Is the electric outlet position too low?

12 years ago

My contractor installed a new electric outlet on the right of the toilet for the washlet of my toto toilet. I noticed the outlet plate is only 4 1/4" from the floor (outlet itself is 5.5" from the floor). But the baseboard I bought is 5.5". I don't know if code allows the outlet to be installed that low in a hallway bathroom.

My contractor said he would cut a rectangle shape on the baseboard to accommodate the electric outlet plate. People would not see it because the toilet blocks the view. Would it be a good idea? Or is it better to ask the contractor to move the outlet 2 inches higher? He might not be willing to do so, because the wall has been painted already and he might not want to cut the drywall, repair it and paint that part again.

Now there are only vanity, separately bought vanity top, mirror or medicine cabinet, toilet door casing, and baseboard that need to be installed in this hallway bathroom. He also needs to replace a vanity in my another bathroom. He wants to finish all these on Sunday (tomorrow) and then rush to his next project in another house.

Any input is GREATLY appreciated.

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Comments (4)

mydreamhome
12 years ago
Janesylvia--you are making incredible progress!! How exciting! Sorry you hit a small roadblock. Here are my thoughts...

Is your GC's solution perfect?-- No. Has it been done countless times in bathrooms (as well as many other rooms) in a concealed area?-- Yes. Will anyone notice it in your bathroom?-- Probably not, unless they are looking for it. Would I have the contractor move it up 2"(likely at additional cost to me) just because I will know the baseboard is notched to accomodate the plate?-- No. Why not?-- It's pretty concealed and not worth the extra money to me to move it. How often do you really look down at that little bit of wall at the toilet, near the baseboard when you're in the bathroom? The question is, is it worth it to you?

Hope this helps!
treasuretheday
12 years ago
For me, the answer to that would be dependent on whether I would see the outlet once the toilet is installed. Because, if I were to see it, it would look like a mistake and bug the h*** out of me. If you, like probably most people, wouldn't mind this, then I wouldn't worry about it.

Moving the outlet up a couple of inches would mean that the drywall would have to be patched which is really no big deal at all. (Of course, this is coming from someone who had SEVEN drywall holes to patch in my kitchen and dining room walls and ceilings during the course of renovating our masterbath upstairs.)

You have come a long way in a pretty short time and I'm looking forward to seeing pictures of your new room!
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Since moving the outlets is cost prohibitive, the other option is to do cut outs in the base molding to fit around the outlets. How that is done depends on several things. First, stained or painted base? Either way, the cut outs need to be done before staining or priming/painting. Second, how will the cutouts be done. Simply cutting out to go around the plates will look kinda odd, unless the base molding is a simple rectangular stock. If there is any detail to the top of the molding, some kind of detail needs to be applied to the edges of the cutouts. Could be as simple as a round over or angle routed on the edges. Or a bit more complex with a Roman ogee profile. A third suggestion is to add returns on all the exposed edges made from the base stock. All those ideas will require a lot more work than simply installing the molding as usual. It will have to be cut and altered, primed/stained and finished/painted before installing. It is really nice of the floor guy to include installation, but any of the above means a lot more labor and not what he anticipated. So, discuss how and what would be best for you, and pay the extra labor. It will still be way less than moving the outlets. You might ask if he would prepare the moldings and let you finish, but that would require a second visit, so more labor/time on his part.
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2ajsmama
12 years ago
If you put in an "old work" box and the current location is covered by the baseboard, you wouldn't even have to patch and paint. I'd tell him to move it, unless there is a really short cord or something on the washlet that requires it be that low.

I have to put an outlet in behind my toilet for the towel warmer - builder wouldn't put one underneath the window b/c it's too close to tub (code says 60") but I hate having the cord snake behind the toilet to go to the countertop outlet. I'm not aware of any code about toilets and washlets - if the washlet requires power and has less than 5ft of cord, I would assume you need to put a receptacle close by, and the higher the better.

treasure - I can't imagine all the patching - I am horrible at patching, even with matte paint, I can see the patch in my FR under the window, I don't want to move lights in my master bath and DR and have new sconce less than a ft away shining right on my patch! But gotta do it - or live with lights not centered.
treasuretheday
12 years ago
Fortunately, our painter is an excellent and reasonably priced drywall patcher because there is no way that I could done it. One of the holes in my dining room ceiling was the size and shape of a man's size 10 boot... hmmmmmmmm!

Is the electric outlet position too low?

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mydreamhome

treasuretheday

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