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adding a basement bathroom

16 years ago

I'm going to be adding a full bathroom in my basement. I know this means cutting the concrete floor to get to the dirt to dig a trench, however I have several questions. How big should the trench be? How big do my drain pipes have to be? Where do I know exactly where to stub them up for the shower and sink? How exactly do I connect to the existing drain pipes once I get to them? What does the slope have to be?

From how I have it laid it out so far the shower and sink are along the same wall. So I was thinking of picking up the shower drain and sink drain in one run and then tieing into the existing drain pipes. Can I do that or would it cause problems to put them both in the same run like that?

I'm more than willing and able to cut and jackhammer up the floor and everything I just don't have the plumbing knowledge to tie everything together.

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Comments (5)

homebound
16 years ago
No offense, but based on your questions I'd strongly suggest leaving the drain plumbing "rough-in" to a pro.

Let someone take a look, give you a general idea where it's likely to tie-in and how much of the floor will likely have to be opened, etc. They'll also give you an idea of where everything can go, etc. Then go from there.

BTW, after the rough-in is done, make sure the concrete floor is repaired to your satisfaction (as smooth and level as the rest of the floor. When it's still wet is the time to deal with it - not after it cures "roughly" or anything.
edlakin
16 years ago
fyi, there is a product called saniflo (i think that's it) that allows basement installations without digging down into the floor.
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Thank You for responding! Well, there are two sets of stairs; one to the inside staircase, and one outside. Are you telling me I still need more exits? The bathroom would be on the staircase(s) side. I don't actually want to make a bedroom down there, although there is a closet if someone wanted one. The basement is partially finished with wormwood paneling, but it needs cosmetic updating. I'm not quite ready to deal with that, as I thought having a bathroom would make it easier to tackle that in the future. Does that make any difference, or is it just assumed the room would be a bedroom? How much am I shooting myself in the foot if I don't have a shower? I have room, but I'd rather keep the room for storage (metro shelving), which I need much more than a shower.
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I screwed up - it's a master bedroom and bath in the basement with walk out. You are 100% correct with the confusion. What I've decided to do is to have this be more of a "guest master bedroom" or future inlaw place. Every home is initially designed for the current occupant but also with future occupants in mind. Therefore what I'll do is focus on the upstairs primary bedroom and then if I do decide to stay, I'll give this to my soon to be teen-age daughter and I'll build my primary bedroom in the basement. When someone comes to look at the home to buy, they can look at the downstairs as a large "room" which could be a bedroom (staged as such) and an awesome bathroom ideally suited for a bedroom or just an awesome entertainment room.
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ctbosox
16 years ago
I would give consideration to the location, height wise, of the excisting main sewer line. with the digging up the concrete, seems you are below that point, unless you can connect running horizontal to it. I know they have toilets to flush up, can't recall proper name, and you could sump pump up the waste water from the tub and sink, and as homebound says, you might want to get some pros in there first.
hexus
Original Author
16 years ago
The existing drains are below the concrete floor and I have been told that it is against code to have an upflush system if that is the case and you HAVE to tie into them.
Nor do I want to have an upflush system and am fully prepared and able to cut the concrete and dig down to run the new lines, and then repair it. I was mainly just asking about code requirements. I know I can slap something together and have it drain but I'd like it to be to code.
Brewbeer
16 years ago
I recommend that you pick up a copy of a good basic plumbing book, which will provide you with the general information that you are seeking. Once such book is the Black & Decker's book entitled "Home Plumbing", and it give all the charts and tables that you need to figure out what size drains to use, how large the vents need to be, where they need to be located, etc.

The biggest challenge with a project like this is the venting. If you use the main stack as the vent, you can't tie your new vent into the stack until at least six inches above the flood rim elevation of the highest fixture that discharges to the stack (typically a sink o the second floor of a 2-story house).

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