Estimating the Cost and Installation of Plumbing for a New Construction House
When it comes to estimating the cost of installing plumbing in a newly constructed home, there are a lot of factors that need to be taken into consideration. Some of the most notable factors that need to be considered and that will affect the cost of plumbing your new home include:
Estimating the Cost and Installation of Plumbing for a New Construction HouseWhere your home is located
Just like the overall price of a home varies from location to location, so do all of the components, including the plumbing. For example, if you’re building a house on Long Island, New York (one of the most expensive places to build a home in the United States), it’s probably going to cost you more to plumb a house than it would if you were to build a house in West Virginia (one of the most affordable places to build a home in the country). The cost of labor and the materials, as well as the cost of permits that may be needed – all factors that vary from location to location – will impact the cost of plumbing a newly constructed home.The size of the house
The square (also known as linear) footage of a house serves as the baseline for estimating the cost of plumbing a new house. The national average for indoor plumbing is about $4.50/square foot of the size of a house. Generally speaking (and as you can probably imagine), the larger the house, the more expensive plumbing installation is going to be.The height of the house
In addition to the size of your house, the height will also impact the cost of plumbing it. For example, it’s going to cost more to install the piping in a two- or three-story house than it would be to run the piping in a single-story home. If a single-story house and a two-story house have the same square footage, it’s likely going to cost more to plumb the two-story house than it would the one-story property.The number of fixtures
The number of appliances and features that use water will also impact the cost of plumbing for a new construction house; toilets, washing machines, showers, bathtubs, hot tubs, and even water heaters are just a few examples of some of the plumbing fixtures that your newly constructed house will likely have. Keep in mind, too, that the more elaborate the design – for instance, if your master bathroom features a bathtub, a separate shower stall with several showerheads, dual sinks, and a toilet, you can expect the cost of plumbing to go up (as you can imagine).The amount of excavation required
To install plumbing in many newly constructed homes, excavation may be necessary to connect your property to water supply, such as the city, as well as storage for wastewater, such as a septic tank or a sewer line. Additionally, if the property requires a drainage basin, such as a catch basin, excavation may be needed for that, too.The type of materials that will be used
The pipes and fittings that will be used in your new home will also impact the price. Typically, your plumbing contractor will select the materials; the most common of which include copper and PEX.
Copper pipes have been used for a long time in plumbing. That’s because it’s resilient, is resistant to snapping (which is vital in areas where earthquakes are common), and they’re resistant to bacteria, too, which is crucial. Copper is also eco-friendly, as it can be recycled, and it is easy to install. However, it can burst, corrode, and even leach in water; it’s also more expensive.
PEX plumbing, on the other hand, is plastic-like material, it’s highly durable, it’s safe, and it’s also affordable; plus, it costs less than copper. Despite the benefits, however, PEX should only be used indoors, as it can weaken when it’s exposed to the UV rays of the sun.