I'm working on a remodel right now and got into a bit of a debate with my contractor about plumbing. He says sticking strictly to the local plumbing codes is safest and easiest for inspections, but my brother-in-law (who's pretty handy himself) thinks there's room to be flexible as long as you're careful and know what you're doing. I'm kinda torn here...is it better to follow the codes exactly or is some wiggle room okay if you're experienced enough? Curious how others approach this.
I've done a few remodels myself, and honestly, I'd lean toward sticking pretty close to code. Here's why:
- Inspectors can be picky, and redoing work is a huge pain (trust me, learned that the hard way).
- Codes are there for safety; even if you're experienced, it's easy to overlook something small.
- If you ever sell, having everything up to code saves headaches down the road.
I get wanting flexibility—been there—but it's usually less stressful to play it safe on plumbing.
You make good points, especially about safety and resale. Still, I wonder if there's room for flexibility within reason? Like, I've found some plumbing codes can be outdated or not particularly eco-friendly. For example:
- Greywater recycling systems often run into code issues, even though they're great for sustainability.
- Rainwater harvesting setups sometimes get flagged by inspectors because the code hasn't caught up yet.
I've seen people successfully navigate these grey areas by working closely with inspectors—sometimes they're open to creative solutions if you explain clearly and show you've done your homework. Maybe it's less about strictly following every rule and more about understanding the intent behind them?
I agree it's risky to just wing it (been there too, unfortunately), but pushing gently against outdated regulations can sometimes lead to better outcomes overall. Curious if others have had luck negotiating this kind of middle ground...
