Where the water comes from changes the diagnosis. Lakewood Water District supplies the city and the Town of Steilacoom from deep groundwater wells, with tens of thousands of connections. A few edges of the city are served by Tacoma Water or small systems. The water is groundwater, so it carries more minerals than Tacoma's river supply. We reach Lakewood in about 45 minutes from Port Orchard, over the Narrows Bridge and south through University Place or down Interstate 5, and the trucks go out stocked for the jobs this community generates most.
Why bathroom remodel plumbing is a little different in Lakewood
Crawlspace construction is common in Lakewood, which makes relocating a toilet or shower drain much simpler than on a slab. We run the new drain and vent below the floor and tie into the existing stack with proper slope.
What happens past the house is not the same across Lakewood. Pierce County Sewer serves Lakewood, including Tillicum and Woodbrook, which were converted from septic in recent years, with treatment at the Chambers Creek plant. Some larger lots around the lakes and near the base boundaries still have septic systems, and the county is slowly connecting them.
Local conditions that affect bathroom remodel plumbing in Lakewood
In Lakewood specifically, one issue comes up more than most: Cast iron drains in 1950s and 60s ramblers channeling and cracking
Second sinks, bidet seats and wall-hung toilets are popular upgrades in Lakewood remodels. Each has specific rough-in requirements, and we plan them with you before cabinets and carriers are ordered.
Ask a Lakewood homeowner what goes wrong with plumbing here and you will usually hear a version of this: Lakefront septic systems and effluent pumps on the big lake lots
Mid-century homes in Lakewood tend to have cast iron drains and galvanized supplies in the bathroom walls. When a remodel opens them up, we recommend replacing that pipe while access is free rather than tiling over sixty-year-old steel.
Signs Lakewood homeowners call us for bathroom remodel plumbing
Worth a call
- Grab bars, a shower bench or a handheld sprayer are part of the plan
- A second sink is going in and the existing drain and vent cannot serve it
- The remodel opened a wall and exposed cast iron, galvanized or corroded copper
- Your contractor needs a licensed plumber for rough-in and trim-out
- You want a wall-hung toilet, bidet seat, freestanding tub or steam shower
How we handle bathroom remodel plumbing in Lakewood
Our bathroom remodel plumbing process in Lakewood is layout review before demo, disconnect and cap, rough-in, rough inspection, trim-out after tile, then final walkthrough, with the written price coming before any tool is picked up.
Read the full step-by-step for bathroom remodel plumbing →
Lakewood neighborhoods and areas we serve
We have worked in Oakbrook, in Western State Hospital and Fort Steilacoom area and most of the Lakewood neighborhoods in between, including the homes out by Thornewood Castle and Lakewold Gardens.
Bathroom Remodel Plumbing questions from Lakewood
Can you convert my tub to a walk-in shower in Lakewood?
Yes. It is our most common remodel job in Pierce County. We relocate the drain, set a shower-only pressure-balanced or thermostatic valve, and install blocking for grab bars before the walls close.
Will my Lakewood bathroom remodel need a permit?
If any drain, vent or supply line is moved or added, yes, with a rough-in inspection. We pull the permit through the Lakewood jurisdiction as part of the job.
What if you find bad pipes behind my Lakewood bathroom walls?
We photograph the problem, send you a flat price to replace the section while it is exposed, and let you decide. We do not cover up pipe we know is failing without telling you.
How far ahead should I schedule you for a Lakewood remodel?
A couple of weeks is usually enough for the layout review and rough-in. Once we are on the project, we coordinate the rough and trim visits with your contractor's schedule.
Can a tub be converted to a walk-in shower in a day?
The plumbing portion of a conversion is usually a day or two across the rough-in and trim-out visits, but the whole project includes demo, pan, waterproofing, tile and cure time. A realistic timeline is a couple of weeks for the full remodel.
Lakewood homeowners often find us after a larger outfit quoted a replacement for something that only needed a repair. We would rather earn a customer for life than win one big ticket.