Plumbing for Akron Conversions, Renovations and New Builds

Why Conversions Are Harder Than New Construction

In a new building, the plumber picks where the stacks go. In a conversion, the building already decided, often decades ago. The structure, the location of the original drain, the floor joists and the ceiling heights below all limit where bathrooms and kitchens can land. A floor plan that looks simple on paper can need a long horizontal drain run with not enough slope, or a toilet placed where the only path down is through a finished space on the floor below.

That is why we ask to see the architect's drawings and walk the building before anyone commits to a layout. Moving a kitchen three feet to line up with a chase can save days of work and a lot of cut framing.

Stacking Bathrooms and Kitchens on Multiple Floors

Multi-unit work in older Akron buildings usually comes down to vertical stacks. Good layouts put bathrooms and kitchens over each other so drains and vents run straight down to the building drain. When units do not line up, the pipe has to travel sideways, and every horizontal run needs proper slope, venting and room in the ceiling below.

Things we look at on a stacked layout:

• Whether the existing building drain and sewer connection are large enough for the added fixtures
• Where new vent stacks can exit the roof without hitting structure
• Fire-resistant assemblies between units and how pipe penetrations will be sealed by the appropriate trade
• Sound control on drain lines that pass over bedrooms
• Individual shutoffs so one unit can be worked on without draining the building

Water Heating and Gas for Added Units

Adding units means adding hot water demand. Some owners want a separate water heater in each apartment so tenants pay for their own energy; others prefer one larger system in a mechanical room. Both work. The choice affects gas piping, venting routes and where meters go, so it needs to be made before rough-in. Our gas water heater crew can help size the equipment, and the piping that feeds it falls under our gas line installation work.

Older buildings may also have a gas service that was sized for one boiler and a couple of stoves. If the new plan adds several furnaces, water heaters and ranges, the utility may need to upgrade the meter, which takes lead time.

What Usually Gets Replaced Along the Way

Once walls are open in an older Akron building, it rarely makes sense to keep the original piping. Galvanized water lines, cracked cast iron and patched-together drains are common. Replacing them during the conversion costs far less than opening finished walls later. If earlier owners left work that would not pass today, we fold the fixes into the project, and you can read more about that on our code correction page.

New Homes and Additions in Akron

Not every Akron job is a conversion. We also plumb new single-family homes on vacant lots and additions on existing houses, following the same plan, underground, rough-in and trim sequence described on our main construction plumbing page. Builders who want details on the fixtures and systems that go into a brand-new house can start with our new installation overview.