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Bathroom and kitchen remodel plumbing: permits, pipes and fixtures

A remodel is the best chance to fix what is inside the walls. Here is when the plumbing needs a permit, which old pipes are worth replacing, and how to choose fixtures.

The short answer

Moving or adding fixtures is a bigger job than swapping them in place, and most cities require a permit for kitchen and bathroom remodels – often even for a water heater replacement. With the walls open, consider replacing galvanized or polybutylene pipe, and choose WaterSense fixtures. Get the permit before work starts.

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Does a remodel need a plumbing permit?

Usually yes. Oakland, California requires building permits for any kitchen or bathroom remodel, obtained before work begins. San Jose treats replacing fixtures without changing their number or location as a minor remodel, but relocating or adding fixtures as a major one. Even a water heater swap often needs one: Kirkland, Washington requires at least one permit and an inspection within 48 hours of installation, and Bend, Oregon requires a plumbing permit and an expansion tank when a water heater is replaced. Check with your own building department.

Moving fixtures

Relocating a toilet, shower or sink means new drain, vent and supply lines – and the drain has to slope correctly to the main stack. That is why moving fixtures costs more and triggers the “major remodel” rules in cities like San Jose. Ask the plumber to look before the design is final.

Old pipes worth replacing while walls are open

  • Galvanized steel. EPA warns that lead particles can attach to galvanized pipes and enter drinking water over time.
  • Lead solder. Solder made or installed before 1986 contained high lead levels, EPA notes. Today’s lead-free standard allows no more than 0.25 percent lead on wetted surfaces, and 0.2 percent in solder and flux.
  • Polybutylene. The North Carolina Real Estate Commission notes this gray plastic pipe was common for a couple of decades and drew complaints about leaks, especially at insert fittings.

HUD lists the materials found in homes today: galvanized steel, copper, PVC, CPVC, polybutylene and PEX. A plumber can tell you what you have. See also lead pipes.

Choosing fixtures

EPA WaterSense labeled showerheads use no more than 2.0 gallons per minute, versus 2.5 for standard models, and EPA estimates a family can save 2,700 gallons a year with them. WaterSense bathroom faucets cut flow by 30 percent or more from the standard 2.2 gallons per minute, saving about 700 gallons a year. For toilets, see our running toilet guide on flush volumes.

Hiring for a remodel

  • Get the plumber in before demolition to price surprises behind the walls.
  • Ask who pulls the permit and schedules inspections.
  • Ask whether old supply lines will be replaced back to the main or only to the room.
  • Get written warranties for labor and parts. More in our hiring guide.
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Questions

Do I need a permit to remodel a bathroom?

In most cities, yes – especially if fixtures are moved or added. Oakland requires a permit for any kitchen or bathroom remodel. Ask your building department.

Does replacing a water heater need a permit?

Often yes. Kirkland, Washington and Bend, Oregon both require a permit, and Bend requires an expansion tank with the new heater.

Should I replace galvanized pipes during a remodel?

It is worth discussing with your plumber. EPA warns lead particles can attach to galvanized pipes and enter drinking water over time.

How much water do WaterSense fixtures save?

EPA estimates WaterSense showerheads save an average family 2,700 gallons a year and WaterSense bathroom faucets about 700 gallons a year.

Related guides

New construction plumbing: the stages, inspections and who to hireBuilding a home, an addition or a commercial space? Plumbing goes in at fixed stages, and the building department inspects each one before anything is covered up.Lead pipes and lead in water: how to check and what to doHomes built before 1986, especially in older cities, may have lead pipes or a lead service line. Here is how to find out and how to lower your exposure in the meantime.No hot water? What to check before you callNo hot water usually comes down to fuel, a safety control doing its job, or a heater near the end of its life. Here is how to narrow it down safely.

Sources

Facts and figures in this guide come from these official and manufacturer sources, checked October 2026:

  1. City of Oakland, CA – Bathroom and kitchen remodels
  2. City of San Jose, CA – Kitchen or bathroom remodel permits
  3. City of Kirkland, WA – Water heater replacement
  4. City of Bend, OR – Water heater permitting guide
  5. EPA – Sources of lead in drinking water
  6. EPA – How the Safe Drinking Water Act limits lead in plumbing
  7. North Carolina Real Estate Commission – Polybutylene pipes
  8. HUD USER – Water piping in the home
  9. EPA WaterSense – Showerheads
  10. EPA WaterSense – Bathroom faucets

Updated October 2026 by the Plumbers Pages editorial team. General information for homeowners, not professional advice – codes and equipment differ, so follow your product’s manual and local rules. When gas, electricity, sewage or anyone’s safety is involved, call 911, your utility or a licensed plumber. How we write our guides · Plumbing glossary

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