Adding a new hose bib from an existing bib

[usfbull]

I apologize in advance if this is posted in the incorrect area.

Since we are having a screen enclosure erected around the pool, it seemed like it would be a good idea to have a hose bib inside the enclosed area. This way instead of having to run the hose through a screen door when we want to use it we have easy access.

The pool builder ran sched 40 - 1" pipe near the existing hose bib and under the pavers and out along the wall. I asked my plumber to come out and see what they could do to hook up the new spigot. They mentioned adding a Tee connector at the existing spigot and then connecting a new spigot inside the enclosure. Much to my surprise the first price they said was $850! When they saw my face they called the office and it came down to $750. I said thanks for coming out and they left. The owner called me and said he would do it for $550 since we are an existing customer, yada, yada.

My question to any of you who might know. How difficult of a job is this to take on? Can I attempt myself?

Any guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Dirk]

Unbelievable prices. It's a simple job. Maybe $20 in materials. An hour or two of gluing and screwing. Maybe some copper pipe sweating. Whether you're up to it is the unknown. Are you a DIYer? Ever glued up PVC? Sweated copper? Or...

Any decent handyman can handle this. You don't need a $400/hr plumber. Do you have Nextdoor in your area? It's an online forum that caters to your local neighborhood. Maybe someone in your area can connect you with a handyman (or more reasonable plumber) that doesn't need you to send his kids to college.

Join Nextdoor, an app for neighborhoods where you can get local tips, buy and sell items, and more

Nextdoor is the neighborhood hub for trusted connections and the exchange of helpful information, goods, and services.

nextdoor.com

 

[usfbull]

Ok, yeah glad I wasn't out of my mind thinking those prices were obscene!

I have never glued pvc but saw plenty of it done as they were installing all of the pipes. I definitely have not sweated copper, as I'm not even sure what that means!

ok, maybe I can find a handyman.

 

[Texas Splash]

The pics are confusing me a little.

Pic #2 shows a line coming up out of the concrete, so I’m guessing that’s the same spot as Pic #1 with the patio poured right?

Pic #4 seems different than the others. Is that a separate line because I don’t see the large window there like in Pic 1 & 2.

Pic #3 shows the original hose bib (water source). The issue there is how to connect. That water line comes up from the Slab or via the attic and into the wall. Someone would need to remove that spigot and make a split connection for one hose bib to remain there, and to connect to the new PVC line for the enclosure. Not sure why the plumbers are driving up the cost so much unless they had different plans of how to get to the original spigot which might include messing with the wall itself. But there are probably several options to make it work. I

If it were me, I’d probably remove the spigot and “T” it off on the outside of the wall with simple fitting from the hardware store. Make a connection for a spigot there, then adapter for the new PVC line. You could even go really cheap for now and buy a simple 2-way splitter off of that original spigot where it is now. Then it would split water to the same place and connection the other branch of the splitter to the new PVC line.

 

[usfbull]

Sorry for the confusion. Pic 2 shows the pvc now after the pavers were installed.

Pic 4 is the same line but I must have been very close to the wall when i took the pic and it doesnt show the sliding doors.

Yes, the waterline comes up from the slab. The plumber said they would use a Tee connector so nothing extravagant that would cause that quote. Can you tell me exactly what you mean by T it off? Would a spigot connect to one side and the other run to the pvc pipe?

 

[Texas Splash]

Can you tell me exactly what you mean by T it off? Would a spigot connect to one side and the other run to the pvc pipe?

Really more than one way to make it work. Someone could remove the original spigot, bring it out a bit, and connect a T-fitting. Not sure if the line is copper or a PEX fitting, but that's one option is to work with so that you could connect either a "T" or splitter to that point. I use splitters all the time, but much has to do with how you want it to look as well. Some examples below, but if you take a pic or two with you to Home Depot or Lowe's, they can help you set it up. The only thing you might need help with (if you went the more difficult route) is if you decide you want to braze/sweat new copper fitting or connect PEX tube fittings.

 

[Dirk]

Sweating copper means to solder pipes to fittings. Not for the feint of heart, especially if there's water in the pipe. But everything is all shark-bite now. I don't like using them, but many do. So you can remove the existing hose bib and either sweat a tee onto it, or push a shark-bite fitting onto it, then put a new hose bib on one side and connect your PVC pipe to the other side.

