How Long Does Plumbing Work Typically Take? A Homeowner’s Timeline

How long plumbing work in a house takes can depend quite a lot on what kind of project it is and how large and complex it is. If a plumber is making a simple repair, like fixing a faucet, and if the work is straightforward and uncomplicated, it might take a plumber only a couple of hours to finish the job. Of course, if a plumbing project is more involved and has a number of different parts, it could take multiple days to get everything done. A good rule of thumb is that if a project requires a permit, it should take a fair amount of time to finish, and if it could be described as a renovation, it could take anywhere from one week to several weeks, depending on the nature of the work.

The average plumbing job can have quite a variation in how long it takes. The really, really basic tasks — like fixing a leaky faucet or unclogging a stubborn drain — almost always take less than an hour to complete (sometimes they may even take less than half an hour). More involved plumbing tasks — not necessarily huge projects but definitely larger than the basic tasks we’ve just mentioned — can take half a day or more. If you’re installing new plumbing fixtures, replacing old pipes throughout your home, or dealing with a plumbing issue that has surfaced in several places throughout your home, you might find that your plumber does the work over the course of a day or two.

The amount of time it takes to replumb a house can depend on factors such as the size of the house, the complexity of the plumbing system, and the type of piping materials used. A simple system in a single-story home with good access can be replumbed in about a three-day work week. A larger or more complex system can take up to two weeks to install, depending on crew size and project accessibility, while a simple system in a two-and-a-half- or three-story house can also take around ten days to complete. To these time frames, you have to obviously add the time that the contractor may take to get the necessary permits. If he doesn't obtain them ahead of time, which is always the better plan, then the work time may extend as well because of inspections, the contractor may have to do, as the plumbing work approaches its conclusion. Regarding the contractor, working with a good one who knows the project well may not only provide a more accurate bid in time but also a safer and more reliable project.

The water heater is usually the most frequent plumbing item to fail in a residential structure. Over long periods, water heaters can have problems caused by improper design or installation, excessive use, or prolonged neglect. Issues can also arise from simple wear and tear or age. No matter the cause, the result is the same: poor efficiency, erratic performance, or complete failure. But you can often avoid these problems with a few simple maintenance steps.

Plumbing problems can take many forms, and the amount of time a repair will need can vary quite a bit, depending on what the issue is. For example, anything that requires an immediate fix, like a burst pipe, can be taken care of in a few hours (if you're lucky) or a full day. If your repair project is more extensive and involves breaking ground or tearing up walls, you might be looking at a week to several weeks with no plumbing to some parts of your house. If the problem is more isolated to one fixture, you might be back in business in a day.

The plumbing in a new house is generally installed during the rough-in stage. This phase comes after the house is framed but before the drywall is installed in the walls and ceilings. It is during the rough-in stage that plumbers install the pipes that carry not just water, but also anything that might need to be plumbed—from the supply lines to the drain, waste, and vent (DWV) pipes, as well as any other plumbing necessities. This is the part of the plumbing system that can actually be concealed within the structure of the house before it is finished.

How long a plumber takes to fix a broken pipe can depend on where the damage is located and how bad it is. For a simple repair, such as a leak that's seen and easily accessed, the job could take from 1 to 3 hours. If the pipe is broken in a tough-to-reach spot or needs a lot of work to fix—like cutting into walls or floors—the plumber could be there all day. And if the broken pipe is part of a complex plumbing system that's compromised or in an emergency situation, the time to fix it could also stretch throughout the day.

How long a plumber is liable for their work can depend on where you live and the specifics of the warranty they provide. Often, a plumbing trade's liability may be governed by local laws and can range from one to several years. Most tradespeople in the service sector also offer some sort of warranty with their work that can influence the period during which they would be liable for a problem that arises and is covered by the warranty. All this is to say that if you want a definitive answer on how long a plumber is liable for their work, you first have to ask, "How long is plumbing warranty coverage?"

The length of time it takes to repair a main sewer line clog can depend on a number of factors, like how bad the clog is and what kind of tools they need to use. Upstream from a simple clog, a few Craftsmen can work for a few hours to clear it with standard plumbing tools or use a more sophisticated piece of equipment, like a plumbing snake. Or, if it's really bad, they might go for the hydro jetting option. The next step for the crew is to assess whether the pipes are damaged. If they are, the crew is in for a long day.

Insurance usually covers the cost of water damage that is sudden and accidental—like what happens when a pipe breaks—but it often doesn’t cover the cost of the pipe itself when it goes broken. Determining what coverage you might have often requires looking at the cause of the pipe failure and the fine print of your policy.