How hard is it to install a basement bathroom?

Question

We are hoping to finish our basement for as little money as possible and plan to do most of the work ourselves. We need to install a bathroom sink shower and toliet. We have all the water pipes and stuff figured out it just we need to put in the drain pipes for the sewage there is one rough in and I am assuming its the sewage line. I know we need to rip up the concrete to place the pipes in but what I need to know is how hard is it to put them in because it seems to me to be pretty straightforward. Do we really need a plumber for this and does anyone have any idea how much something like that costs? Also I would love any tips from anyone who has installed a basement bathroom even if you had a plumber.

Answer 1

I am a plumber and you need to make sure you have a three inch dain pipe a two inch will not work.It must be low enough under conrete to get to all you fixtures with downhill grade.Remember just the elbow that turns up for your toilet takes up alot of height.If you don't have it you'll need a sewer ejector pit now it's expensive.A pit is $650 plus a fair amount of labor and digging.Plumbing must be vented it's more than just drainage it has to be installed properly or it's like holding your thumb on a straw full of water it won't drain.Rough in plumbing after conrete demo will cost about $2000.00 from a pro.Good luck!!

Answer 2

i wouldnt recommend tearing up concrete to lay sewer pipes unless you are a qualified plumber. the noise, mess, dust, and heavy lifting involved in the concrete removal alone should be enough to scare away even the most dedicated DIY'ers. I understand that it sounds straight forward to you. And in many ways it is. But being simple is a far, far cry from being easy, or even do-able. When i started my plumbing career, my VERY FIRST job was this same thing; remove concrete in 16" wide swatch dig out the old pipe, install new pipe. It wasnt a big house, and the run was only about 25' long total. But we ended up moving out 3 tons of concrete and dirt, which means we brought back in 3 more tons of new rock and concrete, Thats six tons!! and we had to lift it up the stairs in 5 gallon buckets.

Aside from the hard work involved in the concrete/gravel work, there is the actual laying of the pipes, and the connecting them to the original. Not to mention properly re-laying the concrete so the new floor doesnt buckle up. The depth you dig has to be pretty precise, the material you use to level needs to be code approved for your area, and the pipe has to be laid correctly. This last part is critical. If that pipe is at all level or "backpitched" that is to say, if it makes the water flow up hill, even a little tiny bit, it will cause major problems right away, and downthe road. Believe me, if youre gonna have a sewer drain problem in any part of the house, you dont want it to be in the basement, and you dont want it to be under concrete. It also needs to be joined to the existing pipe the right way, the fittings used can be critical as well. One incorrect fitting, or one correct fitting laid the wrong way can cause serious drainage problems. Also, "assuming" that you have a rough in line for your sewer is a very bad idea. That "rough in" you see might very well be the clean out needed to access the pipe in case of a clog.

As for cost, it can be around 1,500 bucks for all the pipe, concrete and fixtures, maybe a few more to rent a jack hammer, and youll need a truck capable of hauling away all the stuff, and depending on where you live, you may need to pay a dumping fee to get rid of it.

I'm not trying to scare you away from working on your own house, but i did want to help you realize just what youre getting into.

Answer 3

I'd recommend paying a professional, licensed plumber to handle this work.  It will give you peace of mind - and a warranty.  

Answer 4

Instead of   ripping up the concrete and digging down laying pipes   etc. try an upflush system.Everything is installed above the concrete.   neatly  and with a lot less work see attached link,

http://saniflo.com/