How old is the house? The problem with sweating blind like that is you don't know what's on the other side of the stucco. If you get it too hot, you could compromise the solder in joints upstream. Or you could melt the plastic pipe they now use in newer houses. Pat's screw-on splitter is the simplest and safest. Shark-bites are the next simplest and safest. Sweating is the best in terms of reliability and longevity, but needs the most skill and runs some slight risk.

I can virtually guarantee that the plumber was going to use shark bites. They're super fast and easy. I bet he'd be out of there in 30 minutes.

 

[usfbull]

Really more than one way to make it work. Someone could remove the original spigot, bring it out a bit, and connect a T-fitting. Not sure if the line is copper or a PEX fitting, but that's one option is to work with so that you could connect either a "T" or splitter to that point. I use splitters all the time, but much has to do with how you want it to look as well. Some examples below, but if you take a pic or two with you to Home Depot or Lowe's, they can help you set it up. The only thing you might need help with (if you went the more difficult route) is if you decide you want to braze/sweat new copper fitting or connect PEX tube fittings.


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View attachment 177199

Thanks, not too concerned about the aesthetics of where the split happens as it's in the corner of the house and will not be heavily trafficked. The actual new spigot being added is the one that will be visible along the wall inside of the screened enclosure.

I just measured and for whatever reason the guy who installed the pvc started it almost 30" away from the spigot. What would you suggest be used between whichever connection you posted above, to the pvc pipe that is 30" away?

 

[usfbull]

Sweating copper means to solder pipes to fittings. Not for the feint of heart, especially if there's water in the pipe. But everything is all shark-bite now. I don't like using them, but many do. So you can remove the existing hose bib and either sweat a tee onto it, or push a shark-bite fitting onto it, then put a new hose bib on one side and connect your PVC pipe to the other side.

How old is the house? The problem with sweating blind like that is you don't know what's on the other side of the stucco. If you get it too hot, you could compromise the solder in joints upstream. Or you could melt the plastic pipe they now use in newer houses. Pat's screw-on splitter is the simplest and safest. Shark-bites are the next simplest and safest. Sweating is the best in terms of reliability and longevity, but needs the most skill and runs some slight risk.

I can virtually guarantee that the plumber was going to use shark bites. They're super fast and easy. I bet he'd be out of there in 30 minutes.

The house is 5 years old

Yeah, the owner of the plumbing company was trying to tell me it is a 3 to 4 hour job for them. I was thinking to myself there is no way especially since they had 2 guys come over and would have done the work today if i would have agreed to their ridiculous quote.

 

[Texas Splash]

I just measured and for whatever reason the guy who installed the pvc started it almost 30" away from the spigot. What would you suggest be used between whichever connection you posted above, to the pvc pipe that is 30" away?

That's interesting. Well, from the spigot to the start of the PVC line you could just run a hose with the appropriate male/female adapter to mate the hoe to the new PVC line where it begins. Easy stuff there. On the other end, that hose would easily connect to a 2-way splitter at the wall. That's one thought anyways.

 

[Dirk]

What would you suggest be used between whichever connection you posted above, to the pvc pipe that is 30" away?

More PVC. It's not actually the best way to do it. PVC is not rated to be above ground (though it's done all the time, just look at any pool pad). Ideally, you'd run copper pipe from the new tee straight down into the dirt, then convert to PVC then trench over to the existing PVC line. That's the right way to do it. The easy way is to just add more PVC to get you over to the bib. Then paint it, or cover it with insulation and tape.

I did it right when I did something similar. You can check out some pics here:

#76

 

[Dirk]

Well, from the spigot to the start of the PVC line you could just run a hose with the appropriate male/female adapter to mate the hoe to the new PVC line where it begins. Easy stuff there.

That will work, just keep in mind that for water to always be available in your screen enclosure, you're going to want it under pressure all the time. Which means that you'll end up leaving the hose that Pat just suggested turned on all the time, which would subject it to pressure all the time, maybe out in the sun? Murphy's Law is quite clear on this situation. That hose will split and fail one hour after you drive off to your week-long getaway. So you'll come home to an additional pool in your yard somewhere! So if you use hose instead of pipe, you'll need to keep it turned off. And turn it on only when you need water inside the enclosure.

 

[Dirk]

For what it's worth, if the plumbers were going to sweat copper and run copper to the ground and do the trenching, and insulating and painting, etc., everything I just described as "the right way," then yes, it would have been worth $500.

 

[OrlandoBull]

I think you have a lot of options, splitter being the easiest. Having said that, a true plumber will be doing everything to code which could require things that you or a handyman wouldn't do. I'd do it all day long myself, but I'm not someone who can't afford a bad review because I am supposedly a licensed plumber who didn't do something to code.

Now... What is your purpose for this line? I had a screened pool with no water inside the screen, never really caused me an issue to stretch a hose when needed. If you want to fill the pool with it, the splitter is going to be tough. If you are close to where the water comes in from the street, your best bet is to connect downstream of your backflow and get a 3/4" hose bib to get some volume when needed.

 

[Dirk]

There's another way to skin this cat. Any chance a bathroom sink or kitchen sink is on the wall between the enclosure and the house? And if you have a water softener, even better. You can open up sheetrock on the inside, under the sink, and plumb a hose bib from the plumbing inside the wall through the stucco. That's what I did in the pics I shared. That will make for a much cleaner looking install, as you'll just see a hose bib and no pipes. You can get rid of the PVC poking up from the pavers and the ground outside.

And if you have a softener, then topping off a pool with soft water will help with calcium accumulation in your pool. Rinsing tables and chairs and enclosure windows and screens with soft water leaves no spots! Maybe not as big a deal in FL as it is where I live, but my hard water is the devil.

If your house is plumbed with PEX (the plastic pipe everybody now uses), then it's not as bad as it sounds. I can walk you through it if this sounds interesting.

 

[Dtkokay]

Rather than having to learn how to "sweat" copper (connect it), you can buy Sharkbite fittings that are pressed in, and removeable. They do cost around $7 per fitting, but they require no skill to connect and can be disconnected. You could also use PEX (plastic water tubing) instead of copper. PEX is flexible and more freeze resistant compared to copper.

 

[usfbull]

That will work, just keep in mind that for water to always be available in your screen enclosure, you're going to want it under pressure all the time. Which means that you'll end up leaving the hose that Pat just suggested turned on all the time, which would subject it to pressure all the time, maybe out in the sun? Murphy's Law is quite clear on this situation. That hose will split and fail one hour after you drive off to your week-long getaway. So you'll come home to an additional pool in your yard somewhere! So if you use hose instead of pipe, you'll need to keep it turned off. And turn it on only when you need water inside the enclosure.

As it is now we have a hose connected to that bib but it is almost always turned off until we need to use it. Only on if left that way by accident.

 

[usfbull]

For what it's worth, if the plumbers were going to sweat copper and run copper to the ground and do the trenching, and insulating and painting, etc., everything I just described as "the right way," then yes, it would have been worth $500.

That doesn’t sound like what they were planning to do.

 

[usfbull]

There's another way to skin this cat. Any chance a bathroom sink or kitchen sink is on the wall between the enclosure and the house? And if you have a water softener, even better. You can open up sheetrock on the inside, under the sink, and plumb a hose bib from the plumbing inside the wall through the stucco. That's what I did in the pics I shared. That will make for a much cleaner looking install, as you'll just see a hose bib and no pipes. You can get rid of the PVC poking up from the pavers and the ground outside.

And if you have a softener, then topping off a pool with soft water will help with calcium accumulation in your pool. Rinsing tables and chairs and enclosure windows and screens with soft water leaves no spots! Maybe not as big a deal in FL as it is where I live, but my hard water is the devil.

If your house is plumbed with PEX (the plastic pipe everybody now uses), then it's not as bad as it sounds. I can walk you through it if this sounds interesting.

The kitchen sink and dishwasher are at an island in the kitchen. Not sure how that waterline is run.
Yes, we have hard water here in Fl. We have a water softener but not sure if hose water is attached.

 

[usfbull]

I think you have a lot of options, splitter being the easiest. Having said that, a true plumber will be doing everything to code which could require things that you or a handyman wouldn't do. I'd do it all day long myself, but I'm not someone who can't afford a bad review because I am supposedly a licensed plumber who didn't do something to code.

Now... What is your purpose for this line? I had a screened pool with no water inside the screen, never really caused me an issue to stretch a hose when needed. If you want to fill the pool with it, the splitter is going to be tough. If you are close to where the water comes in from the street, your best bet is to connect downstream of your backflow and get a 3/4" hose bib to get some volume when needed.

The thought was to have it out of convenience when needed. It is not something I expect to use frequently. If we pressure wash the pavers or walls of house (white shows dirt). Want to hose off something kids spill etc. just figured while we were constructing to add a bib inside the cage.