Good call on the clamps—seen way too many DIY jobs where pipes are practically dancing behind the walls. Another quick tip: if you're using PEX, invest in some nail plates wherever the tubing passes through studs or joists. They're cheap insurance against accidental punctures from drywall screws or nails later on. Trust me, patching drywall is annoying enough without adding surprise plumbing leaks to the mix...been there, done that, got the soggy t-shirt.
Totally agree on the nail plates—those things have saved me more than once. Another thing I'd add is to snap a quick photo of your plumbing layout before you close up the walls. Sounds silly, but trust me, six months later when you're trying to hang shelves or towel racks, you'll thank yourself for knowing exactly where those pipes are hiding. Learned that one the hard way... drywall patching skills leveled up though, so silver linings I guess?
"Sounds silly, but trust me, six months later when you're trying to hang shelves or towel racks, you'll thank yourself for knowing exactly where those pipes are hiding."
Yep, learned that lesson myself—though my drywall skills still leave a lot to be desired. I'd also toss in: label your shut-off valves clearly. Nothing worse than fumbling around during a leak... ask me how I know.
Good call on labeling shut-off valves—I wish I'd thought of that before my first plumbing mishap. Another thing that helped me was snapping a few quick photos of the open walls before sealing everything up. It takes just a minute, and later on, when you're second-guessing yourself about pipe placement, you'll have visual proof right there on your phone. Saved me from drilling into trouble more than once...
Labeling valves is definitely a smart move—wish more people thought of it beforehand. Did you find the photos clear enough to actually pinpoint pipe locations later on, or did you have to take multiple angles to be sure? I've seen folks snap quick pics but still end up guessing a bit when it came down to drilling. Either way, sounds like you dodged a bullet there... plumbing mishaps can get messy real fast.
