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A professional plumber needs three to five days to complete rough-in plumbing for a standard bathroom. The timeline depends on your bathroom's complexity, the number of fixtures, and access to the plumbing area. After completion, an inspector will examine the work to verify it meets code requirements before walls and floors can be closed up.

Rough-in plumbing involves installing all pipes, drains, and vents before walls and floors are enclosed, establishing the underlying framework. Finish plumbing occurs after construction, when fixtures such as toilets, sinks, and faucets are connected to the rough-in pipes. Each phase serves a different purpose—rough-in creates the infrastructure, while finish plumbing makes everything functional.

Due to added complexity, bathroom rough-in plumbing on concrete slabs often falls toward the higher end of the $3,000 to $20,000 range. Working with concrete requires specialized tools and techniques to access and install plumbing lines. The process involves cutting through the slab, which adds labor time and requires additional restoration work after pipe installation.

Unless you have extensive plumbing experience, knowledge of building codes, and proper tools, rough-in plumbing is not recommended as a DIY project. Many homeowners' insurance policies don't cover damage from DIY plumbing work, creating significant financial risk. For most homeowners, the expertise and guarantees provided by licensed plumbers outweigh potential labor savings from self-installation.