Plumbing Remodeling in Des Moines, IA

By Jarod Smith, Owner, Clog Busters. 26 years in plumbing and drain cleaning. Updated October 2026.

A kitchen or bathroom remodel lives or dies by what goes inside the walls before the tile and cabinets go in. Our plumbing remodeling in Des Moines covers that hidden work: rough-in, relocating supply and drain lines, and hooking up new fixtures at the finish.

Jarod Smith grew up in Des Moines, and we at Clog Busters Drain Cleaning & Repair work in homes across the city, from Beaverdale and Highland Park to Sherman Hill. Schedule your remodel plumbing consultation online and we will walk through your layout and options before any pipe is cut.

Plumbing Remodeling Des Moines Homeowners Hire Us For

• Bathroom rough-in. We install the supply, drain and vent lines for a new tub, shower, toilet or vanity while the walls are open. Getting placement right now saves tearing out finished tile later.
• Kitchen sink relocation. Moving a sink to a new wall or an island means a new drain route with proper slope and venting. We plan the path before we cut into floors or walls.
• Relocating supply and drain lines. Opening up a floor plan often puts old pipes in the way. We reroute them to fit the new layout.
• Basement bathroom plumbing. Adding a bathroom to a finished basement means tying new fixtures into the existing drain system. We look at that system first so the new bathroom drains the way it should.
• Laundry relocation. Moving a washer upstairs or to a new room takes new supply lines, a drain and a vent. We size and route each one for the new spot.
• New fixture hookups. Once cabinets and tile are done, we come back to set toilets, connect faucets and hook up sinks, with new shutoff valves for each fixture.
• Water heater moves. If the remodel moves your water heater, see our water heater repair and replacement service in Des Moines for what that involves.

Licensed Work and Permits for Remodel Plumbing in Des Moines

In Iowa, plumbing is a licensed trade. The Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing plumbing licensure page lists the licenses the state issues, from apprentice and journey level to master and contractor licenses. The same page lists the 2024 Uniform Plumbing Code as the state plumbing code, with Iowa amendments in 481 IAC Chapter 425.

Inside city limits, the City of Des Moines Permit and Development Center issues its own plumbing permits for alterations and additions to existing homes. A remodel that adds or moves fixtures is exactly that kind of work.

Here is why it matters for your project:

• Drain size, slope and venting for a moved sink or new shower have to meet the plumbing code before the walls close.
• Rough-in work is easiest to inspect while pipes are still exposed, so the schedule should leave room for it.
• Unpermitted plumbing can surface later, when you sell the house or file an insurance claim.

In older neighborhoods like Beaverdale and Sherman Hill, new lines often have to tie into drain and supply pipe that has been in place for generations. Before we connect new work to old, we look at what is already there, including a camera look at existing drains when the tie-in point is in question.

We at Clog Busters are licensed and insured, and we plan your remodel plumbing around these steps: rough-in, inspection when your project requires one, then fixture hookups.

Two Recent Jobs, in Our Customers’ Words

Neither review below is for a remodel. One is a drain clearing followed by a new toilet installation, and the other is a water heater replacement, both by our Des Moines crew. We share them because the same crew habits carry into remodel work, where we are in your home over several visits.

A drain cleared, then a new toilet set

Joyce Dodson’s job came in two parts: a drain that a previous company had not fixed, then a new toilet installation with a flange repair and a new water shutoff. Two of our plumbers handled the two parts.

Joyce Dodson wrote: “Max was able to get my drain open and show me what last company didn’t do right. I will use you again. Austin came in to set the new toilet and fix the flange and replace the water shut off. He did an great job. Because of the good work that both Max Austin did, I will use this company again. They also were able answer any questions I had.”

A sound flange and a working shutoff are the same details we check at the finish stage of every bathroom remodel. Read this review on Google

A water heater replacement

Michael Maennche needed his hot water heater replaced. This was a water heater replacement, not a remodel, and it was a sizable job.

Michael Maennche wrote: “Dean Deanjelo did a great job replacing my hot water heater. Very happy with the work he put in and it was a lot of work.”

Water heater swaps and moves come up often in remodels, and they get the same care when they do. Read this review on Google

Why Des Moines Remodelers Choose Clog Busters

Our owner, Jarod Smith, holds Iowa Master Plumber license #4913, issued by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing.

• Licensed and insured plumbers.
• Award-Winning Customer Service.
• Local ownership. Jarod Smith, born and raised in Des Moines, started Clog Busters in 2020 after more than 25 years in residential and commercial plumbing and drain work.
• A Des Moines branch with fully stocked trucks.
• Options explained before work begins, so you can plan your remodel budget.
• Camera inspections of existing drains when new fixtures tie into old lines.

Plan Your Des Moines Remodel Plumbing

Bring us your layout, sketch or contractor’s plans, and we will walk through what has to move. Book your remodel plumbing visit online.

For everything else we do in the city, visit our Des Moines plumbing and drain services page.

Questions About Plumbing Remodeling in Des Moines

Do I need a permit for remodel plumbing in Des Moines?

The City of Des Moines Permit and Development Center issues plumbing permits for alterations and additions to existing homes. Adding or moving fixtures is the kind of work those permits cover. Tell us your scope when you book, and we will talk through the permit before work starts.

When should the plumber come in during a kitchen or bathroom remodel?

Twice, in most projects. Rough-in happens after demolition and framing, before insulation and drywall. We come back for fixture hookups after cabinets, counters and tile are in place.

Can you move my kitchen sink to an island?

Usually, yes. An island sink needs a drain with proper slope and a venting method the plumbing code allows, so we check the route under the floor before you commit to the layout.

Will the old pipes in my Des Moines home work with new fixtures?

Often they can, but older homes in neighborhoods like Beaverdale and Highland Park may have aging supply or drain pipe at the tie-in point. A plumbing inspection in Des Moines before demolition tells you what needs replacing and helps you budget for it.

Do you handle single fixture changes, not just full remodels?

Yes. We install new toilets, faucets and sinks without a full remodel. If something is broken rather than being upgraded, our plumbing repairs in Des Moines page covers that work.

How do I schedule remodel plumbing in Des Moines?

Book service online and tell us about your project. We will set a time to review the layout and explain your options before any work begins.