Plumbing Rough-In Cost Calculator
Estimate the plumbing rough-in line for a bathroom or kitchen — the in-wall supply and drain work before fixtures go in — from the fixture count and the prices you enter. This is the rough-in only, not a whole-room remodel.
Calculator
Roughing in 3 fixtures at $500.00/fixture plus labor is about $2,100.00 on your numbers. A planning estimate for the plumbing rough-in line only — get itemized written quotes.
Rough-in is the hidden half of a bathroom or kitchen plumbing job — the water-supply lines, the drain, waste and vent, and the stub-outs that wait in the wall until the finish fixtures arrive. It is measured per fixture location because each new toilet, sink, tub or shower needs its own supply and drain routed to it.
This tool prices the plumbing rough-in line only. It is not a whole-room remodel estimate — tile, cabinetry, the fixtures themselves, electrical and finish work are separate trades and belong in a remodel budget, not here. Keeping the rough-in isolated lets you check that one line of a larger bid on its own terms.
Formula
Rough-in cost is the number of new supply-and-drain points times your per-fixture rough-in price, plus any labor that sits outside that figure:
total = fixtures × price_per_fixture + labor
“Rough-in” is the plumbing that goes in before the walls close and the finish fixtures are set: the water lines, the drain, waste and vent, and the stub-outs. The prices are yours, so the estimate never goes stale.
Worked example
Roughing in 3 fixtures at $500 each, plus $600 of extra labor to reroute a drain:
- Fixtures: 3 × $500 = $1,500
- Additional labor: $600
- Total: 1,500 + 600 = $2,100
A move that keeps fixtures near existing lines costs less; relocating a toilet or a stack adds drain and vent work and pushes the labor up.
Rough-in vs the whole remodel
The cheapest rough-in keeps new fixtures close to existing supply and drain lines. The moment a layout moves a toilet, a shower drain or the vent stack, the crew adds pipe, fittings and often more floor or wall opening — so a “simple swap” and a “moved everything” layout with the same fixture count can price very differently. Capture that with the additional-labor field or a higher per-fixture number.
Whether the per-fixture price already includes the finish set (the faucet, the toilet, the valve trim) varies by contractor. Confirm what is in the number so you are not double-counting fixtures you buy yourself. For the supply and drain sizing behind a rough-in, see the supply pipe size and drain pipe size tools.