10/10/2026
LESSONS IN CONSTRUCTION: What happens after plumbing is installed in a concrete slab?
We’re remodeling a garage in Jacksonville Beach and converting it into living space. The shower’s rough-in plumbing is complete, and it has passed the rough plumbing inspection. Now it’s time to prepare the slab opening for the concrete patch.
Even a small patch needs the right steps:
1. Remove the plumbing test plug used for the inspection, then cap and seal the pipe.
2. Backfill the opening and compact the soil thoroughly.
3. Install the required reinforcing steel, epoxying it into the existing concrete where needed.
4. Have a termite company treat the area and provide documentation of the treatment.
5. Install the v***r barrier beneath the reinforcing steel, taking care not to disturb the prepared base.
6. Call for the required slab inspection. Once it passes, the concrete can be poured to patch the opening.
7. Following the proper preparation helps the new concrete patch stay stable and reduces the risk of settling or future cracking.
