# Increase pipe size???



## matt38 (Oct 31, 2015)

I'm bidding a job (remodel) and the blueprint shows cold water 1" coming into a commercial water heater and the outlet (hot water) is 1 1/4" feeding 6 washing machines, a tank type toilet, and a lav. There's a recirculating pump on this setup as well. My question is can I increase the pipe at the outlet of the water heater? It shows this on both the isometric and heater detail drawings.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Why does the W/H feed a toilet?


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

another reason why I dont like engineers or architects..they have no clue about plumbing..and seems they are clueless about most stuff as they never has any life experience in the field and work with pencils and now cad software on a computer that does half the work for them..if you ask them why they did something in a drawing they cant explain it other than thats the way its done...


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## GAN (Jul 10, 2012)

you can't increase beyond the size of the water heater connection on the outlet side.

If it is only 1" out, your stuck, unless you get a WH with 1 1/4".

That's one of them there fancy hot water water closets..............


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## fixitright (Jan 5, 2012)

Bidet? Bidet toilet seat?


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

Bid as drawn and note the discrepancies in your proposal.


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## Workhorseplmg (Apr 10, 2013)

I call the engineer when I come across that or the contractor I'm bidding for. Discrepancies usually come up at the pre bid meeting. 
I don't believe I've seen a plan without discrepancies in it ever.


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## hroark2112 (Apr 16, 2011)

Bid a job one time that called for 2 1/2" cast drain lines. Got a fat change order upsizing to 3" and the engineer had to suck it up on his errors & omissions policy.

He didn't like me after that.


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## newyorkcity (Nov 25, 2010)

*Damn!*



hroark2112 said:


> Bid a job one time that called for 2 1/2" cast drain lines. Got a fat change order upsizing to 3" and the engineer had to suck it up on his errors & omissions policy.
> 
> He didn't like me after that.


2 1/2" is shown on drain and vent lines all the time on jobs I bid on. We (including every contractor I know) assumes it to be 3".
Making the engineer take the fall and pay the difference is gangster. 
If that happened over here, I can picture the engineer finding ways to make the job miserable for the plumber. At least I would if I were the engineer. I would make sure every nut and bolt is as per submittals, and would demand shop drawings for anything deviating off of the approved plans.
How tough was it to upsell 3" over 2 1/2", in other words, to convince the owner that it wasn't a common error?


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## bct p&h (Jan 19, 2013)

newyorkcity said:


> How tough was it to upsell 3" over 2 1/2", in other words, to convince the owner that it wasn't a common error?


Better question, how do you prove a price difference on a nonexistent pipe that wouldn't have a price to begin with?


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## newyorkcity (Nov 25, 2010)

The engineer can make a point that he spec"d 2 1/2" galvanized pipe with threaded drainage fittings. How is the 3" no hub looking then?


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## hroark2112 (Apr 16, 2011)

The engineer made the job difficult long before it started and then made it almost impossible once we got going. Making them feel some discomfort in return was their own damn fault.

Right after we finished demo, we pointed out that the existing boiler venting was in between 2 operable windows, under 12" of clearance on both sides. They put off a solution until it was almost time to hang drywall. Then we pointed out that the storage tanks that had been sitting dormant for 2 years might need cleaning and one of them looked like it was leaking with no pressure on the system. They kept saying no until we opened one of them up in front of the owner. I thought he was going to puke when he caught a whiff, and we replaced them both that month.

Condescending jerk talked down to all the trades during job meetings even when he was 100% wrong. All the trades stuck it to him when it was possible.


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

question authority and demand proof.....................


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## newyorkcity (Nov 25, 2010)

I would love to see how you worded your case. I get along with almost all of the engineers I have worked with, except for one two years ago. He objected to my island venting for an acid waste sink in a school science lab. Instead of just asking me for clarification, he took pictures, put arrows on what he thinks is wrong, and sent an email c.c.'ing everyone.
I took the same picture, went over each of his points, and verbally disemboweled him. Then sent out the email to all of the same people, with the offer to meet me and the plumbing inspector who signed it off. The objection got withdrawn immediately.
If you can, please pm me the info in case I run into the same thing in the future. I can send you my credentials first. This stuff is very interesting.


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## hroark2112 (Apr 16, 2011)

I wish I had the info just in case I run into this guy again. My last boss let me take my personal belongings from my desk and nothing more when my job came to an ugly end. Not even business cards from my contacts or anything even remotely work related. Even my own copies of code books had to stay, since they didn't have my name written in them.

I'd like to say we ended as friends, but not even close.


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## newyorkcity (Nov 25, 2010)

Sorry to hear that. I thought those kind of terminations only happened in the corporate world. The kind where you can work for a company for 20 years, and when your position is terminated, and you are told the news, you have 15 minutes to gather your belongings and leave the building.


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## hroark2112 (Apr 16, 2011)

It was a bad ending. On 12/30/10 the owner said I would either retire or die working at the company...he said that to the mortgage company when they called to verify my employment before they closed my loan that afternoon. In February I got a 10% bonus and a nice raise. On 4/4/11 I got a ride home after they took the keys to the company vehicle.

That was only the beginning of the uglyness, so glad it's all behind me!


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