During those summer months when the weather is extremely hot, we try to spend most of our time outside. If we’re lucky, our homes come equipped with a backyard or some green space where we can relax. There are endless ways to enhance outdoor spaces, including certain installations that require plumbing.

Depending on how much room you’re working with, you may be considering projects like a pool, a spa, an outdoor shower, a bathroom or even an entire kitchen. Of course, these ambitious plans take careful time and consideration, especially when it comes to exterior plumbing. 

Exterior plumbing projects can be complicated, but by working with an expert plumber, they will be certain to go over smoothly. Whichever way you get to the result, let’s consider some exterior plumbing projects you could take on!

Exterior Plumbing Projects for Which You'll Need to Hire an Expert

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1- Installing and setting up an outdoor shower

An outdoor shower is a serious luxury. This is an expensive project, but an excellent investment, with the potential to add to your home's value. If you’re set on installing an outdoor shower, the first thing you’ll need to determine is what it will be used for.

Are you bathing the pets after they’ve spent some time outdoors? Is the shower going to be used as an additional option to the one indoors? Will the shower be adjacent to an outdoor pool? Answering these questions can help determine what type of shower you should install.

When it comes to the plumbing aspect of an outdoor shower, the simple rule is that the closer to your home it is, the easier it will be to set up plumbing. Most landscape designers would suggest putting the shower on the side of the house, if possible, as this offers direct access to hot and cold water lines. The next consideration would be drainage, as this is a crucial aspect of any shower. Make sure that you’re able to install a drain in the area you’re working with. We’d also recommend checking local rules and regulations when it comes to outdoor shower installation, as they will vary from province to province. 

You’ll also need to consider privacy and comfort measures. Is this going to be an enclosed shower or an open concept? What materials would best suit your overall decor? Get creative but remain practical. You want to work with materials that won’t get too slippery or mouldy. Lastly, don’t forget the impact of an outdoor shower on the environment. Make sure to use environmentally-friendly products when cleaning or bathing.

2- Building a poolside bathroom

Taking it one step further, you may consider installing an entire outdoor bathroom. If you’re building an exterior bathroom to accompany an outdoor pool, then this can help you determine your needs. This is especially true if you have a big family or if you find yourself hosting friends and loved ones often, you may need to think about the works: toilet, sink, and shower. Do remember that adding an entire bathroom to your property will require a building permit, something that cannot be overlooked. 

When it comes to bathroom plumbing, the most common set-up is a single plumbed wall. This means that all fixtures are lined up and operate on a single source of drains, water supply and venting. This is the best way to easily hook up and run outdoor plumbing. As with the shower, a bathroom should be installed as close to the house as possible.

3- Installing an inground pool

Installing an inground pool is a huge project, but brings a world of wonder to any household. Ultimately, plumbing is essential to any pool. The installation process can be done yourself, or you may want to hire a professional so that you’re guaranteed the job happens smoothly. 

First, you’ll be able to find a kit at your local pool or hardware store for a straightforward installation, and this will include the drain, skimmer, and water inlets. These will easily slide into place and will eventually be connected to couplings and then piping. The piping, or plumbing, will be hidden in the ground or under your patio. Starting with the drain, you’ll place a 90-degree elbow pipe onto the end of the coupling. On the end of this elbow will be a straight pipe, and this will run towards an area of your landscape where water can drain.  Following this, skimmer pipes will need to be connected and will allow the pump to work. 

Lastly PVC pipes will be laid and connected to all of the pool jets. You may require several T-joints to connect these pipes. With all the pool plumbing in place, you will need to cap any exposed pipes!

For more detailed instructions on building an inground pool, consider checking out our articles:

• Steps to building an inground pool

• Installing a pool and setting up your backyard 

4- Setting up an outdoor kitchen with plumbing

If you want to take the functionality of your outdoor living space to the next level, you may be interested in an outdoor kitchen. Most outdoor kitchens come complete with a cabinet and countertop, and generally a working sink. When it comes to countertops and cabinets, be sure to choose materials that won’t deteriorate outdoors. Providing shelter from rain or unexpected weather conditions is another important aspect of an outdoor kitchen, so be certain to think about this in the planning process. 

Naturally, with a sink, there will be some plumbing involved. With a project like this, we don’t necessarily recommend a DIY plumbing job. In fact, in most municipalities, this type of work legally requires hiring a contractor. This will help you to avoid leaks, burst pipes and the potential for freezing. Whether you decide to hire a professional or not, here’s a quick rundown of the steps involved in hooking up plumbing:

• from inside your home, add a water supply line with a shutoff valve and drain plugs located at the lowest point 

• run this supply line through the wall of your home, toward your outdoor kitchen 

• route the pipe through the bottom of the base cabinet where your outdoor sink is going to live 

• install male-threaded adapters for the sink tubes 

• install a PVC drainpipe as well as a sink trap adapter 

• following this, connect the sink and the trap 

• now, dig a dry well hole, making sure it's at least 10 feet away 

• dig a trench out to the dry well, this should slope down and away from your home 

• run a PVC drain line through this trench 

• finally, install the dry well, connecting the drain line by way of a hole in the side

For more insight on an outdoor kitchen project, check out our article on how to build an outdoor kitchen.