Why the house shape matters to a plumber
A storey-and-a-half bungalow and a 22nd-floor suite both have a toilet, a tub and a kitchen sink, but almost nothing else about the piping is the same. In a bungalow we can usually reach every drain from an unfinished corner of the basement. In a condo the riser belongs to the building and our access is a 300 mm panel behind the vanity. Knowing the layout before we arrive tells us which cutters, which camera head and which shut-off to look for.
What each file covers
- Usual spot for the meter and main shut-off
- The original drain material: cast iron, galvanized, clay lateral or ABS
- The fixtures that clog or leak first in that layout
- Access: cleanouts, ceiling panels, crawl spaces, shared walls
Margin note: Not sure which file fits? A side-split with a basement apartment can borrow from three of them.