Moving and Converting tub drain to shower drain

[alicat2441]

Hi Everyone,

I need help moving a tub drain and converting to a shower drain. I am remodeling my master bath and had a tub/shower combo. I am now putting in a shower via a Kerdi kit. My problem is I need to move the drain to center of the new shower.

My problem is that I can't get to the main drain pipe, due to it being under a closet that isn't in the remodel. Also, the drain pipe continues to the toilet, with the tub drain branching off both.

Question: Can I use a reducer to fit the 1 1/2" pipe and 2" pipe together, with the 2" going to the shower drain?


Need some help. Don't really want to spend the $500 that I was quoted by a plumber to do the job-seems kinda high to me.

Thanks.

[Gary Swart]

NO! You can not go from a large size to a small size. Way I see it, you can fiddle fart around with this yourself and try all the hack plumbing tricks you want to, and it still won't work, so then you can call the plumber. But now, it won't be $500, it'll be $1000 because he will have to undo and tear out most of what you did. Remodeling plumbing can be a real bear alright, you can get to things, working upside down, not sure of what the heck to do next, yada, yada, yada! There are times when a smart DIYer know when to throw in towel and call the pros. It's almost always cheaper in the long run. BTW, I'm a committed DIYer myself, so I'm speaking from personal experience.

[hj]

quote; Don't really want to spend the $500 that I was quoted by a plumber to do the job-seems kinda high to me.

That's what I say when I go to the doctor or dentist, but it beats trying to do it myself. HOW do you know if it is high or not, since you don't know what is involved. But you can be sure it will be more than just connecting the shower to the 1 1 /2" drain line. It could even be a case of the plumber doing it for $500.00 and still lose money doing the job.

[alicat2441]

Thanks for the lecture guys. All I was asking for is a yes or no answer, not how incompetent I will be since you don't know the level of my DIY and the advice I am getting from others. Talked to a plumber with 30 years experience and was told that $500 seems a bit expensive.

I know you guys are trying to protect your jobs in a tough economy, but come on.

This is the last time I will be asking for advice from this forum.

[Jeff1]

Personally, I'd listen to what they are saying. I'm also a DIYer but know my limits. Why not have that plumber with 30 years experience give you a quote?

[thezster]

Don't get upset.. you cannot go from a 2" to a 1 1/2 inch.. no matter what! Either you figure a way to access the main stack and increase the size - or you call the pros.... I'm a commited DIYer - who has called a plumber once in 33 years.... but as Clint said: a man's got to know his limitations.....

[hj]

Talked to a plumber with 30 years experience and was told that $500 seems a bit expensive.

So, why isn't he doing it cheaper? It could be like bananas. When you don't have any you can price them at half what the guys with them are charging. I could tell you that it should only cost $150.00, as long as you don't expect me to do it for that price. We can only tell you one thing, and that is that you SHOULD not reduce the shower drain from 2" to 1 1/2", but we CANNOT tell you what it will cost to do it correctly, nor can we prevent you from doing it if you are intent on doing it the least expensive way.