Is it possible to add a complete bathroom?

Question

I want my husband to add a bathroom to my house. I would like to add it to the back of the house but my husband said all of our pipes are under our slab foundation and would have to dig several feet to add a toilet to the existing pipes. He said a shower and sink would work but not a toilet.

I have a sewer system and the pipes all run to the front of the house. I have my kitchen sink in the back of the house and the bath would be at max 10 feet behind the house

Answer 1

In the UK in this situation we would look to install a macerator system and pipe the waste by linking to the sink waste line. The macerator chops up the soil and paper into a fine slurry that will pass down smaller pipes.

Personally I would look at the possibility of running a new drain down a sideway and linking up to the mains at the front. A mini digger would be ideal if space is a problem

Have a look at this http://www.needplumbingsupplies.com/Saniflo-Saniflo-Macerating-Toilets-Pumps.asp?id=8021&NpsRfrSrc=SiteMatchX&NpsRfrMfg=10

I am sure you can get them cheaper.

DWD

Answer 2

Is the shower going to be upstairs. In any event, you'd have to remove some concrete to run the 3" sewer line to within 15" or so of the wall behind the toilet tank. I've done 12", but the tank is right against the wall, and should really have at least a 1" space behind it to keep condensation from contacting the wall (tanks "sweat").

In any event, a grinder with a diamond blace could define your cut-out with a groove and then you could hammer or jack-hammer (Home Depot, etc, rent smaller units) the small amount necessary for the plumbing. This is usually done near an outside wall where the connecting sewer line is more or less accessible, given "gradient" considerations (needs a downward slope).

I've done this a few times. Check out some plumbing/addition books, or go to thisoldhouse.com bath addition, as I have found good info there myself. The "gradient" is the key. Other than that, it's just ditch-digging and gluing pipes together, and replacing the concrete, of course. Good luck.

Answer 3

Most all homes on a slab have a Clean out in back of the House, from there you can tap into the Sewer line. If not, you can run the Sewer line around the house- or worst case break up the slab at closes toilet. Rent a Trencher, digging that line is easy- but messy.

Answer 4

Of course it can be done. On a scale of one to ten for difficulty, adding on a bathroom starts out at ten and gets worse from there. Is your husband an experienced plumber? If not, I'd probably take his word for it. Tying into existing water supplies, or drainage, is a huge pain.
I'm remodeling my bathroom, and it's excruciatingly difficult, even though the pipes are already there.
Had to cut the slab to move the drain, had to return the toilette, because the tank was too big (who even knew they were different sizes?), and I wouldn't have been able to close the shower door. Wanted to move the vanity to the other side of the bathroom, can't because I'd have to run the drain through the drawers, had to buy a new vanity. Problems, problems, problems.
Better for you, or hubby to get a second job, to make the money, to have a professional do it. IT TOTALLY SUCKS TO DO IT YOURSELF IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING!
Good luck

Answer 5

what you did not say was whether you have a sewer system or septic system. if a sewer system, call a plumber for information about tying in, if a septic, a seperate line to it requires far less work and is easier for the do it yourselfer. you also need to find out if the lines are leaving from the front , side or back of the house. good luck.

Answer 6

Check out Saniflo.com, they have an assortment of fixtures that do not require breaking the slab to install

Answer 7

Yes. My husband is in construction and told me something similar. Then his brother came by, and I happened to mention to him that it was too bad we couldn't expand our bathroom. His brother said.."why not?" my husband tried to shush his brother, but it was too late. It was just my husband's made up excuse because he didn't want to do the work. ha ha ha.

Answer 8

as long as you can rerute your new plumbing to the drain it is possible
so tell him it can be done

Answer 9

make him do it