Can You Reuse PVC Plumbing?

4doorsuper

My builder initially started building my home in the incorrect orientation on the lot. All plumbing was already installed in the ground (monolithic slab) but the slab was not poured yet. I made him reorient the home properly. The superintendant stated that they would reuse some of the PVC to save costs. I am assuming he meant the long pieces but i cannot be sure. Is this legal or acceptable to code?

davids

why not ??
plumbing code is for the protection of the pottable [drinking ] water supply ie so we don't all get poisoned .
pvc pipe is used for waste and vent lines [ not pottable water ] so i can't see why the inspector would have a problem.

Mike Finley

I do it all the time, everybody does. As long as the inside of the pipe is free from crap and obstructions nothing wrong with cutting off the glued up parts and reusing the good sections.

mikesewell

It is this spirit of optimisim that makes America great. Even knowing that there are 360 degrees in a circle, and that the odds of getting it right the first time are minimal, your builder decided to forge on, undeterred. He gets it right on the second try (we think), with the odds still greatly against him.

Tell him not to glue the pipe together yet (the glue is not reusable).

Even if he fails as a builder, he may still have a bright future in congress. Let me know how you make out.

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TimWieneke

I just had to salute and say "God Bless America" to that one Mike. <wiping a tear from my eye>

4door - I assume he meant re-using the pvc that is already in the ground. Won't be a problem with that. When you rehab a house, you have to tie in new plumbing to existing 40+ year old plumbing all the time - in essence "re-using" them.

BTW - if they can't re-use the PVC, then you have been given a prime opportunity to have the best collection of potato guns in the whole neighborhood. :Thumbs:

Tim

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As Steve the Foreman would say, "Forgive him Lord, for he doesn't know what he's doing."

4doorsuper

Well, i certainally have several potato guns now. What happened is that the builder started the home in the incorrect orientaion on my lot. He had to pull everything up, dig new trenches and reposition the plumbing in the ground. I only assume they cut it up in pieces and reused the long pieces -i didnt see this process occur.. I wouldn't be surprised if they attempted to lift the entire assembly -with about 30 minimum wage earners, and rotate it to suit.

Teetorbilt

You're absolutely certain that this is the guy you want to build for you? It sounds like he was pretty far along before realizing that it was facing the wrong direction.
Your initial post says that YOU made him re-orient it. I guess that means that he still hadn't figured it out or was going to continue and hope that you didn't notice that your driveway went to the neighbors house. LOL

Tomm Alsman

I have seen so many MAJOR mistakes in new construction that I am never surprized any more when I hear of something like this. Flabergasted...yes...but not surprized. Maybe we could start a new thread of some of the nightmares we have witnessed.

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Tomm

...if its not broke, don't fix it.

747

I honestly don't understand how a contractor couldn' know which way the house was suppose to sit on the property. Time for him to go. Unless you plan on keeping a serious watchfull eye on him.

Tom R

If you're going to keep this guy on, - - you might want to offer him a bonus to NOT make any decisions!!

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