Adding shower to powder room?

[Challenged in Chicago]

My house was built in 2001, and one option the builder offered was to add a shower to the powder room (the dimensions for the standard powder room are quite generous and allowed for the shower - whether the option was chosen or not). The previous owners did not choose this option.

I do have a basement and can access the plumbing under the powder room. How big a job is this? Would probably not even consider trying this on my own, but I am trying to get an idea of complexity (and therefore contractor costs) before making some phone calls.

Thoughts?
Thanks so much!

 

[hj]

shower

Absoutely no way to tell without seeing how the existing piping is arranged. There is no doubt, however, that if they did not provide an opening for the shower, that it will be more complex than if it had been done originally.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jimbo]

Without a picture, this is just a stab.

The basic shower install would involve removing the drywall on the three walls of the shower. Run water pipes up from the wall to the valve location. Install a fibreglass shower base pan. Run drain pipe from shower and tie into drain below. Install ceramic tile, acrylic panels, or other alternative...silestone, corian, etc. on walls. The biggist IF in the plumbing is whether they made provisions on the original pluming for a vent for future shower drain. If not, that will add a lot.

Without further insight about your layout, etc, and what grade of materials you would choose....I would offer a wild stab that this would be in the $5k to $10k range.

 

[Jadnashua]

If you decide on a tiled shower, check out www.johnbridge.com and consider Kerdi from www.schluter.com. It's a neat way to build a totally waterproof, tiled shower. Lots of people do it, and it is DIY'er friendly. I've built two, and I'm not a pro.

 

[Gary Swart]

About the only thing on the positive side is the fact that your plumbing has easy access in the basement. I don't know how much that will save you, but it will have to help some. As the pros have already indicated, there is no way to really give you much of an estimate without actually being there. Suffice it to say it will be costly. To get a more specific answer, you will need to get some estimates from local contractors.

 

[Challenged in Chicago]

Thanks for all of the replies!

If you decide on a tiled shower, check out www.johnbridge.com and consider Kerdi from www.schluter.com. It's a neat way to build a totally waterproof, tiled shower. Lots of people do it, and it is DIY'er friendly. I've built two, and I'm not a pro.

Love that forum! Just finished my boys' bathroom. The only thing I did not change was the tub. Let's just say, though, that the cost of the room remodel without needing to pay for any plumbing work was high enough that I would not be doing a kerdi shower build for my powder room! Wish I could, but did I mention that I am a Realtor? Tough market to be spending so much $$$$!

Would quote the rest of you very helpful folks, but essentially the message from each was the same (unless I am mistaken?): without seeing the set-up, there is really no way to even suggest a course of action. So, if I posted pics, would that at least help? Or should I not bore you guys with the details & just call a local contractor?

Thanks for the advice!

 

[hj]

picture

A picture of the unside piping along with an indication of where the shower is going might help with the drainage.

 

[Challenged in Chicago]

Thanks, hj. I will get a pic up in the next day or so.

Here is a very stupid question, I am sure, but hopefully it will bring some humor to one or two of you:
How do I know if the builder put in a vent for a shower, even though the previous owners did not choose the option to add a shower? Is there something very obvious that I can check?

Another stupid question (perhaps even more so): obviously there is a vent because of the toilet, right? Is that the same as the exhaust fan system?
No laughing out loud at that one. Maybe just a slight chuckle.
Thanks!

 

[Export!]

I doubt there will be any vent for the shower unless there is a capped drain already run for it and it sounds like you would have noticed that by now. Is this a two-storey? If there is attic above this bath then I would think it would be fairly easy to vent under any circumstance. Failing that, hopefully you expose the existing vent run when you remove drywall - at that point I think you can tie into the vent 6" above the lav flood rim.

 

[hj]

vent

He would NOT have put in a vent for the shower, unless he also provided a point to connect the drain to it. And many times, depending on the installation, the shower does not need an individual vent. Anything we say will be a wild guess until we see what was installed and maybe how you can modify it for a shower.

 

[Challenged in Chicago]

Ok, kind people, I must apologize for neglecting the thread and not properly acknowledging your input: thank you. It has been somewhat crazy around here, and I always remember to take pictures for posting at around 2a when I cannot sleep but am too tired to go downstairs to actually take the pics.

Two story house, powder room on first floor. Because I am admittedly challenged, anybody mind recapping the pictures I should post? Thanks all.

 

[Challenged in Chicago]

Btw....

If anybody is extraordinarily bored and want to see part of the reason I have been so negligent, visit the John Bridge tile forum & read the lengthy "helpless in chicago - a bathroom saga" thread. Bit of perspective - not to mention three kids, husband, work, blah, blah, blah!

 

[Dcelite]

Pictures of the plumbing under the bathroom would help.