Bathroom remodel plumbing in Salem, from rough-in to finish

Contractors, tile setters and homeowners all rely on the plumbing being in the right place before the walls close. A shower valve set an inch too deep, a toilet flange placed off the rough-in, or a drain with too little slope becomes expensive to fix once tile is on. We focus on getting those measurements right the first time.

We work with your general contractor or directly with you on owner-managed remodels. When a permit is required, we pull it and schedule the inspection while the walls are open. We also look at the condition of the pipes we uncover and tell you what is worth replacing while you have access.

Rough-in heights we set for a bath remodel

Common heights give a starting point, but your fixtures decide the final numbers. A shower valve usually sits around 48 inches above the floor, with the showerhead arm around 80 inches. A tub valve sits lower, around 28 to 34 inches. Sink drains typically come out of the wall at 18 to 20 inches, with supplies a few inches higher and to either side.

We check each fixture's specifications before cutting pipe. A wall-mounted faucet, a vessel sink, a tall vanity, a rain head or a handheld on a slide bar all change those heights. We mark them on the studs and walk you or your contractor through them before anything gets soldered or crimped.

• Toilet flange centered 12 inches from the finished back wall
• Shower valve near 48 inches, tub valve near 28 to 34 inches
• Sink drain stub-out typically at 18 to 20 inches
• Valve depth set to the finished wall thickness including tile

Moving drains and vents through the floor

Moving a toilet or turning a tub into a walk-in shower means moving drains. Every drain needs slope and a vent, and the toilet needs a 3-inch line to the main stack. In a Salem crawlspace home, we can usually reroute those pipes below the floor without cutting into a slab, which keeps the cost of layout changes more reasonable.

Curbless showers need the drain set lower, which can mean notching or adding joists so the floor can drop. We work out the drain location and joist layout with your contractor before demolition is finished. A linear drain along a wall is another option that changes how the floor slopes.

Replacing old pipe while the walls are open

Remodels in older Salem homes often expose galvanized steel supply pipe, cast-iron drain and vent stacks, or polybutylene supply lines from the 1980s and 1990s. Each of these has a limited life, and the bathroom wall is the cheapest place to replace them, since you are already opening it.

We show you what we find and price replacement before going ahead. Swapping galvanized for PEX or copper in the bathroom walls, replacing a cracked cast-iron closet bend, and tying new ABS drain into an old cast-iron stack are common add-ons. Leaving old pipe behind new tile is a gamble we would rather you make knowingly.

• Galvanized supply pipe narrows inside and sheds rust into new fixtures
• Cast-iron drains crack along the bottom and at the closet bend
• Polybutylene fittings can fail without much warning
• Old pipe behind fresh tile costs much more to reach later

Finish plumbing after tile and paint

Once tile, paint and cabinets are done, we come back for finish. That means setting the toilet, mounting sinks and faucets, installing shower trim and setting its limit stop, hooking up a tub filler, and connecting any towel warmer or bidet seat that needs water.

We check each fixture for leaks, adjust valves, and confirm everything drains without gurgling. If tile was set slightly thicker or thinner than planned, we have extension kits and trim adapters to bring the valve flush with the finished wall.