Plan your plumbing
Kitchens and bathrooms are the most expensive rooms in the house to renovate. The number one recommendation from the Inside Out article on how to save money on your kitchen and bathroom renovation is of course no surprise, plumbing related!
Top recommendation: Plan your plumbing and ideally keep it in the same spot
“The best way is to keep everything in the same spot. This will minimise any plumbing costs in both kitchens and bathrooms. With a bathroom renovation, you want to try and keep everything – bath, shower, toilet, basin – where it is. If there is something that has to be repositioned, make it a minimal move. When you’re renovating a bathroom in an apartment block, moving the plumbing can be both expensive and time-consuming. As well as having to deal with concrete floors, you’ll need to get permission from any neighbours immediately below before you can make changes – and if the owner underneath refuses then you’re stuck". - Inside Out Article.
Essentially it can be summed up as moving plumbing means it will cost you more money. This is because it involves having to modify wall linings, new water proofing, new core holes will need to be put in for the plumbing pipes to go through, and of course, installing the new plumbing pipes.
The same applies to the kitchen, where I recommend you also try to keep the plumbing in the same place.
Of course, as the client you are able to do as you wish, however be aware what could seem as a simple basin move could have many implications for the plumbing. Contact a plumber and plan what is involved or see the options available before finalising your design decisions.
I am a local plumber based in Marrickville and am pleased to have a chat about the best plumbing outcomes for your bathroom, kitchen or outdoor patio gas requirements.
Contact me to find out more or ask any plumbing renovation or plumbing maintenance questions.