Definition: The terms “roughing in” or “to rough in” cut through many different strata of home renovation and improvement projects, from plumbing and electrical, to carpentry and almost anything in between. Typically, though, you will hear “rough in” applied mainly to electrical and plumbing work, and it means the following:
To lay out the basic lines without making the final connections.
A rough-in is often done as a preliminary stage to approval by a building, electrical, or plumbing inspector.
So, as applied to electrical work, a rough in job would mean to pull all of the electrical cables through the studs and into the boxes. But light switches, outlets, lights, and so forth would not be attached.
As applied to plumbing work, for example, roughing in would mean to bore holes through the studs for the pipes, install and connect pipes, but to avoid connecting fixtures or any end elements.
Pronunciation: RUFF-in
Also Known As: to rough, roughing, the rough-in, roughing-in
Examples:
The contractor said that the plumbing and electrical rough in work had been completed, and both were awaiting a visit from the city inspector for approval.
