During your next home renovation, the time may come where you need to move plumbing in order to maximize quality space to achieve your dream home. Whether it is moving a toilet or shower, rearranging your kitchen appliances, or creating an entirely new room in need of plumbing, it is important to plan ahead to ensure that your home will have full functionality. While these tasks may seem daunting, don’t let it hold you back! Here are the average costs of moving plumbing according to the job to get you started.
Kitchen Plumbing
Picture this: you have been thinking about redoing your kitchen for a while now, which involves taking out walls and expanding into other areas of the house. You’re hesitant to get started because you’re having trouble imagining how your kitchen island is going to function in your old TV den. While keeping your appliances in the same spot is ideal, it’s not always realistic or possible with a new layout. In such a case, it is necessary to relocate your plumbing to ensure that you have access to working appliances such as your sink and dishwasher.
Often the largest cost of a kitchen remodel is moving the plumbing. The average cost of moving plumbing varies depending on how far you’re moving it, the type of appliance and its size. The average cost of moving kitchen plumbing more than three feet can range anywhere from $500-$1,000 per appliance. Keep in mind that the further away from its original position you move your appliance, the more it will cost. This is because more extensive plumbing work will need to be done in order for the appliance to properly work.
If you’ve had enough of the dysfunctional flow of your kitchen and want to move things around, be sure to speak to a plumber who can give you a better idea of how much your ideal layout will cost you.
Bathroom Plumbing
It’s common for many homes to have a bathroom upstairs and downstairs, but not on the main floor. We’ve all experienced the moment where you have new guests in your home and you have to direct them up or down your stairs in order to use a bathroom. Although it’s a small inconvenience that isn’t the end of the world, wouldn’t it be great if you had a bathroom on your main floor?
If you’re considering adding a half-bath or full bathroom to your main floor, the cost is considerably higher as a brand new room with new plumbing will have to be installed. Depending on the size and amount of fixtures you should budget between $10,000-$25,000 for your new bathroom remodel. If you have a preexisting space where plumbing needs to be moved less than three feet, the same cost of between $500-$1,000 per appliance applies.
While adding a bathroom can be beneficial for your family’s needs, adding an additional bathroom also increases the value of your home by as much as 10% depending on the size and location. As an added bonus, think of all the time and energy you will be saving not sprinting up and down during a commercial break to make it back in time to watch your favourite show!
Laundry Room Plumbing
It is common to have your laundry room located in the basement because it keeps it secluded from the rest of the house. However, as we all get older, the hike to bring all your clothes to and from the basement may become more and more of a hassle and may start to take a toll on your body. While it is nice to have your laundry located in the basement, there are benefits to moving your laundry room to either the main floor or an upper floor. Mainly you will no longer have to haul all your laundry to the basement, saving time and energy.
While you may be hesitant to move it in fear of it being an eyesore for your guests or yourself, you can get custom cabinets built that provide a beautiful unit that is practical, aesthetically pleasing, and filled with plenty of useful storage.
The average cost of moving your laundry room to another floor ranges from $5,000-$10,000 depending on the size of renovation and the appliances used. Unsure of where to begin? Get a plumber to look at your space now to see if there is a possible solution to fix your laundry needs.
Below are the average costs of Plumbing services across different cities in Canada:
| City | Average | Minimum | Maximum |
| Barrie | $2,330 | $100 | $14,000 |
| Calgary | $1,846 | $100 | $50,000 |
| Edmonton | $1,723 | $100 | $40,000 |
| Hamilton | $1,550 | $100 | $32,500 |
| Oshawa | $1,020 | $100 | $25,000 |
| Ottawa | $1,118 | $100 | $48,000 |
| Toronto | $1,442 | $100 | $50,000 |
| Vancouver | $2,115 | $100 | $45,000 |
*Costs based on 8637 verified Canadian homeowner reviews as of March 2022
When it comes to moving your plumbing, consider if the benefits it will have on your life outweigh the costs of moving it. While it is always cheaper to keep your appliances in their existing spot, sometimes they must be moved to take full advantage of your home. When you’re ready to take on such a project, be sure to connect with a plumber who will be able to guide you through the process and provide any necessary plumbing permits.
Article updated June 2022.
