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I have an unfinished utility room with a shower set on one wall. I’d like to add a utility-style sink to the right of the shower, but no plumbing hookups currently exist. Both hot and cold water lines come in above the shower from the left and down the wall. What is the best way to tie into existing copper plumbing to add sink hookups?

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I have no experience working with copper plumbing and don’t currently have any associated tools, though I am generally very handy. Tool acquisition/learning curve should be considered but not be a dealbreaker for any answer.

Rohit Gupta
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jarens
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    "Best way" is just an opinion question. Take the [tour] - those are not a good fit here. – Ecnerwal May 26 '23 at 21:54
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    For a high level overview of all the steps needed to do a project, or for a comparison of all ways to do certain aspects of it, books and videos are better than this site. Youtube, This Old House, various other TV shows. and the web sites of big hardware retailers all have great tutorials that will give you some direction. – jay613 May 26 '23 at 22:22

2 Answers2

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There would be soldering. It does require some practice but it is not rocket science and needs some tools

Easiest would be to use Shark Bite connectors, requires some thinking and measuring before cutting. No open flame no risk of fire.

And there are the compression fittings.

In all case inserting a T would require one side to be movable.

Ruskes
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  • There's the cost of the sharkbites (or other quick-connects) and the tubing cutter either method will need on the one hand, and the cost of torch and solder and flux on the other hand. Price may be pretty much a wash for this project, particuarly since soldering requires buying new copper pipe, while the quick connects provide an easy transition to much less expensive PEX for the new pipe runs. – Ecnerwal May 26 '23 at 23:42
  • Stating that soldering "is cheapest", since we know that the questioner has no tooling for that is over-simplifying the additional costs associated to be able to use the cheap fittings. – Ecnerwal May 27 '23 at 01:17
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You add a Tee to each line by whatever method is "best for you" and you extend the lines over by whatever method is "best for you." Do realize that if anyone uses the sink while someone is using the shower it's likely to result in an angry shower user.

What's best for you is on you to figure out.

You could keep it all copper sweat by soldering in copper tees and pipes. You might enjoy learning a new skill. You might be frustrated figuring it out yourself. It might be an increasingly irrelevant skill to learn.

You could get it over with quick by using quick-connect fittings and PEX (or copper) for the new pipe.

You could do any number of other methods, all of which will work, and someone would consider them best, even if most people would not. We can't tell you what's best for you, and telling you what's best for me (I have all the tooling to solder copper, and I have PEX crimping tools, so I don't use quick-connects and I don't run new copper where not required to be metal) won't really inform your choice.

You'll also have to deal with the drain and vent, of course.

Ecnerwal
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  • If sweating copper: purchasing some extra just to practice on helps a lot. So does using one of the trigger torches (instant in instant off) so you don't have to worry about where the torch is pointed while actually applying the solder – keshlam May 26 '23 at 23:00