Call Hills Plumbing & Gas on 0472 657 042 for a fixed price on plans. QBCC licence 15243081.
Why is rough-in priced as a stage, not a separate job?
Because the rough-in only makes sense as part of the whole system. The pipes that go into your walls and under your slab at rough-in are sized and routed off the same plans as the drainage before it and the fit-off after it. In Queensland all of this work is licence-only under the Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018, and the certifier signs off on the system, not on one stage of it.
That is why we quote the full scope off your plans, fixed, before the slab goes down, and bill rough-in as a progress stage. You know the total before anything starts, and the rough-in claim is a known share of a known number.
What does rough in plumbing actually include?
Rough-in happens after the frame is up and before waterproofing and plasterboard. On a typical Gold Coast new build the rough-in stage covers:
- Hot and cold water lines run through wall frames and ceiling spaces to every wet area
- Waste and vent pipes for toilets, showers, basins, sinks and laundry tubs
- Gas lines to the cooktop, hot water unit and any outdoor points, if the home is gas
- Recessed cisterns, in-wall mixer bodies and shower breech pieces set to fixture heights
- Pressure testing so the certifier and builder can sign the stage off before walls close
Everything is stubbed and capped. No taps, no toilets, no visible fixtures yet. That comes at fit-off.
What do rough-in costs look like by build type in 2026?
The honest answer is that rough-in cost is a share of the full plumbing scope, and the full scope is what gets quoted. Here are the 2026 full-scope tiers as published on our new build plumbing page, with rough-in sitting inside each as a progress stage:
| Build type | Full plumbing scope (2026) | How rough-in is priced |
|---|---|---|
| Production style 4-bed, basic spec | $14,000 to $22,000 | Progress claim at rough-in stage, exact split quoted on plans |
| Mid-tier custom 4-bed, better tapware, heat pump | $20,000 to $32,000 | Progress claim at rough-in stage, exact split quoted on plans |
| Premium custom, high-end brassware, freestanding baths | $32,000 to $55,000+ | Progress claim at rough-in stage, exact split quoted on plans |
| Acreage or rural build | Add $4,000 to $12,000 to the above | Longer mains runs and septic or LPG work shift more cost into early stages |
If a number you have been given sits well outside these ranges, ask what has been left out. The gaps usually show up as variations at rough-in, when the frame is up and you have no leverage.
Why do some plumbers quote rough-in per point?
Per-point pricing is common in national cost guides, and it works fine for renovation quotes where a plumber is adding a few connections to an existing system. On a new build it is a blunt tool. Two homes with the same point count can carry very different costs depending on storeys, slab type, wet area layout, and how far fixtures sit from the stack.
We price off your actual plans instead. Send them through and the quote comes back fixed, with the rough-in stage identified, so there is a real number rather than a per-point estimate that grows on site.
What makes rough-in cost more on some builds?
- Double storey homes, because water and waste have to travel further and vents get more complex
- Wet areas spread across the floor plan instead of stacked or back to back
- Acreage sites needing septic or AWTS, tank connections or LPG, which add $4,000 to $12,000 across the scope
- Late plan changes after slab pour, which is the single most expensive habit on any new build
- Builders supplying fixtures late, which forces return visits to set in-wall bodies
Most of these are locked in at design stage. This is why we ask for plans early, and why our owner-builder clients get the full scope conversation before the slab, not after.
Can I get a rough-in only price as an owner-builder?
Yes, and owner-builders ask for this often, usually because they want to stage their cashflow. We will quote rough-in as an identified stage inside a full-scope quote, and you pay stage by stage. What we will not do is quote rough-in blind with no view of the drainage before it or the fit-off after it, because in Queensland the compliance chain runs through the whole job and the Form 4 at the end certifies the lot. Details on what you can and cannot take on yourself are in our owner-builder plumbing requirements guide.
How do I get an exact rough-in figure for my build?
Send your plans through. We quote the full new build scope fixed, with the rough-in stage broken out, usually within a couple of days. No per-point guesswork, no variations culture, one licensed contact from slab to handover.
Ready for a real number? See our new build plumbing service or call Jieye direct on 0472 657 042 for a fixed price on plans. QBCC licence 15243081.