Plumbing Rough Inspection Guide
Your inspector needs to see the water, drain and vent piping before walls, floors or ceilings cover the installation.
Show Us the Plumbing Before It Gets Covered.
Start with a slow walkthrough so the inspector understands the layout, then get closer to piping, fixture rough-ins, supports, penetrations and test conditions.
Do not cover supply piping, drain and vent piping, fittings, penetrations or other rough plumbing work until the required inspection is complete.
Use a measuring tape for spacing, clearances, distances and other dimensions. Use a level when pipe slope or pitch needs to be verified. Make sure the measuring tool and the installation are both clearly visible in the photo or video.
Show us the entire rough plumbing installation.
Start with a slow walkthrough of all areas included in the inspection.
Make sure we can see:
- Kitchens
- Bathrooms
- Laundry and utility areas
- Supply piping
- Drain and vent piping
- Fixture rough-in locations
- Enough context to identify each area
Show us the water-supply piping.
Show representative hot and cold water piping throughout the project.
Make sure we can see:
- Pipe routing
- Branches to fixtures
- Fittings and connections
- Supports and securing
- Changes in piping material, where applicable
- Areas that will become concealed
Show us the drain and vent piping.
Show the DWV piping throughout representative areas before it is concealed.
Make sure we can see:
- Drain piping
- Vent piping
- Fittings and changes in direction
- Branch connections
- Vertical stacks, where applicable
- Connections to fixture rough-ins
If pipe slope or pitch needs to be verified, place a level on the pipe and take a clear photo or video showing the level and the piping together.
Show enough surrounding piping so the inspector can identify which run is being checked.
Show us the pipe supports.
Show how the piping is supported and secured throughout representative areas.
Make sure we can see:
- Pipe straps and supports
- Horizontal piping support
- Vertical piping support
- Representative support patterns
- Any areas with different support conditions
If support spacing needs to be verified, place a measuring tape between supports and take a clear photo.
Show us the fixture rough-ins.
Show the rough plumbing provided for the fixtures included in the project.
This may include:
- Sinks and lavatories
- Toilets
- Tubs and showers
- Kitchen fixtures
- Washing machines
- Water heaters
- Other plumbing fixtures or equipment
If a rough-in location or dimension needs to be verified, include a measuring-tape photo.
Show us penetrations and pipe protection.
Show where plumbing passes through framing, floors, walls or other building assemblies.
Make sure we can see:
- Penetrations through studs and plates
- Penetrations through floors and ceilings
- Pipe protection where installed
- Sleeves, where applicable
- Areas that will become concealed
- Unusual or large penetrations
Show us the required plumbing test.
If a test is required for the rough inspection, show the test setup and enough information for the inspector to review the condition.
This may include:
- Test equipment
- Gauge or water-test condition, where applicable
- The portion of the system being tested
- Test setup connections
- Readable test indication
Keep the test in place for the inspection when required.
Show us anything different or unusual.
If part of the plumbing installation is different from the typical rough-in, make sure your inspector can clearly see it.
This may include:
- Different piping materials
- Material transitions or special fittings
- Large or unusual drain and vent configurations
- Special fixture rough-ins
- Water heater or equipment rough-ins
- Unusual routing around structural conditions
- Field modifications or changes from the typical installation
- Anything else your inspector should see before it gets covered
Show the full area first so the inspector knows where it is, then take close-up photos of the condition.
Before You Submit
Take 30 seconds and make sure your inspector can clearly see the rough plumbing installation before anything gets covered.
- Can we see the overall rough plumbing layout?
- Did you show the water-supply piping?
- Did you show the drain and vent piping?
- If slope or pitch needs to be verified, did you include a clear level photo or video?
- Can we see representative pipe supports?
- Where spacing or dimensions need to be verified, did you include measuring-tape photos?
- Did you show the fixture rough-ins?
- Did you show penetrations and pipe protection?
- If a plumbing test is required, is the test setup visible and readable?
- Did you show any special, different or unusual plumbing conditions?
- Is all rough plumbing still exposed and easy to see?
That's It.
Submit your photos, videos, measurement photos, level evidence and test evidence through Permit Rockstar. Your inspector will compare the plumbing rough installation with the approved plans and applicable project requirements.
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