BATHROOM REMODELING PLUMBING IN SALT LAKE CITY

Bathroom remodels in Salt Lake City are roughly two distinct jobs that look the same on Pinterest but are very different in practice. Modern home with PEX supply and PVC drain — straightforward, predictable, fast. Pre-1950 home with galvanized supply, cast iron drain, lath-and-plaster walls, and a 1928 footprint that doesn't match modern code — significantly more work, but where the magic of an Avenues bath remodel actually happens.

We handle the plumbing scope of bathroom remodels. We work alongside general contractors and homeowners doing their own remodels. Some homeowners hire us as the plumbing sub on a project they're managing themselves; others have a GC who hires us. Either way, we coordinate with the trades that come before and after — demo, framing, electrical, drywall/plaster, tile, and fixture install.

What our scope typically includes

• Demo plumbing prep — capping supply, drain, and vent before tile/wall demo so the rest of the trades can work clean
• Rough-in for new layout — supply lines, drain stack, vent, water heater connection, gas if applicable. Repipe the run if it makes sense.
• Code upgrades — new construction in SLC requires modern fixtures, AAV or proper venting, anti-scald valves, GFCI proximity, and accessibility considerations on some remodels
• Fixture set — toilet, sink, shower valve, tub spout, drain trim. Customer-supplied or we provide.
• Permit and inspection — SLC requires permits on new bathroom add and significant fixture relocations. We pull and coordinate.
• Old galvanized/cast iron transitions — when remodeling means cutting into old plumbing, we transition to PEX/PVC properly with code-approved couplings.

Adding a basement bathroom in an old SLC home

Common SLC remodel scenario. You bought a 1925 Avenues bungalow with a partial basement. You want to add a 3/4 bath down there for a teenager, an Airbnb unit, or just a guest space. The challenge: the basement floor is six feet below the city sewer at the street, so gravity-fed drainage from a basement toilet doesn't work. You need either a sewer ejector pump (lift station that pumps waste up to the existing main drain), an upflush macerator toilet (compact alternative), or a saw-cut/excavate of the basement slab to lower the drain below grade.

We've done all three. The right one depends on basement layout, slab thickness, sewer depth, and budget. Camera scope of the existing line and a measured assessment is the first step. Pricing for a basement bath add (full plumbing scope, ejector pump, fixture set) typically runs $8,500–$18,000 in SLC depending on which approach.

Old plaster wall and tile considerations

Every fixture on an old SLC bathroom wall is anchored to lath behind plaster, not modern drywall blocking. When we cut for new supply or drain, we plan the cuts so the plaster is restorable, and we coordinate with a plaster specialist for patching. Old subway tile in 1925 Avenues bathrooms is a heritage feature — if the tile is staying and only fixtures are changing, we work behind the wall through closets or basement ceilings to avoid tile damage where possible.

Pricing range

Bathroom remodel plumbing scope only — $4,500 (small fixture refresh in modern home) to $25,000+ (full add of basement bath in pre-1950 home with sewer ejector). Typical SLC primary bath remodel plumbing scope is $8,000–$18,000. Full bath remodel including fixtures, finishes, and trades runs $12,500–$45,000+ — but those costs are GC-managed, not plumbing-only. We can recommend GCs we work with regularly. Members of the Quality Service Club get 15% off the plumbing scope plus priority scheduling on remodel timelines.