Rough-in and finish plumbing for a full kitchen renovation — on time and on budget
Location: Mukilteo, WA
Service: Kitchen remodel plumbing (garbage disposal, faucet installation, outdoor plumbing repair)
Customer: Rob Bodkin
Date: July 2, 2026
A Mukilteo homeowner brought us in to handle the plumbing side of a full kitchen remodel. Remodels are a different animal than a standard service call — there are multiple trades on site, decisions being made mid-project, and almost always a surprise or two hiding behind the old cabinets. The plumber’s job is to keep the plumbing side moving without holding up the rest of the crew.
For Rob’s project, that meant new garbage disposal installation, a new kitchen faucet, some outdoor plumbing work, and a handful of smaller items that came up as the demo progressed. We scheduled around the other trades, showed up when we said we would, and left the job area tidy at the end of every day.
What Rob Had to Say
“The team from Stollwerck took great care of the plumbing portion of my kitchen remodel. Navigating surprises with calm professionalism and leaving the job area tidy each day. They were easy to schedule and always on time and on budget. I could not have been happier and will use them again when I remodel the bathrooms.”
— Rob Bodkin, Mukilteo
Thanks, Rob. On-time and on-budget is what we shoot for on every remodel — and we’re already looking forward to the bathrooms.
What Kitchen Remodel Plumbing Actually Involves
Homeowners often think of kitchen plumbing as “hook up the sink and the dishwasher.” On a real remodel, there’s usually a lot more to it. Here’s what we typically handle:
Rough-in stage (walls open)
- Relocating supply lines — if the sink, fridge, or dishwasher is moving even a foot or two, hot and cold supply lines have to be re-run
- Drain and vent updates — old drain lines in Mukilteo homes are often galvanized or undersized cast iron; we replace with PVC or ABS to modern code
- Gas line work — if you’re switching from an electric range to gas (or moving the range), that’s a permitted gas line job
- Water filtration rough-in — pre-plumbing for a reverse osmosis system or hot-water dispenser is easier now than after the cabinets go in
- Ice maker line — a proper shutoff valve behind the fridge, not a saddle valve
Finish stage (cabinets and countertops in)
- Sink installation — undermount sinks in stone countertops need to be set precisely and sealed correctly
- Faucet installation — including any pull-down sprayers, soap dispensers, or air gaps for the dishwasher
- Garbage disposal installation and wiring coordination — sizing the disposal to the household, mounting to the sink, and coordinating the electrical
- Dishwasher hookup — supply, drain (with high loop or air gap per local code), and leveling
- Shutoff valves — replacing old multi-turn valves under the sink with quarter-turn ball valves so future work is easier
- Leak testing — every joint pressure-tested before we call the job done
Handling the “Surprises” on a Remodel
Every remodel has at least one surprise. In Mukilteo, the common ones are:
- Old galvanized supply lines hiding behind the drywall, restricted by decades of mineral buildup — good time to replace while the walls are open
- Undersized drain lines that were fine for a single-basin sink but need upsizing for a disposal + dishwasher combo
- Improperly vented drains — a lot of older Mukilteo kitchens were plumbed before modern venting requirements, and a remodel is the right time to fix it
- Rotted subfloor under a long-slow-leaking sink — usually a carpentry fix, but we’ll flag it the moment we find it
- Outdated shutoff valves frozen open — replaced with quarter-turn ball valves so the next repair is a five-minute job instead of a house-wide shutoff
We budget time for surprises on every remodel bid so they don’t blow up the schedule when they show up.
Why a Licensed Plumber Matters on a Remodel
Kitchen remodels almost always require permits — and the plumbing portion has to be inspected. Working with a licensed plumber (WA License #STOLLPL780CJ) means:
- Permits pulled correctly with the city
- Work done to current code, not the code from when the house was built
- Inspections passed the first time
- Warranty on the workmanship
- Peace of mind at resale — buyers and inspectors ask about permitted work
Cutting corners on a remodel to save on plumbing costs is the classic way to end up with a mystery leak inside a finished wall six months later.
Planning a Kitchen Remodel in Mukilteo?
If you’re planning a kitchen (or bathroom) remodel and need a plumber you can trust to work cleanly alongside your other trades, give us a call. We’re based right here in Mukilteo, we know the local codes and inspectors, and we’ve done enough remodels to know how to keep the schedule on track.
Call 425-374-3909 · Request a Quote
Related services:
- Gas Line Services — for range hookups and kitchen gas work
- Drain Cleaning — keeping your kitchen drains flowing
- Water Leak Repair — if you discover a leak during demo
Stollwerck Plumbing & Sewer · Mukilteo, WA · WA License #STOLLPL780CJ