Picking Your Plumbing and Plumbing Fixtures In Your New Home

Plumbing isn’t a subject that gets people really excited when building their new home. But there are a few things to think about before building your dream home begins so you aren’t caught off guard.

Services

Not all properties have the same servicing when it comes to plumbing. If you are building in the city you will probably have sewer and water hookups. This keeps the servicing end of things pretty straight forward. However, if you’re building rural or in cottage country, you probably won’t have water services to hook up to on your property.

Your choices for lots without sewer and water hookup are:

For sewers:

• Septic tank (which will need to be pumped out regularly)
• Septic field (not all properties are big enough to qualify for a septic field, so it’s a good question to ask when looking at lots)

Water options:

• Well (this is a great option for most ground conditions)
• Cistern (this is great in areas that don’t get good well water and have a delivery service within a reasonable range)
• Lake water (obviously for cabin country. Often we need to put filtration systems in to turn the lake water into drinking water. This is perfectly normal and there are lots of great filtration options out there)

A builder who is familiar with building in rural, and cottage country, should have the answers to any drinking water issues that may arise. At Pine Creek Homes we use plumbers in cottage country that specialize in these types of water systems.

Fixtures

Picking out plumbing fixtures is way more exciting than sewer and water servicing. Many people look forward to this step. There are many choices for all different types of plumbing fixtures. There is also a wide range of pricing options.

Toilets

There are a few different styles when it comes to toilets, with the exception of a wall mounted toilet, most of them are quite similar.

It’s advisable to go with an efficient model that uses less water, such as the dual flush models. Other than that, stick with something of good quality that suits the look of the washroom.

Sinks

For kitchen sinks most people stick with a fairly large, deep double sink. If you are going with a stone countertop you will also have the option for an under mount sink.

The only other sink we commonly see in a kitchen is a prep sink. Usually this sink is smaller and will have a garburator attached. However a garburator can be installed on any kitchen sink.

For washroom sinks, we see a lot more variety. From the top mount, to undermount, to vessel sinks, the options are seemingly endless. The good news is that there is no wrong answer. Pick one that suits your style and budget and you won’t be disappointed.

Faucets and Shower Controls

When it comes to faucets and shower controls, we have seen a very large increase of available options  in the last 10 years. With all of the styles and choices you should be able to find exactly what you are looking for.

The 3 most common colour options are chrome, brushed nickel, and antique bronze. Once you have picked a colour, the choices will be narrowed down slightly. Again, there are no bad choices here, just stick with a quality manufacturer and a style that catches your eye.

The main choices for shower fixtures will be the main control, and the choice of shower head. This could be a rain shower, a standard mounted shower head or a hand shower on a sliding bar. If you choose something other than a hand shower on a sliding bar, you can still have a hand shower as part of your set up. Many people like to have this for ease of cleaning.

Tubs and Showers

There are 4 main choices when it comes to tubs and showers.

One Piece Tub Shower Unit

This is a very popular option, especially for families. It’s an excellent option for bathing children while still being large enough for an adult to bathe or have a full shower. This is usually the top choice for homes with only one bathroom. It’s also very common in homes with multiple bathrooms to have one of these units in one of the bathrooms.

Tubs without Shower Surround

This could be a claw foot tub built in tub or jet tub.  Often this will accompany a standard or custom shower in an en-suite bathroom.

Standard Shower

Standard shower units are usually a corner mount unit and have a variety styles and glass doors that give you an endless array of choices to pick from. There are great options as they take up very little space in a washroom and are quite economical.

Custom tile showers

Nothing beats a custom tile shower. There are so many options to make them unique. With the endless tile choices, different drain styles, custom benches and custom glass doors you can really get creative with this type of shower and make it your own unique oasis.

I know all of these fixture choices seem overwhelming. The good news is that we work with suppliers that have full show rooms and are there to help walk you through everything you need to know. This will provide you with the confidence needed to make great choices and have you ready to move on to the next building step.

If you're ready to take the next step toward building your dream home or cottage, click the link below to set up a time to speak with us.

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Looking for more about building your own dream home? Check out these articles:

• Picking the Right Cabinetry for Your Dream Kitchen
• Putting the Final Touches on Interior Finishes
• Let’s Shed Some Light on Lighting Up Your Dream Home.
• Let’s Talk About Flooring Options in Your New Home