Why Plumbing Rough-In Works on Piece Rate
Plumbing rough-in is one of those trades where experience shows up dramatically in production speed. A veteran plumber who's done 500 houses can look at a floor plan and run every line with minimal trips back to the truck. A newer plumber on the same house might take twice as long just figuring out routing. That skill-and-speed gap is where piece rate makes sense.
I'm Tyson Faulkner. My background is roofing, not plumbing, but I've been on enough new construction jobs to watch how plumbing rough-in crews operate. The ones paying piece rate finish houses faster, move to the next job sooner, and keep their best plumbers longer than the hourly shops.
This guide covers real rate ranges for residential and light commercial plumbing rough-in — what to pay per fixture, per drop, or per point — plus the factors that move those numbers up or down.
How Plumbing Piece Rates Are Typically Structured
Unlike most construction trades where you pay per square foot or linear foot, plumbing rough-in is usually priced per fixture or per "point." The terminology varies by region and by contractor:
- Per fixture: Each complete fixture (sink, toilet, tub, shower) is one unit. The plumber runs all supply lines, drain lines, and vents for that fixture.
- Per point: Each connection point is a unit. A toilet might be 1 point (one drain). A sink might be 2 points (hot supply, cold supply, drain). A tub/shower might be 3 points.
- Per fixture drop: The rough-in for each fixture location including drain, supply, and vent — essentially a "per fixture" rate.
Most residential piece rate plumbing shops use per-fixture pricing because it's simpler and easier for everyone to count.
Residential Rough-In Rates
Rate Ranges Per Fixture
Bathroom fixtures:
- Toilet: $75 to $125 per fixture
- Standard bathtub/shower combo: $100 to $175 per fixture
- Standalone shower (custom, multiple heads): $125 to $200 per fixture
- Bathroom sink (single): $65 to $100 per fixture
- Double vanity: $90 to $140 per fixture
Kitchen fixtures:
- Kitchen sink: $85 to $130 per fixture
- Dishwasher connection: $35 to $60 per fixture
- Ice maker/refrigerator line: $25 to $45 per fixture
- Pot filler: $40 to $65 per fixture
Laundry:
- Washer box (hot, cold, drain): $75 to $120 per fixture
- Utility sink: $65 to $100 per fixture
Specialty:
- Water heater rough-in: $75 to $125 per unit
- Hose bib/outdoor faucet: $35 to $60 per unit
- Floor drain: $50 to $80 per unit
- Gas line per appliance: $60 to $100 per drop
Per-Point Rates (Alternative Structure)
Some plumbing contractors prefer per-point pricing:
- Supply point (hot or cold): $20 to $35 per point
- Drain/waste point: $35 to $55 per point
- Vent point: $20 to $30 per point
- Gas point: $40 to $65 per point
A standard bathroom has approximately 8-10 points (toilet drain, sink drain, sink hot, sink cold, tub drain, tub hot, tub cold, vent connections). At $30 average per point, that's $240-$300 per bathroom — which aligns with the per-fixture totals.
What a Plumbing Crew Should Earn Per Day
A skilled two-person plumbing rough-in crew working on a standard single-family home (2.5 baths, kitchen, laundry) should rough-in the entire house in 1.5 to 2.5 days. A typical house has 12 to 18 fixtures.
Let's calculate for a 3-bath, 2,400 sq ft house with 16 fixtures:
- 3 toilets x $100 = $300
- 2 tub/shower combos x $125 = $250
- 1 standalone shower x $150 = $150
- 3 bathroom sinks x $80 = $240
- 1 kitchen sink x $110 = $110
- 1 dishwasher x $45 = $45
- 1 washer box x $90 = $90
- 1 water heater x $100 = $100
- 2 hose bibs x $45 = $90
- 1 gas line (range) x $75 = $75
- Total: $1,450
If the crew does this in 2 days, that's $725 per day for the crew, or $363 per person. At 9-hour days, that's an effective rate of $40/hour. Fast crews that can complete the same house in 1.5 days earn even more per hour.
Model your own scenarios with our Piece Rate Calculator.
Production Benchmarks
Track production in fixtures per day or points per day:
- Good production: 8-12 fixtures per day (2-person crew)
- Strong production: 12-16 fixtures per day (2-person crew)
- Exceptional: 16+ fixtures per day on straightforward floor plans
New construction tract homes where the same floor plan repeats build tremendous speed. A crew doing the same 3-bed, 2.5-bath plan for the twentieth time will rough it in significantly faster than the first time.
Factors That Push Plumbing Rates Higher
Floor plan complexity. Open floor plans with fixtures concentrated in a plumbing wall are fast. Split floor plans where master bath is on opposite side of the house from secondary baths mean longer runs, more pipe, and more time. Expect 15-25% higher per-fixture rates on complex layouts.
Slab vs. crawlspace vs. basement. Crawlspace and basement foundations are the easiest for rough-in — you have access below to run drain lines. Slab-on-grade construction requires trenching and under-slab work before the concrete pour, which is a separate operation. Slab rough-in typically runs 20-30% more per fixture.
Number of stories. Single-story is baseline. Two and three-story homes require vertical runs, fire-stopping, and more complex venting. Add 10-20% for multi-story work.
