider having the master bath and another bathroom share a wet wall to reduce the plumbing piping needed.
6. Laundry Needs
Consider where your washer and dryer will go. Whether they are in the basement, a separate laundry room, or a laundry closet, having a plumber help you plan can ensure your washer and dryer hookups are in the right spot.
Be sure to identify if you will have a utility sink or half bathroom to your laundry space.
7. Additional water appliances
Some water appliances, such as a water heater and sump pump, are incorporated into the building plans right away. Others may be “extra” or up for discussion.
It is especially important to make sure your new home construction plumbing plans include proper venting for your hot water heater.
Consider if you will need a water filtration system when you build your home, or if it is something you may add later on (this includes under-sink filtration systems).
8. Working with a pro (permits, diagramming, etc.)
If you are wondering the best time to work with a plumber during your new home construction project, the answer is, the sooner the better!
Your plumber can help your architect with plumbing diagrams, as well as ask you crucial questions about your current and future home ideas. Our team can also help your builder secure the appropriate permits.
Contact the Professionals at Watters Plumbing Today
If you’re just kicking off the building process in the Oshkosh/Neenah/Appleton area, or you’ve purchased land and haven’t started the building planning yet, contact the Fox Cities plumbing professionals at Watters Plumbing today.
We’ll work with you and your builders/contractors to evaluate your new home construction plumbing needs and develop a plumbing plan that’ll serve you well throughout your building and owning experience.
