As a first-time homeowner, I purchased a 1970s house with galvanized steel plumbing that was causing issues. I decided to replace the entire plumbing system with PEX piping, but I didn't realize I needed a permit or an inspection for that. Now, I'm planning to add a shower to convert our half bath into a full bath and have obtained a permit for that work. However, I'm concerned that the county inspector will notice the unpermitted PEX piping when they come to inspect the new shower, especially since there's also some non-functional galvanized steel piping left in the crawlspace. I'm worried about the risk of failing the inspection due to the unapproved plumbing. Could they just fine me, or might they require me to redo the plumbing altogether? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
3 Answers
In some places, replacing plumbing like for like doesn’t always need a permit. If you've only replaced it without changing the layout, you might not have done anything wrong. Just focus on your new shower; that's what the inspector will care about most. It's an old house, so they probably expect there's been work done over the years.
You might just get lucky! Honestly, most inspectors are more focused on the new work rather than digging into the older plumbing that was done before you owned the house. If they bring it up, just say it was like that when you bought it. I had a similar situation with my basement and the inspector didn't bat an eye.
Exactly! Just keep it simple if they do ask about it. They'll likely just inspect the new shower and move on.
From what I've heard, as long as the PEX is installed correctly and to code, you shouldn't have a huge issue. The inspectors I've dealt with usually don’t go searching for unpermitted work unless it’s super obvious or problematic. But yeah, definitely don’t volunteer that you did the plumbing yourself!
More than likely, they'll just look at the shower and not worry about the rest. Just make sure everything you’re doing is code-compliant!