Changes to Philadelphia’s Plumbing Code Bring New Opportunities for Residential Developers

30 September, 2019

Effective October 1, 2019, the City of Philadelphia adopted plumbing and fire codes that allow the use of plastic piping in residential buildings over three stories. According to the Building Industry Association (BIA), the modernization brings an estimated 20% cost savings to new construction, making expensive, heavy-metal piping and associated labor costs a thing of the past.

Here’s what developers can do to capture this new opportunity:

1. Submit a new application

The code applies to permits submitted after October 1st. Work with your project team to determine whether you have the option to close an open permit and resubmit under the new code, using plastic piping materials.

2. Elevate other aspects of your project

The construction cost savings brings an opportunity to create an enhanced community experience. The savings can go towards upgrading building facades, adding green spaces, or improving pedestrian access and circulation around your site, which may ultimately attract more residents.

3. Dust off old projects that may have previously been too expensive

If past deals fell through because of high construction costs, now is a good time to reconsider. The new code allows engineers to spec plastic materials for water and sewer connections within the building and on site. Bohler can help you reevaluate whether a past project has new potential.

4. Reinvest the savings into new projects

With cost savings in hand, developers have the opportunity to use the capital elsewhere, including possibly adding to their portfolio by kick-starting the next project.

Ambitious residential builders see an opportunity to make big gains. Offering a more energy efficient plumbing solution, the new code allows developers to potentially bring enhanced spaces to the community, improve infrastructure and move forward on stalled projects.

Read more here.

Capture this opportunity. Bohler’s Philadelphia team is ready to help you move forward.

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