Why does it cost so much to move a sink, appliances or a range hood?
"Why is my plumbing $7,000?" Eric breaks down the three line items that cause the most sticker shock on a remodel estimate, and why they cost what they do.
Read what Eric says Transcript
Sticker shock. This is what we hear when a client gets an estimate and they look at some of the line items and they say, why is my plumbing $7,000? Well, let's break down three big line items that you should look for and understand why they cost what they do.
So first one is going to be plumbing. Let's say you have a sink and that sink's moving five feet on a concrete floor. You're going to have to trench that concrete, run the lines, get it termite inspected, close it back up. It's a lot of money. It takes several days. And you should know a plumber's daily cost is not cheap.
Number two is going to be moving appliances. Same thing as plumbing. It's going to be electrical. Day rates for electricians are expensive. You're going to be moving electrical to different areas, which means running wire back up. You've got to create a junction box to run it to a new location. That's expensive.
And the third one is adding a vented hood. If you don't have one already vented, you have to think roofer and HVAC needs to come out. They need to run ductwork through your roof and that costs a lot of money.
So these are just a few line items you should look for and understand why they cost what they do.
Sticker shock is what we hear when a client reads the line items on an estimate and asks why the plumbing is $7,000. The answer is almost always that something is moving. Keeping things where they are is the cheapest kitchen or bathroom you can build. Moving them is where the money goes.
1. Moving the sink
Most Tampa homes sit on a concrete slab, so the drain lines run under the concrete. Say a sink moves five feet. The concrete has to be trenched, the lines run to the new spot, the trench termite-inspected, and the floor closed back up. That is several days of work, and a plumber's day rate is not cheap.
2. Moving appliances
Moving a range, a refrigerator or a dishwasher is the same story with electrical instead of plumbing. Wire has to be run to the new location, often back up through the walls, with a junction box to get there. Electricians' day rates are expensive too.
3. Adding a vented hood
If your kitchen doesn't already have a vented range hood, adding one isn't just a hood. A roofer and an HVAC contractor need to come out and run ductwork through your roof, and that costs a lot of money.
Read the line items, not just the total
A good estimate shows these as separate lines so you can see what each move costs and decide whether it's worth it. If an estimate rolls everything into one number, ask for the breakdown. See also 3 red flags to look for in a remodeling estimate and how much a kitchen remodel costs in Tampa.
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Questions people also ask
Why is moving a sink so expensive?
On a slab home the drain runs under the concrete. Moving it means trenching the slab, running new lines, a termite inspection and closing the floor back up, which takes a plumber several days.
Does adding a range hood need a roofer?
If there isn't already a vented hood, yes. Ductwork has to be run through the roof, which brings in a roofer and an HVAC contractor.
What is the cheapest way to remodel a kitchen?
Keep the plumbing and the appliances where they are. Changing the layout is what drives plumbing and electrical costs up.