Material type. PEX supply lines are faster than copper. PEX with manifold systems are faster still — one home run per fixture from a central manifold vs. trunk-and-branch copper. If you're running copper, rates should be 25-40% higher than PEX to account for the additional fitting, soldering, and testing time.
Code requirements. Some jurisdictions have stricter plumbing codes. Requirements for air admittance valves vs. traditional venting, separate shower valves, accessible cleanouts, and expansion tank requirements all add time and complexity.
Existing structure (renovation). Rough-in in existing walls is dramatically slower than new construction. Fishing lines through finished walls, working around existing framing, and dealing with unknown conditions can double or triple the time per fixture. Renovation plumbing should be quoted per fixture at 1.5x to 2.5x new construction rates, or quoted hourly.
Commercial and Multi-Family Rates
Commercial rough-in is a different scale than residential. Fixtures are more standardized but the runs are longer and the coordination with other trades is more complex.
Multi-family (apartments, condos):
- Per-unit rough-in (1-bed, 1-bath unit): $400 to $700 per unit
- Per-unit rough-in (2-bed, 2-bath unit): $650 to $1,100 per unit
- Stack work (vertical risers serving multiple floors): $150 to $300 per floor per stack
Light commercial (restaurants, offices, retail):
- Restroom group (2 toilets, 2 sinks): $400 to $700 per group
- Break room (sink, dishwasher): $150 to $250
- Water heater rough-in, commercial: $150 to $300
Commercial work is harder to standardize per fixture because the building layout, code requirements, and distance between fixtures vary widely. Many commercial plumbing contractors use a hybrid — piece rate for standardized fixture counts plus hourly for non-standard work.
Building a Plumbing Rate Card
| Work Type | Unit | Rate Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toilet rough-in | per fixture | $75-$125 | Drain + supply + vent |
| Tub/shower combo | per fixture | $100-$175 | Standard residential |
| Custom shower | per fixture | $125-$200 | Multiple heads, bench, etc. |
| Bathroom sink | per fixture | $65-$100 | Single basin |
| Kitchen sink | per fixture | $85-$130 | Includes disposal rough-in |
| Dishwasher | per fixture | $35-$60 | Supply + drain |
| Washer box | per fixture | $75-$120 | Hot + cold + drain |
| Water heater | per unit | $75-$125 | Supply + vent + T&P drain |
| Hose bib | per unit | $35-$60 | Exterior |
| Gas drop | per appliance | $60-$100 | Range, furnace, water heater |
| Slab work premium | per fixture | +20-30% | Under-slab trenching |
| Renovation premium | per fixture | +50-150% | Existing wall work |
Post this before each job. Every plumber on the crew should know what each fixture pays before they start. For a broader look at building rate structures across trades, see our guide on setting fair piece rates in construction.
Compliance Considerations
Track Hours — It's the Law
Even with per-fixture pay, you must track hours for every plumber. This is federal law under the FLSA, and it applies regardless of how skilled or well-paid the worker is (unless they're genuinely exempt, which most field plumbers are not). See our guide on do you have to track hours for piece rate workers.
Overtime Calculation
Plumbing crews during crunch time — when the builder needs the rough-in done before the insulation crew arrives tomorrow — often work 50+ hour weeks. The overtime math: total piece rate earnings / total hours = regular rate. Then pay 0.5x the regular rate for every hour over 40. Detailed walkthrough in our overtime for piece rate workers guide.
Licensing and Apprentice Considerations
Plumbing is a licensed trade in most states. Journeyman plumbers and apprentices have different skill levels and should have different rates. Some contractors structure it as the journeyman getting the full per-fixture rate while the apprentice gets a percentage (60-80%). Others pay the apprentice a separate hourly rate while the journeyman earns piece rate.
Travel Between Jobs
Plumbing rough-in crews often hit multiple houses in a day, especially in new construction subdivisions. Time driving between jobs is work time that must be tracked and compensated. Factor drive time into your fixture rate calculations, or pay a separate per-trip or hourly rate for windshield time.
Regional Variation
Plumbing rates follow predictable regional patterns:
- Licensed vs. minimal licensing states. States with strict licensing requirements (most Northeastern states, California) have higher rates because the supply of qualified plumbers is limited.
- Material preferences. PEX-dominant markets (most of the South and West) have lower per-fixture rates because the material installs faster. Copper-dominant markets (parts of the Northeast, some municipalities that still require copper) run higher.
- Union markets. Strong plumbing unions in cities like Chicago, Boston, and New York mean piece rate is less common — hourly union wages dominate. In non-union markets, piece rate is widespread.
- New construction volume. High-volume production home markets (Dallas-Fort Worth, Phoenix, Orlando) have more competition and more established piece rate norms.
Keeping Rates Fair
Review plumbing rough-in rates quarterly or when you change:
- Material systems. Switching from copper to PEX, or from PEX with fittings to PEX-A expansion, changes installation speed. Update rates accordingly.
- Floor plans. If the builder rolls out a new floor plan that's more complex, adjust rates before the first house, not after your crew complains.
- Crew composition. A crew of two journeymen produces differently than one journeyman and one apprentice. Make sure your rates account for crew skill level.
For automated production tracking, payroll calculations, and fixture counting, check out Piece Work Pro. And for more on piece rate across the trades, see our overview of piece work in different construction trades.