How to Locate Your Home’s Original Plumbing Plans

If you are looking to make a major renovation to your home or update the plumbing within and surrounding it, you will need to get your hands on the original blueprint that details the layout of your water lines and other plumbing fixtures. However, this isn’t something that most people simply have lying around the house. You need to reach out to the right resource to find this information but finding out which resource that is can be tricky.

Go to the Building Office

Does your town keep building schematics on file? If so, for how long? In some cases, homeowners are able to reach out to city officials to get this information, typically for a small fee. Plumbing plans may be stored digitally or on microfilm if the office is in possession of these plans at all.

If there is another permitting authority in your area, you may be referred to them to help you obtain these plans.

There is no guarantee that your city’s building office will be able to furnish you with this important image, but that doesn’t mean that you’re out of luck. You could still find the information that you need through the help of a plumbing contractor.

Reach out to Previous Contractors

Do you know the name and contact information of any contractor that has done work on the house? They could help you to piece together a more precise image of the layout of your home’s plumbing system. If the water lines have received any professional care in recent years, it is worth contacting the plumber that did the work.

Create a New Plumbing Plan

When this option doesn’t pan out, you can still get plumbing plans drafted by an experienced plumbing professional. This is especially easy for homes that have relatively simple plumbing fixtures and layouts, but someone with the right experience can still work with more complex systems to draft a plan. If this is the route that you need to take, make sure that the plumber has access to your basement and attic if you have either or both. This is because those areas are where plumbing is most likely to be exposed, making it easier for the professional to do this important work.

A plumber could be able to re-create a plumbing plan complete with isometric drawings and floor plans. Better yet, this may only take an hour or two depending on the complexity of your plumbing system and the accessibility of certain points.

Contact the Plumbing Professionals for Your Planning Needs

If you are unsure as to how you can get your hands on the plumbing plans for your home, Ridgeway Mechanical is able to help. It is part of our passion to deliver the highest-quality service for your home or other structure. When you need to access this information for your next big renovation project, don’t get discouraged if your permitting authority can’t pull up these documents for you. The seasoned plumbing experts of Ridgeway Mechanical are here to help.