Moving toilet and vanity in a bath remodel

Users who are viewing this thread

lojoma

New Member
Messages
34
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Tennessee
Hi all,

I am trying to change the layout of my master bath. It is a 1950s house with concrete slab, but I believe the master bath is part of a 1970s addition but I'm not sure.

I have attached a couple of sketches showing the old and new versions. The LEFT one is the OLD bath and the RIGHT one is the NEW bath.

Basically the toilet and sink would change places and the single vanity would be a double. The bath/shower would be shower only. Please note that the current water for the shower is on the same wall as the current vanity and would still be that way after the remodel, OPPOSITE of what's shown in the diagrams.

My question regards being able to switch the location of the toilet and sink. I know this is precious little information to go on, but is something like this possible? I figure the supply water won't be too bad as I have attic space above and there is at least cold water already at both locations. It's the drains I'm really wondering about. I realize the concrete will have to be busted out, but can the new sink drain to where the toilet once did and can the new toilet somehow drain to where the old sink did with some modifications? I'm guessing the pipe sizing is different and I bet code is for different size pipes than were probably installed at the time.

So, any advice or direction would be helpful, as well as even a remote idea of cost for a plumber to do something like this, if I do all the demo work.

Thanks
 

Attachments

  • OldBath.jpg
    OldBath.jpg
    13.3 KB · Views: 1,626
  • NewBath.jpg
    NewBath.jpg
    14.2 KB · Views: 1,589

FloridaOrange

Plumbing Designer
Messages
1,298
Reaction score
2
Points
36
Location
SW Florida
Since you decided to move your post while I was typing here is the response from that thread....

You will have to upsize the former lavatory line to a 3", the line that formerly served the toilet can be bushed down to a 2" either below or above the slab.

Venting will be interesting though and it would have to be reviewed and revised to make it compliant. Obviously you will vent the new lav location but you don't want the toilet washing past the shower unvented.
 

hj

Master Plumber
Messages
33,600
Reaction score
1,037
Points
113
Location
Cave Creek, Arizona
Website
www.terrylove.com
drains

There are so many ways the original plumber could have installed the piping, that without actually seeing the job, with the walls exposed, there is no way we can tell how extensive the repiping will be, but you cannot just use the lavatory drain for the new toilet. For example, I might have put the vent line behind the lavatory and then "armed" over to the toilet and shower from there. This would have made your toilet relocation easier, but made a problem for the new lavatory drain.
 

lojoma

New Member
Messages
34
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Tennessee
Thanks for the comments, and sorry to have moved the thread on you, there.

I figured the change in toilet location was going to be a bigger issue. And I truly understand that you need to see the exposed walls to know how things are vented, etc.

Again, understanding the lack of information will lead to differences in what has to be done and what it will cost, am I looking somewhere in the $500 range or $3000 range?
 

hj

Master Plumber
Messages
33,600
Reaction score
1,037
Points
113
Location
Cave Creek, Arizona
Website
www.terrylove.com
price

Both $500.00 and $3,000.00 are possible, but neither is really likely. The actual number will be somewhere between them, usually on the lower end.
 

lojoma

New Member
Messages
34
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Tennessee
Thanks for your opinions. I'll update as I know more and start demo to see what's in the walls.
 

lojoma

New Member
Messages
34
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Tennessee
I hear you that what's under the floor is what's important. Thanks.

I have started demo and I have a few pictures to show. I haven't broken out the concrete but the wall is exposed and the tub is out. Hopefully this will at least give a closer notion of what's under the concrete before I break it out. If the opinion is that there's no hope then...I guess we stop here and put a vanity back in.

The photos from left to right are the tub drain; the tub drain and a pipe you'll see in the next picture; and a photo showing the vent pipe on the left (the pipe you see in the middle photo) and the vanity drain with vent connecting into the main vent.

Playing a guessing game, is it likely that what's under the concrete is a cross fitting below the main vent pipe here with the tub drain coming in on the left and the sink drain coming in on the right side? And if so, would the ability to put a toilet here depend on the size of the pipe below the cross?

Again, can't know without digging out but would like to know if this is the likely scenario.

Thanks.
 

Attachments

  • photo-1.jpg
    photo-1.jpg
    16.9 KB · Views: 1,493
  • photo 4.jpg
    photo 4.jpg
    13.9 KB · Views: 1,501
  • photo 3.jpg
    photo 3.jpg
    17.3 KB · Views: 1,482

austintx

New Member
Messages
27
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
World
I am no expert, but am in the middle of a very similar project. My plan however is to completely abandon the existing lines. As far as what is currently under the slab, that is anyones guess. As I cut the concrete for my project, I have found that the existing drain lines are not quite where I expected them to be, but since I am putting in new ones, it doesn't matter too much.
 

FloridaOrange

Plumbing Designer
Messages
1,298
Reaction score
2
Points
36
Location
SW Florida
Pure guess - it's impossible to tell 100% which way your pipes are going and whether or not your toilet is individually or back vented. But it's a shot.
 

Attachments

  • PLUMBING-LOJOMA Model.pdf
    5.5 KB · Views: 459

lojoma

New Member
Messages
34
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Tennessee
Wow, thanks for that great diagram! But I have more information. I took down the sheetrock on the toilet wall and broke out the concrete between the toilet and wall. The toilet vent and drain are in the wall behind the toilet. I think it's a 3 inch cast iron drain pipe and a 2 inch vent.

I am now wondering if it would be okay to have the toilet at the new location drain to the old toilet pipe, that is, just have a longer horizontal run from the new toilet location and connect it to the same pipe. From what I've read the max length can be six feet and can have a 45 bend in the run if I understand correctly. It would still be vented the same way as before. Obviously I could have misunderstood this.

I'm also wondering if I can still have the vanity drain into this same setup, and the only thing draining to the old vanity/bath drain is the bath/shower.

Again, thanks for the advice.
 
Last edited:

FloridaOrange

Plumbing Designer
Messages
1,298
Reaction score
2
Points
36
Location
SW Florida
Wow, thanks for that great diagram! But I have more information. I took down the sheetrock on the toilet wall and broke out the concrete between the toilet and wall. The toilet vent and drain are in the wall behind the toilet. I think it's a 3 inch cast iron drain pipe and a 2 inch vent.

I am now wondering if it would be okay to have the toilet at the new location drain to the old toilet pipe, that is, just have a longer horizontal run from the new toilet location and connect it to the same pipe. From what I've read the max length can be six feet and can have a 45 bend in the run if I understand correctly. It would still be vented the same way as before. Obviously I could have misunderstood this.

I'm also wondering if I can still have the vanity drain into this same setup, and the only thing draining to the old vanity/bath drain is the bath/shower.

Again, thanks for the advice.


Sounds very do-able. It looks like your current tub has it's own vent which is good.
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks